Are You Ready? | Outside Online

You Are Here:

Home >> Fitness and Bodywork >> Are You Ready?

Today's Question
What type of bike seat should I buy to avoid damage downstairs? answer

How can I develop my chest? answer

Online Favorites

Special Issues

Photo Galleries

Outside Magazine 2003

Bodywork: The Future Athlete
Are You Ready?
The brave new world is coming—fast. With sci-fi fantasy turning into performance-enhancing reality, we separate the hype from breakthroughs you can use.

By Brian Alexander


	ARM YOURSELF: In the future, you will be able to upgrade worn-out appendages. (photograph by Dan Winters)

Welcome to 2014. A bevy of technological innovations have, among other things, made it possible to nail your most efficient swimming stroke, restore your injured joints to full strength in weeks instead of months, and improve your hand-eye coordination to Jason Kidd levels. And if you're really lucky, the "muscle suit"—an exoskeleton body glove that can make you 200 percent stronger—will be ready for human testing.

Yeah we know: It all sounds like a comic-book pipe dream, but each of these developments is in the works, as we learned by scouring research labs at NASA, the Pentagon, and major universities. What follows is a sneak peek at six cutting-edge technologies that will lead cooler gear, make you a better athlete, and keep a body going long past its natural prime.

Next Page: Micromanaged Metabolism

TODAY'S NEWS UPDATE!
Kelly Slater on His One Track Mind<...
In One Track Mind, a film by Chris Malloy, surfing greats sit down to talk about what has ...

The Spoke Word: New Winter Cycling ...
RAPHA Classic Softshell Jacket, $375 Rapha is quickly establishing itself as the Savile Row ...

More Blogs:

iPhone Fitness Apps

The 405 is still more dangerous

Sports in Space

Featured Blog: Green Issues

Blog Home

The Peacemaker
Greg Mortenson works to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Winter Gear

Winter Film

The ROM

More Videos:

Russell Coutts

Gym Jones

Dean Potter

Photo Guide

See all Videos

Gone Missing
The crew of the Travel Channel's newest show talks about filming in Papua.

Mike Rowe Speaks
Mike Rowe talks about his long strange trip to TV's dirtiest dream job.

More Podcasts:

Q&A: Climbing El Capitan

Q&A: Maggie Anthony On Son Eric Volz

Q&A: Photographer Danny Clinch

Q&A: "Coca Is It!" Author Joshua Hammer

See all Podcasts

Malia Jones

Pirates

Rwanda

Readers

Julia Mancuso

A. Beard

More Photos:

Cousteaus

Cuba

Rally Car

Submit Your Own Photo

See all Photos

advertisement

Gear Spotlight: Adventure Electronics
Our esteemed Gear Guy hones in the FAQs of the digital world in this exclusive archive.

The Green Issue
Earth Day may fall in April, but global awareness should be a 365-day concern. Let us help you stay focused.

Vacation Packages
More Travel Deals

Save 50% on packages to thousands of destinations

Thanksgiving flights from $166

Last Minute Deals for travel this weekend or next

Ski destinations packages from $181

Sign up for our Travel Deals Newsletter