COURSE OBJECTIVES

Global Objectives:

To update delegates on some recent developments in enhancing performance of formerly pained and injured backs.

To give practice and technique development with workshops throughout the day.

COURSE OUTLINE

This one day course is for advanced clinicians and performance specialists. Mechanisms and training techniques used with world class athletes will be introduced and discussed. The development of movement/motor patterns, endurance, speed, and power within the principles that minimize back injury, or exacerbation of existing injury are work-shopped. Quantifying the athletic demands together with the current capabilities of the individual, influence program design. Specific topics include building resilience, training capacity, and strength and speed techniques within pain-free progressions. The day comprises of 3 lectures and 3 hands-on workshops.

Part 1: Foundation

The code of elite trainers

Normal and injury mechanics

Tolerance and Capacity

Stability (and mobility)

Injury (and Pain) mechanisms

Creating a client – building training capacity

An algorithm from pain to performance

Pristine movement (Engrain motion patterns, motor patterns, corrective exercise)

Build whole body and joint stability

Increase endurance

Build strength

Pull

Push

Lift

Carry

Torsional Buttress

Specific isolationist and integrative exercises

Develop power, agility

Workshop 1: movement patterns sparing the spine

Basic Strength skills

Composite strength

Joint positions

Power breathing

Twitch and relax

Mobility

Basic motions

torso control with hip function

Movement skills

Part 2: Assessment

Many approaches – When?

Intake

Tune each training cycle

When to increase load (or decrease)

Presence of PainYes:

Provocative tests will reveal pain mechanism

Motions, postures and loads

Specific tissues

No:

Assess general competency & movement choice

Assess demand of task/sport

Assess these as capabilities of the individual

Train the difference

Programing

Interview

Personality

Anatomy

Workshop 2: Assessment

Part 3: Tricks of the super athletes

Features of excellent performance

Trade-off of fitness variables

Rate of muscle activation and relaxation

Power Breathing

Mindful training

Core stability and hip mobility

Athletic progressions

Superstiffness

Technique #1 Rapid contraction and then relaxation of muscle

Technique #2 Tuning of the muscles

Technique #3 Muscular binding and weaving

Technique #4 Directing neuronal overflow

Technique #5 Eliminate energy leaks – Make the impossible, possible

Technique #6 Get through the “sticking points”

Technique #7 Optimize the passive connective tissue system

Technique #8 Create shockwaves

Always: Proximal stiffness for distal explosiveness

Workshop 3: Enhancing performance

For each exercise

Is it the best tool for the goal?

Incorporates assessment and training

Coach corrections (good form)

Create progression (or regression)

Enhances injury resilience and performance

Optimizes stability mobility continuum

Skill development

Workshop List:

Qualifying tests

Warmups

Patterns of movement

Relaxation rate

Double peak

Power breathing

Strength tricks

Tuning mobility, stability and unleash speed power

Squat

Bench

Pullup

Jump

Strongman techniques

Turkish getup

Sled drag

Speed power

Foot work

Sport specific

SUGGESTED READINGS

This presentation synthesizes many research articles. However, the information has been synthesized into three books:

1. Back Mechanic, written for the lay public, guides the reader through an assessment of their pain triggers. Then it coaches them what not to do to desensitize the pain and build movement capacity. Then it guides them on exercises to build a pain-free foundation for movement.

2. McGill, S.M. Ultimate back fitness and performance, Sixth Edition, Backfitpro Inc, 2017
Available at: www.backfitpro.com

Ultimate Back Fitness describes the science of back function as it pertains to training for higher performance function (either occupational or athletic), provides algorithms for examining the critical components of different activities to identify what needs training, and the full exercise spectrum and progression from corrective exercise to stabilization exercise, endurance training, true strength development and speed, power and agility enhancement. Techniques used by some of the top athletes in the world are quantified and described.

3. McGill, S.M. Low Back Disorders: Evidence based prevention and rehabilitation – Third Edition, Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign USA, 2016
Low Back Disorders, written for clinicians and scientists, describes the science of back function, prevention of back troubles and rehabilitative approaches. It has a robust description of patient assessment involving provocative testing to create a precise diagnosis that guides each patient on the most effective path for them.

Three DVD’s illustrating the Assessment and Therapeutic exercise techniques and Performance enhancing techniques used in the clinical portion of the course are also available:

McGill, S.M. (2012) The Ultimate back: Assessment and therapeutic exercise, Second Edition

McGill, S.M. (2010) Enhancing Performance, www.backfitpro.com

McGill, S.M. and Brandon, Lee. (2016) The new science of golf