This week Zach Long and Chris Ritter launched the online Global Performance Summit, an online, free summit held from May 9-16th. It is amazing to see great Physiotherapists who are passionate about sharing knowledge put so much effort into educating others. They've connected with experienced, curious and very intelligent individuals who sharing thoughts in the fields of strength and condition, elite level coaching and physical therapy. It is really hard to find a collation of information that beats this Global Performance Summit.

Yesterday session 1 was launched with three fantastic speakers. I was taken back by how much I enjoyed listening to all three sessions - so diverse and well presented and definitely worth the time. Here is a brief overview of the key messages I took away from each of the session 1 speakers.

Nick Winkelman (@NickWinkelman)

Nick discussed the topic of cuing in coaching which I found very interesting. The questions were directed towards lifting and training in a more typical gym setting but the thoughts that Nick shared are applicable to all types of coaching. How often do we consider the real purpose behind what we say? Are you trying to give an internal body cue or external cue? Which one is more appropriate to your client and what are you trying to achieve with your verbal feedback. It was amazing to listen to Nick, who obviously has done a lot of research about communication and sports psychology. What a great way to kick of the Global Performance Summit too. I was not entirely sure before I began listening, how much these sessions would relate to my practice as a Physical Therapist or Pilates Instructor, and I've was quickly convinced that it would translate into both areas of my practice. The key take home message from Nick's session for me, was to be mindful of the words I choose to explain exercises and movements to others. Particularly, to check and clarify that my clients understand exactly what I say and that it means the same thing for them. Metaphors and analogies are a great place to start but be sure that each person interprets it on the same level.

Dean Somerset (@deansomerset)

Dean spoke on the topic of core training and post-rehab business. I really enjoyed listening to someone speak positively about core training. There is too much negative stigma at the moment that core training is an all or nothing approach. Dean spoke in depth about the varying degrees in which we need to be able to engage our abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and how that is dependent on the level of activity. How refreshing to listen to Dean approach the topic of the continuum of rehabilitation into fitness and wellness training. As fitness and health professionals we all have our individual areas of interest, expertise and through sheer repetition we develop skills in different areas. If we don't make a better effort to communicate with each other, we will miss the opportunity to progress clients from the initial stages of injury, through rehabilitation and into wellness training. After listening to Dean's session I was reminded how important collaboration and sharing of knowledge is to build and strengthen our profession. It doesn't mean that other professionals will replace us, but instead we can build a greater appreciation for the areas of expertise each holds.

Charlie Weingroff (@CWagon75)

Charlie spoke about a different topic - athlete assessment and the team performance model. He began with an overview of the difference between assessment and screening. Something I think becomes blurred yet should not be interchanged. Screening is using a tool for identifying risk and areas for assessment, and assessment aims to find the underlying cause of the problem. While we have some screening tools available to help identify people who are high risk, such as the FMS and FMSA, there are not a lot of validated sport-specific assessment and performance tools. It is an area the continues to develop and will become more prominent in time. But where do these screening tools come from? Well Charlie discusses a model which as four levels: movement, output, readiness and sensory system. Movement relates to understanding what normal movement and normal anatomy really is. Focussing on movement initially helps us understand if someone has the desired movement to function normally in everyday life. Output is the capacity to work. This is where we start to think about the requirements for training and sport. What do they need to be able to do to move and perform well? The next tier is readiness and sensory system incorporates the roll of our visual and vestibular systems in movement readiness and output. I really enjoyed listening to it presented in this way and understand how this relates back to the development of screening tools as well as Physiotherapy assessment.

So without spoiling the juicy bits of each session, I hope this has given you enough of a taste to go ahead and check things out for yourself.

The hosts

Dr. Zach Long is not your average physical therapist. After years of working in the field of Strength & Conditioning, he earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. The skill set he gained from both of these areas allows him to improve the sports performance of athletes of all skill levels. Zach’s expertise is sought out by high-level athletes in Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, professional bodybuilding, the NFL, and elite runners & swimmers.
TheBarbellPhysio.com

Chris Ritter has over a decade of experience successfully coaching a diverse population of athletes and clientele. All ages and abilities have seen results training with Chris, from youth to beginners, masters athletes, even Olympic Gold Medalists.

Chris has the wisdom and ability to scale workouts and programs to your current ability but aiming towards your goals. He is always learning and refining the RITTERSP training methods.

His professional and academic credentials include a degree in Exercise Science & Kinesiology, CSCS, NASM-PES, USAW and IYCA-YFS. rittersp.com

Meet the speakers

Charlie Weingroff (@CWagon75)
ttp://charlieweingroff.com

Charlie is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He is currently a Physical Therapist and Strength & Conditioning Coach at Drive 495 in Manhattan, NY and Fit For Life in Marlboro, NJ. He also is a member of the Nike Executive Performance Council and serves as the Physical Performance Lead and Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Canadian Men’s National Basketball Team. Prior to returning to his home of NJ, he was the Director of Physical Performance and Resiliency and Lead Physical Therapist for the United States Marines Corps Special Operations Command in Camp Lejeune, NC. He graduated from Ursinus College with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science in 1996, and went on to earn an MSPT in 1999 and DPT in 2010 from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Dan John (@Fakedanjohn)
http://danjohn.net

Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.

Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad. He and Josh Hillis co-authored “Fat Loss Happens on Monday.” In 2015, Dan wrote Can You Go? on his approach to assessments and basic training. In addition, Before We Go, another compilation akin to Never Let Go became an Amazon Bestseller.

Scott Iardella (@RdellaTraining)
http://rdellatraining.com

Scott Iardella, MPT, CSCS, CISSN, SFGII, CK-FMS, PN-L1 has a long history in the field of health and fitness with nearly thirty years of experience. He has an extensive background in strength and conditioning, sports physical therapy, competitive bodybuilding, and is an expert the area of Russian kettlebells and movement based training.

Dean Somerset (@deansomerset)
http://deansomerset.com

Dean is a personal trainer, author, and international public speaker whose main area of expertise is injury and medical dysfunction management through optimally designed exercise programs. His main calling is making people stronger, fitter, faster, more Kanye-er than they thought possible, even if they’re recovering from major or minor injuries, or while dealing with medical disorders. His clientele has included clients with post-surgical joint replacement rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation & wellness, sports injury post-rehabilitation, neural impairments and spinal cord injuries, cancer patients and even elite runners and fire fighters.

Chris Duffin (@KabukiStrength)
http://www.kabukistrength.com

Chris Duffin is a dominant force in both raw and multi-ply lifting, He currently held the all-time raw (with wraps) world record with a 881-pound squat at 220-pounds bodyweight. In 2014, he posted a raw total of 2061 pounds in the 220-pound class. In addition to his own competitive success, he has been the owner and coach of Kabuki Strength Lab in Portland, Oregon since 2008. Chris Duffin holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from The Oregon Institute of Technology and an MBA from The University of Phoenix. Duffin approaches powerlifting at a level of technical efficiency that is unsurpassed. His insight into training has helped many of his students go on to success beyond their expectations.

John Rusin (@JohnRusin)
http://drjohnrusin.com

Dr. John Rusin is one of the leading pioneers in the development and implementation of the hybrid model of strength and conditioning based physical therapists in the fitness industry and rehabilitative based medical communities worldwide.

His innovative vision for the future of elite level sports performance physical therapy and injury prevention based training protocols are highlighted by the synergy of high-performance strength and hypertrophy programming with a cutting-edge, pain-free training methodologies, are revolutionizing the way his athletes and clients look, feel, function and perform.

Nick Winkelman (@NickWinkelman)

Nick Winkelman holds a PhD and speaks internationally about improving coaching and practice. Nick works with elite athletes from all sports.

Mike Young (@MikeYoung)
http://athleticlab.com

Mike has a BS in Exercise Physiology from Ohio University, an MSS in Coaching Science from Ohio University & a PhD in Biomechanics from LSU. Additionally, he has been recognized as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association, a Level 3 coach by USA Track & Field, a Level 2 coach by USA Weightlifting & a CrossFit Level 1 coach. He is on the advisory board for the Korean Weightlifting Federation and has been featured in publications ranging from the New York Times to ESPN Insider.

Quinn Henoch (@DrQuinnHenochPT)
ttps://dsstrength.com

Quinn Henoch has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis and is head of sports rehabilitation for JuggernautHQ in Orange County, CA. He is also the founder of ClinicalAthlete, which is a network of health care professionals who understand the performance-based needs of athletes. Quinn played football at the Div 1-AA level at Valparaiso University as a defensive back. Since 2011, he has trained exclusively for the sport of weightlifting, having competed in the 2014 American Open and posting qualifying totals for the 2015 National Championships, as a 77kg lifter. He has also competed in track and field, Crossfit, and powerlifting.

Dave Tilley (@SHIFT_MvmtSci)
http://www.shiftmovementscience.com

Dr. Tilley comes from an extensive gymnastics background, having been involved in the sport for 20+ years. He was a competitive gymnast, working up through the J.O. program to Level 10 and competing 4 years on the Springfield College Men’s team while pursuing his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. He also has been coaching both men’s and women’s gymnastics at a variety of different levels for 12 years. Dr. Tilley served as a director USGTC for 5 years, 2 two years traveling coaching with Svetlana Boginskaya’s Oylmpia Gymnastics Camp, has coached at various gyms through the North East, and currently still coaches optional gymnastics for the North Shore Wildcat’s in Beverly, MA.

Following the completion of his Doctorate in 2013, Dave went on to continue his education completing certifications in the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), the Functional Movement Assessment (FMS), Systemic Dry Needling, the McKenzie System, and Functional Range Conditioning (FRC). He is currently pursuing a Board Certification in Sports through the APTA and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

Mario Novo (@drnovodpt)
http://liftersclinic.com

Dr. Mario Novo, DPT, PT is a results driven sports orthopedic physical therapist who specializes in strength and conditioning. Known well by his clients/patients as a mentor and educator, Mario’s passion is to unify the highest levels of rehab science with successful mind and body strength coaching. With Mario’s research having focused on new advancements in muscle hypertrophy periodization and joint health, his goals are to share his knowledge and improve on the human condition through personalized cutting edge program design. Mario currently resides in middle TN where he plans on integrating his skills and knowledge in resistance exercise and rehab to empower and inspire those individuals ready to make a change in their lives through health and fitness.

Joel Seedman (@SeedmanJoel)
http://www.advancedhumanperformance.com

With over 11 years of strength coaching, education, nutritional counseling, and personal training experience, Dr. Seedman has had the privilege of working with a wide variety of clientele, from professional athletes and bodybuilders to elderly individuals and adolescent athletes. In order to maximize performance and health, he trains his athletes and clients to improve muscle function and movement mechanics via advanced neuromuscular re-education techniques aimed at re-sensitizing somatosensory feedback mechanisms such as intrafusal muscle fibers (muscle spindles). Dr. Seedman believes that by teaching individuals how to move and function the way The Almighty intended them to, all characteristics of performance, fitness, and health improve no matter the athlete or training goal.

Kirk Parsley (@docparsley)
http://www.docparsley.com

Dr. Kirk Parsley is a former Navy Seal turned Medical Doctor. While working with the SEALs, he postulated that poor sleep was causing severe metabolic and hormonal derangement, and that nutrition, lifestyle modification, and supplementation could correct these derangements. His entire career is now dedicated towards understanding how to mitigate the effects of sub-optimal sleep, how to optimize sleep, how to educate the masses, and how to inspire change in the powers that be so that sleep becomes a priority for our nations most valuable resources: our workforce and our children.

Don't miss out!

If you haven't taken the opportunity to register for this free event, don't waste another moment. It's not often that my attention is caught and held for 3 hours but I have really enjoyed the first session and can't wait for the rest.

Sian :)