Neuro Performance Training:
What is it & what makes it so effective?
UNLOCK MORE POTENTIAL
by intentionally including the brain in training and recovery
Neuro Performance Training is a brain-first approach and tools that target the nervous system as the gateway to performance. By assessing and then optimizing how the brain communicates with the body, Neuro Performance Training helps athletes move more efficiently, unlock new levels of strength and mobility, and develop greater resistance to injury - all without added exertion.
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.
The Challenge
The years of high-impact training, repeated injuries - big and small - and number of skill repetitions that come with high-level athletic training can diminish the body’s capabilities over time. Athletes develop chronic pain, stiffness, and the mental stress that accompanies those things. The answer is often ‘rest then push through’, but this prematurely eliminates athletes from competition; is an approach that prioritizes working harder, not smarter; and it neglects the most powerful organ we have: The brain.
The Solution
Train and optimize ALL systems that regulate movement. Proprioceptive, visual and vestibular systems all drive athletic performance, yet the last two – the most influential – are rarely assessed or trained. By intentionally integrating every system, we can bring 4K definition to brain-body connections and optimize all aspects of performance.
Assessing depth judgement and visual suppression
The Benefits
Greater athletic capabilities - from flexibility to speed and power - without more effort
Faster progress with fewer reps
Simple and fast-acting drills that athletes can do daily and on their own to boost performance AND reduce pain
Addressing hidden imbalances that may be limiting performance
Change can happen very quickly ⇩
Change in shoulder flexibility after a 10-second drill
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.
Profound and immediate change typically occurs once we train activate the visual and vestibular systems because of their enormous influence on movement.
“My average range of motion has increased, response times have improved, and my air awareness and body orientation understanding have sharpened—all thanks to Yuka’s expertise. My work with her has had a transformative impact on my gymnastics in the last three years.”
Colt Walker, USA Gymnastics World & National Team Member, Stanford ‘25
What does a Neuro Performance Coach do?
As a Neuro Performance 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.
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. Some current and past athletes I’ve had the opportunity to work with include:
Maé-Bérénice Méité - 6-time French National Figure Skating Champion, 2014 & 2018 Olympian
Thea Lafond, 2024 Olympic Triple Jump Champion
Colt Walker, USA Gymnastics National & World team member, Stanford University Gymnastics team member
Charlie Larson, USA Trampoline & Tumbling National & World Team member, University of Michigan Gymnastics team member
Ciena Alipio, UCLA Gymnastics ‘26 and 4x USA Gymnastics National team member
You can read their testimonials below.
Around the world, athletes and organizations that incorporate neuro performance training include:
Pauline Schafer, German Gymnastics 2016, 2020, 2024 Olympic Gymnast
Alexander Zverev, 2020 Olympic Tennis Champion
DFB Akademie (German National Soccer Training Center)
Arsenal Academy
Coaches & Trainers in the NHL, NFL, MLB, WNBA, ATP, WTP
I teach coaches, athletes and dancers how to tap into the power of the brain to create change so they can achieve their goals without sacrificing their bodies. 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.
To learn more, visit the LevelUp Blog
Athlete Testimonials