Neuro-motor functional analysis (NMFA) –
Training for the German Swimming Association
For sports scientists, physiotherapists and athletics trainers
I have been organizing the “Neuro-motor Functional Analysis” (NMFA) seminars since 2021. With the NMFA, neuro-centered approaches are to be anchored in swimming nationwide so that the therapists and coaches from the national and state bases will be able to provide elite swimmers with more holistic support.
Neuro-centered training and therapy methods offer enormous potential, as they address areas of performance and health that are usually not taken into account by biomechanically oriented methods.
The training is divided into 3 modules covering the basics and specifics of functional neurology for swimming from childhood to elite level. Between the training modules (3 days each), the development of the students is supported by writing case studies and coaching consultations. See an overview of the modules in Figure 1 on the right.
Figure 1: Modular structure of the NMFA. Question mark: further supplementary workshops for special topics are planned.
Are you a sports scientist or physiotherapist? – Take your skills to the next level and integrate functional neurology with your swimmers!
Contents of the NMFA – Level 1 module:
Open the individual toggle switches by clicking on the icon on the right to read the content descriptions.
Basics of the neuro-centered approach
How do I integrate the nervous system into training or therapy sessions? How can I test whether the brain reacts positively or negatively to a stimulus? Which systems are involved in movement control and how do they contribute to performance?
Identify and neutralize receptor-based disorders
How do I test receptors of the proprioceptive system? How do I know which joints they have a performance-inhibiting effect on? How do I neutralize the dysfunctions?
Neuro-functional tests of the cerebellum
The cerebellum performs the “ABC of movement” – so this structure is also relevant for every swimmer. How do I test the cerebellum and what do I do with the results? Learn how to specifically improve coordination within minutes and thus tackle technical difficulties much more effectively.
Posture and movement analysis
Does posture play a role at all and how can I test it? Learn biomechanical AND neurological interpretations of gait and posture analysis, as well as the testing of essential functional movements that form the basis for training and therapy.
Diverse and differentiated assessments of the respiratory system
Which biomechanical and biochemical problems occur more frequently in swimmers? How do I test them and what corrective measures do I use to optimize the dysfunctions? Learn targeted training of respiratory distress (optimization of biochemistry) and exercises with a focus on biomechanical performance reserves of breathing.
Muscle testing as an important tool in functional diagnostics
How do I apply fiber-specific muscle testing? How can I manually test for control problems as opposed to strength deficits? What sequence do I have to follow to see at which level the problems begin? The muscle is usually only the victim…
Complex Joint Mobility
You will learn over 20 highly effective, complex joint movements that are particularly challenging for the cerebellum – in order to train clean joint control in as many movement positions as possible and to strive for balance in neuronal activation.
Impressions of module 1 from 22-24.10.2021
at the Institute for Applied Training Science (IAT) in Leizig:
Contents of the NMFA – Level 2 module:
Open the individual toggle switches by clicking on the icon on the right to read the content descriptions.
Orthopaedic tests for the shoulder girdle
Manual orthopaedic tests can be of great benefit if they are applied correctly and in a differentiated manner. Learn the neuronal background to why the swimmer’s shoulder becomes permanently overloaded and which structures promote these tension patterns. In this way, positive orthopaedic tests can be improved within minutes.
Advanced methods for the detection of neuromuscular disorders
Learn how to organize different disorders in the body according to a hierarchy in order to find out which level is of greater importance for the nervous system of the respective person. Save time by not having to treat the lower levels.
Functional neurology of the cerebellum - Part 2
In addition to complex movement control, the cerebellum is also involved in the regulation of cognition, emotion and movement perception. Learn how to apply the latest findings on the cerebellum to improve the performance of swimmers.
Visual parts of the motion control
Although visual skills are not the most important requirement in swimming, they play by far the most important role for the central nervous system. Learn how to test the visual system and integrate it into training and therapy sessions.
Nerve mobilization techniques
The neuromechanical conditions can be a performance-limiting factor in the transmission of force and have a significant influence on muscle tension. Targeted testing of the sensory and motor function of peripheral nerves and the release of bottlenecks in the nerve pathway can also provide great and rapid relief for pain patterns.
Neurological posture and gait analysis - advanced
In-depth content on posture and gait analysis from a neurological perspective. Learn what central pattern generators (CPGs) have to do with posture, how to recognize corresponding deficits in gait and why the cerebellum and brainstem are essential for generating good muscle tone for the body’s flexor and extensor muscles in the long term.
Complex Joint Mobility - swimming-specific application
In-depth application of the control exercises learned in Level 1 for each joint in the body. In Level 2, we focus on swimming-specific application so that the brain can ensure proper joint control even in changing positional conditions.
Vestibular parts of movement control
What position am I in? Where is up and down? Which way is my head rotating? If vestibular information is not clearly processed, this has significant neural consequences. Therefore, screening and training the vestibular system is essential for maximum performance output in terms of start, turn, breathing movement, technical skills and position in the water.
Impressions of module 2 from 08.04.-10.04.2022
at the Rhine-Neckar Olympic Training Center in Heidelberg:
Contents of the NMFA – Level 3 module:
Open the individual toggle switches by clicking on the icon on the right to read the content descriptions.
Neuroplasticity - the basis of functional neurology
The brain is plastic, i.e. capable of change, right into old age. It just needs to be given the right stimuli. This is precisely the focus of the NMFA Module 3 training: understanding the concept of neuroplasticity and applying it using differentiated and individualized methods.
Testing and activation of the brain stem
In addition to muscle tone, the brain stem regulates essential autonomic functions that should also be balanced for maximum performance. The testing and regulation possibilities of the brain stem via the eyes and cranial nerves originate from the Z-Health concept and are considered to be the most comprehensive in the world of functional neurology.
Integration of proprioceptive, vestibular and visual training
You will now apply the foundations laid in modules 1 and 2 in an even more specific way. Learn how to couple several stimuli, which is known as “stacking” in neurology. Stacking guarantees even better results in the area of pain reduction and the speed of adaptation that the nervous system makes possible.
Neurology of breathing and training of the respiratory muscles
If you know the neurological background of breathing, you can use targeted techniques to provide the nervous system with biopositive stimuli – this enables enormous increases in breathing performance. You will also learn how the auxiliary breathing muscles can be optimized both biomechanically and neurologically to take performance to a new level.
Testing of the brain lobes and regulation options for everyday life and swimming
The neocortex is the structure that sets us apart from most other mammals, along with the cerebellum. There are good reasons for this, as a well-functioning cerebrum is an essential aspect for maximum performance through neuronal health. Learn to interpret behaviors and lifestyles neuronally and influence the cortex with specific tests and drills to influence the nervous system of your athletes in a way that only an enormously small circle of coaches can do so far!
Special problems for swimmers
Learn about typical problems in swimmers in the areas of technical development, overload problems and physique-related hurdles and how you can use functional neurology to counteract these problems. The sooner the better, because the brain can activate a handbrake as early as childhood and adolescence if the neuronal framework conditions for swimming at performance level are not in place.
Impressions of module 3 from 28.04.-30.04.2023
at the Brandenburg Olympic Training Center (Potsdam)
In the NMFA training, fundamental knowledge of applied neuroscience is taught in a meaningful sequence. Daniel is very good at explaining complex neuroanatomical processes in a practice-oriented and exemplary manner. Participants from different professional groups (training scientists, physiotherapists) with different levels of prior knowledge are picked up and taken along at their respective levels of knowledge.
The athletes I support benefit enormously from my newly acquired knowledge. Especially for athletes with obscure performance deficits or unused potential, the neuro-centered approach helps me to find a multi-layered and holistic therapy or training approach.
Joint online reflections and individual coaching sessions help to deepen the learning content and gain confidence in working with athletes. The sport-specific transfer in swimming is repeatedly addressed in the first two modules of the course and integrated into diagnostics and training in a meaningful way. The overall concept is supplemented with each module; the knowledge slowly forms into a big whole. Module by module, I delve deeper into the exciting world of the neuro-centered approach.
