Remember my previous Juicemail about our <a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/let-me-introduce-you-to-our-ultimate-master/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Master of Compensation</a>? This is a follow on from that since it is fundamentally what we do as movement practitioners assisting clients to build confidence in how they look, feel &amp; move..

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">We are often taught to think of measuring the ‘load’ on our clients body as the weight or kilos we ask our clients to lift along with the reps and sets. However, to truly understand the loads the body experiences each day we are going to explore the theory that it takes much more than simply calculating these numbers. The aim here is to better understand how we can support the progressive development of our client's tissue tolerance to manage the loads they place upon them for risk reduction &amp; optimisation of performance....more importantly some of the loads the body experiences that we may not be measuring!!</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Tim Gabbett’s work on load management demonstrates the efficacy of understanding &amp; measuring both intrinsic &amp; extrinsic loads the body experiences. He suggests we can put each of our clients into a Load Continuum or Athletic Spectrum, no matter what their level, by calculating a range of aspects that ‘load’ the body &amp; then monitor those numbers over time </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A simple example for ‘measuring’ Load &amp; Managing, is....</span>

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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frequency + Volume  + intensity = Load.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This can then be added to a simple graph spreadsheet &amp; analysed over weeks/months while taking into account all others influences. However Gabbett suggests we should also record their ‘response’ to load too.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Balance is of course required when recognising BOTH negative &amp; positive responses to load</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Task specific relative capacity is obviously key when measuring &amp; so </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">load management must relate to the task at hand. This way the spreadsheet numbers can be tweaked to include miles for a runner for example</span>

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<h2><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/load-management-train-smarter-and-harder-birmingham-tickets-313176418097" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">‘Training harder is training smarter’ </span></i></a></h2>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tim Gabbett</span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">As stated, every client can be evaluated using an athletic, or physical spectrum &amp; the principles of progressive overload, specificity, recovery are the same but using load measurements allow us to manage, periodise &amp; also amend when necessary depending upon the response &amp; their schedule </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Load is a combination of both external stimulus &amp; Internal stimulus </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">So both the quality &amp; quantity needs to be right as opposed to simply using minutes or reps &amp; sets of training  </span>

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<h2><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can’t predict injury but we can prepare the bodies tolerance to load </span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Training is needed to allow us to check the response to load followed by adequate recovery. This way we can adjust the client’s programme accordingly </span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">When a client regresses or gains injuries, the load itself isn’t the problem, its the load the body experiences when you’re not prepared for it.</span>

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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What measures can be used? </span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A great consultation should include these ‘measures’;</span>

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<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Extensive health screening questions every 6-12 months</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Full biomechanics screen including every joint &amp; structure </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SMART goals </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psychometric evaluation </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Present training volumes - reps/sets/weights/miles/speed/recovery</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Type of training &amp; over how long</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sleep duration </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Annual / seasonal recovery phases </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hormonal cycle / health </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Medications </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">List of any regular treatments received </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shoe types, orthoses measures </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet quality &amp; vices </span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Support network </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">A lot of measures &amp; yet any one, or any number of these, could affect outcomes, risk &amp; performance level.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: 400;">This is why a structured reflection journal can help us plot &amp; monitor our clients circle of influence along with clear spreadsheets measured &amp; monitored consistently to best understand the effects of any alterations, additions or reductions of any of the influencers. </span>

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<h2>Would you like to learn evidence based methods of biomechanical assessment?</h2>
<img class=" wp-image-28329 alignright" src="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_6770-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="353" height="235" />Why not join us for one of our practical intrinsic biomechanics workshops?
<h3><em>Get in touch for more rachel@biomechanicseducation.com</em></h3>