Approach
What is Neuroperformance Training & what makes it so effective?
UNLOCK MORE POTENTIAL
by intentionally including your brain in training and recovery
Neuroperformance Training is an approach to injury prevention, rehab and performance that activates the brain and nervous system to change the body.
Why focus on the brain? The decision and commands to our body to run, jump, or even feel pain originate in the brain. If we want to run faster, jump higher, feel better – we can accelerate change by going directly to the source.
With the right drill — often 30 seconds or less — athletes I’ve worked will tell me:
“I feel more powerful.”
“I feel more flexible.”
“I felt more control.”
“My back/hamstrings/hips are looser.”
“My calves don’t hurt as much.”
“My legs feel lighter.”
Change in shoulder flexibility after a 10-second drill
Why haven’t I heard of it before?
Intentionally including the brain as part of training and rehab is an emerging discipline and gaining traction around the world. There are already many professional teams, world-class and Olympic athletes that integrate brain-based tools into their training and injury recovery, including:
Colt Walker, USA Gymnastics National & World team member (LevelUp athlete)
Emma Nedov, Australian Gymnastics 2024 Olympic team member (LevelUp athlete)
Pauline Schafer, German Gymnastics 2016, 2020, 2024 Olympic Gymnast
Alexander Zverev, 2020 Olympic Tennis Champion
DFB Akademie (German National Soccer Training Center)
Arsenal Academy
MLB: Diamondbacks, Mariners, Angels
NFL: Seahawks, Cardinals
Coaches & Trainers from the NHL, WNBA, ATP, WTP
To learn how Neuroperformance Training could help you:
We move as well as our brain will allow
As a Neuroperformance Coach, I assess the systems that create the brain’s 3D map of your body. Efficient, pain-free movement requires a high-definition map, so I’m looking for impairments in neural systems or brain-body connections that may be creating areas that are unclear.
For example, if you’ve sprained your ankle three times but never fully rehabbed it, there’s a chance that your brain’s map of your ankle is “blurry”. The nervous system’s response to this may be to restrict your mobility, which might then limit the amount of power you can generate. The great news is that when we clear things up — in this case it might be sensory work and exercises to refine control of your ankle, knee and hip — your brain will take the brakes off limitations in range of motion, speed, and power.
Training all systems involved in movement
Again, great movement depends high-definition maps of every system involved in movement. The 3 key systems are:
Vision - Our vision is the most important sense we have for movement, and high-level athletes need high-level visual skills (not just seeing 20/20)
Vestibular System - Your balance system that needs to react instantaneously to changes in position and direction
Proprioception - Your brain’s sense of where you are in space
We need to train all three.
In particular, we’ll spend time on the visual and vestibular systems because a) they’re crucial for great movement; and b) they’re overlooked in the context of performance capacity and pain. I’ve seen profound changes once issues within these systems are addressed.
What neuroscience tells us about pain
Through repeated studies, modern pain research has shown that pain does not necessarily equate to tissue damage. Instead, it’s an action signal from your brain to get your attention, telling you to change something.
In your initial sessions, we’ll determine what the sources of discomfort or limited movement may be, and — through drills or hands-on work we do in-person plus simple exercises you can take home — give you the tools to speed your path to feeling great.
I love teaching the athletes and dancers that I work with about their body, brain and the potential for change. My goal is to help them discover then address sources of pain, stiffness, or other limitations, then find the keys to unlock a new level of performance.