Wondering how to improve your performance?

Do you want to be faster, jump higher, lift heavier?

Feeling like you’re stuck on the same distance, time, speed, level?

Frustrated by being stagnant in your training routine?

Experiencing injuries when you try to increase your training?

Not sure where to start?

Well, you are at the right place.

We want to make it clear, there is no quick fix  on how to improve your performance. There are also many components that play a role in being able to achieve progressions within one’s performance goals. If the training is not holistic in nature, improvements might not be reached in a sustainable manner. We can help by guiding you on the correct and sustainable path towards improving your performance.

Who can we help

• A variety of athletes with different sporting modalities including and not limited to: runners, cyclists, dancers, gymnasts, hockey players, netball players, cricket player, rugby players, soccer players, swimmers etc.
• Individuals who enjoy sport and an active lifestyle and want to improve their PB (Personal Best).
• Coaches who implement holistic and preventative training.

Click here to contact us

How can we improve your performance

It does not matter if you are competing at a recreational, competitive or elite level. In order to know how we can assist you as an individual – we need to measure a few performance parameters and then we need to implement a few changes to your training routine. Below is just a few ways in which we can do this. Read the article to see how we assist people who move and who want to move better. 

1. Vary exercise sessions / cross training / preventative approach

Firstly, focussing on the different types of training is vital to achieve holistic performance improvements. Many athletes get stuck in their routines and never do any form of cross training, which in many cases is vital for improvement. If and when appropriate to you, some of the following can be implemented:

• Strength training:
  • Strength tarining is applying resistance to the muscle actions to improve the muscle’s capability to withstand a higher load. When you take part in regular strength training, your muscles undergo psychological changes that allow for  increased muscle strength & growth. These changes lead to the muscle being better able to sustain training activities and produce movements required for performance. Including strength training into your training schedule will not only improve performance but it can also decrease the risk of injuries. Injuries occur when the muscles are not strong enough for the workload being placed on them to perform a certain movement.  The more strength training is implemented, the more the muscle will be able to perform under higher loads. As biokineticists we can manipulate strength training variables to adapt the exercises to your specific strength training goal.
• Endurance training:
  • Endurance training is manipulating activities so that it will improve the cardiovascular system’s ability to complete activities for a longer period. Endurance training can be implemented by lowering the load and increasing the repetitions and or sets of an exercise. With this training variation the muscles can build up the tolerance to perform movement activities for a longer time before getting fatigued. Endurance training is very important for physical activities that are completed over a longer period such as running, swimming, cycling, soccer, marathon sports etc.
• Power training:
  • Manipulating exercises by applying a time in which resisted exercises should be completed.Opposite to endurance training, power training is implemented by performing very high load activities for a short duration. The common goal with power training is to improve the muscle’s ability to produce force. With a high rate of force development the muscles can generate explosive strength that are required to perform activities such as jumping and sprinting.
• Proprioceptive training:
  • Proprioception is referred to as knowledge of self-movement. In other words, knowing where different body parts are at, at different times. By training proprioceptively, enhanced motor function and performance can be achieved in addition to reducing risk of injury. It will also improve a person’s ability to have better control of their body’s movement. During proprioceptive exercises the link between the brain and the muscle is being strengthened. This will lead to improved ability to perform and combine different complex movements at the same time. Goals of proprioceptive training is to improve spatial awareness, joint position awareness, static and dynamic balance. With improved proprioception comes enhanced agility & reaction times which then leads to overall performance improvement.

2. Test & monitor to improve performance

You can only change what you measure

Secondly, it is vital to monitor something if you want to bring about change and improve performance. That is why we test your abilities and monitor changes to your abilities. The ultimate goal of monitoring is to identify strengths and weaknesses. Monitoring helps the individual to ensure their strengths are maintained and their weak or problematic areas are identified so that interventions can be implemented. We want to eliminate any obstacle that can hinder performance or performance enhancement. Additionally, proper monitoring of planned sessions, achievements and goals is necessary if you want to improve your performance.

The following list contains the reasons why effective and constant monitoring is so important for performance improvements.

• Establishing trust with objective data between individuals, coaches, and involved healthcare practitioners.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of an individual or team.
• Identify performance improvements or decline.
• Identify effectiveness of current training methods.
• Prevent overtraining and consequently overuse injuries.
• Identify the effectiveness of interventions.
• Map out the future steps that need to be taken.
• Control loads for current training goals.
• Confirm readiness for return to sport.
• Prevent injuries and or illness.
• Prevent underperformance.

Once monitored training outcomes have been obtained, a comparison can be made as to where your performance lies in relation to individuals with the same age, weight, gender, and sport of choice. Thus, monitoring creates a clear picture for all involved parties of the work and direction of performance.

We guide and advise you on what changes are needed or could be beneficial. Also when it the changes should be implemented. And again, we do this by completing periodic evaluations. We need to monitor the results after implementing changes to your current regime. The time frame to identify change can be anything from one week to a few weeks. And, it all depends on what we are trying to change, maintain or improve.

Evaluations to assist in monitoring

1. Physical work capacity / abilities such as:

1. • Range of motion / flexibility & mobility, strength, endurance, power / force production, load, skills, fitness level / cardiovascular fitness.
   • Biomechanics, dynamic postures, proprioception / balance

2. Physiological outputs such as:

1. • Vitals prior, during and after testing or training i.e,
   • Heart rate, Blood pressure, perceived exertion, estimated VO2Max, O2 saturation
   • Recovery time between training sessions or competitions
   • Symptoms i.e. pain if there is an injury / chronic condition.

3.Cognitive factors such as:

• • Patient questionnaires (for pain, readiness, return to sport, fear of moevmeent etc).

Main Categories to Monitor

1. External loads (physical measurable outputs) such as:
   • Speed, time, distance, pace, jump height, sport specific skill measurements and many other training paramenters.
2. Internal loads (physiological measurable outputs) such as:
   • Perceived exertions, heart rate, blood pressure, blood lactate levels, physical fatigue and muscle recovery time.
   • Dietary intake / hydration
3. Cognitive factors such as:
   • Mood, psychological readiness, motivation level, anxiety, mental effort & overall fatigue, sleep.

3. Different methods of monitoring

A. Biokineticist / Sport scientist / Coach

We have already discussed how we can help you to monitor certain parameters that influence your performance. But we are here to assist you not only in the testing and monitoring of your abilities and performance. But also to look at what factors are playing a role, why and how can we modify them. To do this, you need a self-monitoring method of recording different parameters on a daily basis.

B. Self monitoring

Barriers to performance are easily identified once self-monitoring becomes a routine. There are various ways to monitor the important variables. The most recent way is the use of monitoring apps on the indiviual’s mobile devices or wearing devices that record data while you are training, performaing, sleeping etc.

Self monitoring makes it easy for the individual to provide required details about the main categories of what we need to be monitored: external and internal loads as well as cognitive factors that may play a role. However, using self-monitoring devices is very reliant on the individual’s adherence to be effective. Adherence to wearing the devices and to record manual data as accurately as possible takes dedication, time and motivation. And in the end – the best monitoring occurs when the individual provides an honest and accurate account.

4. Performance

There are various things to look at when one wants to improve performance. And so many ways in which the training paramenters can be adapted to achieve certain goals. One thing we need to consider when speaking about performance is looking at return to performance. As biokineticists, we assists individuals in their return to sport or activities of choice. Ensuring that rehabilitation exercises and their training program is graded (progressed appropriately) to avoid the pitfalls of overtraining and overuse injuries. Additionally, the psychological effect an injury has on an individual differs from person to person, but has to be evaluated and a possible referral to a sport psychologist might be required in some cases. Below is criteria we follow to assist in the return to performance.

10 Criteria for return to performance

1. Absence of pain and injury symptoms: No more injury-related pain is experienced during active or in-active movements
2. Joint stability: No evidence of joint instability and no large (>10%) difference between limb sides
3. Range of motion: Achieved normal to pre-injury range of motion. When compared to the uninjured side there should not be a large difference
4. Neuromuscular control: The muscular system can provide dynamic joint stability by reacting to the environment without the individual being conscious or focused
5. Functional mobility: The individual is capable to perform movements independently and confidently to complete an activity
6. Functional strength: The individual is capable of loading the joints during movement/ activities without pain, stiffness, or restrictions
7. Functional endurance: The individual is capable to perform movement activities for a sustained period without excessive fatigue or pain
8. Functional power: The individual is capable to perform sport/ activity specific high force output activities with good techniques
9. Functional proprioception: The individual can sense where different body parts are in space. Individuals understand how different movements will cause body parts to move and in which direction
10. Psychological readiness: The individual is capable to perform physical activity without any fear of movement or psychological symptoms hindering performance

 

Attritbutions to pictures in this post:

• <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/flying-young-female-athlete-rhythmic-gymnastics-artist-dancing-training-isolated-purple-studio-background-neon-light-beautiful-girl-practicing-with-equipment-grace-performance_22240580.htm#query=dancer%20performing&position=21&from_view=search&track=ais”>Image by master1305</a> on Freepik
• <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/performance-business-concept-with-wooden-blocks-with-words-it-side-view_10183625.htm#query=improve%20performance&position=16&from_view=search&track=ais”>Image by 8photo</a> on Freepik
• Image by <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-running-starting-line-side-view_32408112.htm#query=improve%20athletic%20performance&position=25&from_view=search&track=ais”>Freepik</a>