Neuro-centered approaches to skiing
Not all balance is the same. Important findings from neuroathletics.
At the latest since the 2014 World Cup, where Lars Lienhard, pioneer of so-called “neuroathletic training”, was able to accompany the DFB team, neuro-centered approaches in sport have been increasingly highlighted. There are several forms of training on the market that teach content from neuroscientific findings in a practically applicable way to give coaches and therapists a holistic perspective that they can use to improve their practice. The much-discussed training approaches also have a recent history in winter sports. What is this special training about and what potential does it offer for winter sports enthusiasts? We will illustrate this using skiing as an example:
Neuro-centered training means, generally speaking, that the nervous system is specifically taken into account when training for the respective sport. The brain as the “control organ” of human movement and all peripheral mechanisms that are relevant for athletic performance are addressed in three main areas (1):
- Motion analysis
A trainer with a neuro-centric focus does not analyze movements from a biomechanical perspective, such as biomechanical principles, but from the perspective of movement control, which originates in the brain. Every movement is viewed as an output that is ultimately controlled by the brain. Depending on which abnormalities are visible in the movement, conclusions can be drawn about certain areas of the brain and control circuits.
Transfer using the example of skiing:
For example, the trainer recognizes that the skier is not stable in certain directions of movement and occasionally loses control. The skier tells him that he does not feel completely comfortable on his left leg, which is particularly noticeable in left-hand turns. He also has the feeling that he sometimes collapses.
The reflexive stabilization of the body and the maintenance of posture (extension pattern) are largely controlled by signals from the vestibular organ in the inner ear. If the brain does not receive clear signals from this important structure, the muscles (on the corresponding side) cannot stabilize optimally (2).
- Targeted assessments and tests
Depending on the requirements of the sport and the focus of the training, the trainer uses targeted assessments and tests to check the function of brain areas and structures involved in movement control.
Transfer using the example of skiing:
A wobbling head during the heel-strike phase of the human gait, for example, indicates that the vestibular organ in the inner ear is not working optimally with the eyes, which stabilize the gaze on the horizon. When skiing, this has the effect that the balance ability is not sufficiently developed to perfectly stabilize the body in every position. The coach also checks the function of the left organ of balance based on stability in the tandem stance while the athlete accelerates their head to the left several times (head rotation or tilt). The athlete loses balance much faster than in the same test with accelerations to the right. This means that the left inner ear sends fewer qualitative signals and the athlete therefore loses his muscle tone in the extensor muscles and his reflexive stability more quickly as soon as his brain perceives an acceleration in the left direction.
- Individual coaching, based on an “assess / re-assess” process
The athlete must be coached individually to neutralize the neuro-functional “protective mechanisms” that have been discovered in order to enable greater performance. The brain reacts immediately to incoming stimuli, so that an improvement in the quality of movement can be expected if the training stimulus is adequate.
Practical tips:
Every training stimulus in which the trainer wants to address specific structures should be tested for its effect. The trainer can also test whether strength or mobility improves after a drill. Accordingly, only biopositive stimuli should be trained so as not to overstrain the nervous system.
Transfer using the example of skiing:
In an initially more stable position, the underactivity of the left inner ear is worked on. One option is to perform several head accelerations in the left direction (3-4x 15-20 repetitions) while standing in a neutral position. This can be done with a fixed point of view or with eyes closed. If the tandem stance including head acceleration to the left is more stable after approx. 1-2 minutes of this training stimulus (re-assessment), this training stimulus is evaluated positively by the nervous system and the athlete is not slowed down by any protective mechanisms.
As can be seen from the example, neuro-centered training relies on precision and accuracy. Conventional balance training is often carried out on an uneven surface with several complex interfering variables (additional tasks, weight loading on an unstable surface, etc.). This is only “real” balance training to a limited extent, as the nervous system can be completely overwhelmed if there is a deficit in the area of the vestibular organ or the eyes. The deficit on the left side mentioned in the example is therefore not compensated for at all; rather, the athlete learns how to compensate for the faulty signals on the left side (3).
Side note:
Balance training, which involves working with extremely unstable surfaces, is usually very unspecific, because in real-life situations the maintenance of posture is primarily controlled by the signaling of the eyes and vestibular organs. These are usually not specifically addressed.
So what can my own training look like if I want to train my balance and stabilization skills more specifically for skiing? How does integration into complex training take place?
Here is a possible progression level:
Level 1: Activation of the left inner ear in a neutral position with eyes closed
- The athlete stands in a neutral position and performs head rotations and lateral tilts to the left with eyes closed. The speed of the head movements should be increased to the left and the return of the head position should be slow. This primarily activates the left inner ear. The patient should stand upright. Care should be taken to ensure clean neck movements.
- Scope:
- 2-3x 10 rotations to the left
- 2-3x 10 lateral inclinations to the left
Stage 2: Activation of the left inner ear while walking forward with eyes open
- The athlete runs in a straight line and performs head rotations and lateral tilts to the left with eyes open but without a fixed point of view. The speed of the head movements should be increased to the left and the return of the head position should be slow. This primarily activates the left inner ear. The upright posture should be maintained. Care should be taken to ensure clean neck movements.
- Scope:
- 2-3x 10 rotations to the left
- 2-3x 10 lateral inclinations to the left
If this stage is mastered stably, the gait speed can be increased.
Stage 3: Activation of the left inner ear while walking forward with open eyes and a fixed point of view
- The athlete runs in a straight line and performs head rotations and lateral tilts to the left with eyes open but with a fixed point of view (e.g. letter on the wall). The speed of the head movements should be increased to the left, the return of the head position should be slow. It is absolutely essential that the head rotation is only so fast that the point of view still remains stable and sharp. The upright posture should be maintained. Care should be taken to ensure clean neck movements.
- Scope:
- 2-3x 10 rotations to the left
- 2-3x 10 lateral inclinations to the left
Side note:
During head accelerations with a fixed point of view, the so-called vestibulo-ocular reflex is trained, which is particularly important for the reflexive stability of the equilateral half of the body.
Practical tips:
If level 3 is mastered stably, gait speed can also be increased. Full spinal lateral tilts and slight split-squat positions can also be incorporated in between, which come closer to the movement profile in skiing. The athlete should take time to train each stage 2-3 times a day for at least 7 days to give the brain a chance to compensate for the underactivity in the left inner ear.
Stage 4: Activation of the left inner ear while skiing at a progressive pace
- After 2-3 weeks of daily training, you should notice a significant improvement in stability in your gait and also in your tandem stance. It is now time to integrate this skill into skiing. This involves significantly higher speeds and more complex requirements such as vertical acceleration and more muscular and cardio-vascular demands.
For integration:
- The athlete pre-activates his left inner ear directly on the slope by performing the exercises in stages 1 and 2, each with one round of 10 rotations and 10 lateral inclinations.
- It starts off at a medium speed, so by no means the same as a black or blue slope.
- During the descent, the athlete tries for a few moments in between to fix a stable point of view in the distance and checks whether he can see the point clearly, even while his body is accelerating in different directions. Head rotations and lateral tilts to the left can also be incorporated, as previously trained in the gait, as soon as body stability is guaranteed.
- If the focus remains sharp in the distance and the athlete feels safe and stable, the speed and complexity can be increased.
- If there are still deficits in certain positions, the athlete should be checked for further functional processes.
Conclusion:
When you work with athletes in a neuro-centered way, you illuminate movement quality and athletic performance from a very broad, diverse perspective. In this article we have limited ourselves to selected functions of the vestibular organ, but in reality there are many more stimuli that affect the athlete. Each of these influences on the nervous system can limit performance, so always test which sensory sources are sending faulty signals. Balance training for skiers should also include head accelerations and communication between the inner ear and eyes, as these have a significant influence on stability.
Literature:
- Schmid-Fetzer U., Lienhard L. (2018). Neuroathletic training. Fundamentals and practice of neuro-centered training. Munich: Pflaum Verlag.
- Mierau A. et al. (2017). Cortical Correlates of Human Balance Control. Brain Topography: Volume 30, Issue 4, pp 434-446.
- Huggenberger S. et al. (2019). Human neuroanatomy. Berlin: Springer.
Here you can find my article on the topic of “Neuro-centered approaches to skiing”: (Leistungslust, 06/2019)
