Let’s geek out on Applied Biomechanics!
Have you ever wondered why some Pilates exercises are easier with more weight versus others? Or why box step ups require more hamstring strength than traditional squats? Being able to answer both of these questions requires a sound understanding of biomechanics. Biomechanics is the interdisciplinary field of exercise physiology and mechanical engineering. While that may sound daunting, I promise we’re going to make this fun and help you take your teaching to the next level.
Taught by Bre Dumke Helfrich, MSc, PhD, Certified GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® Trainer, Certified GYROKINESIS® Trainer, & Certified Comprehensive Pilates Teacher
If you're a movement professional wanting to go beyond counting reps, choreography and basic anatomy, this is for you. Similarly, if you're a clinician wanting to merge science with embodied movement, this is for you. And if you're a movement geek wanting to connect with other movement geeks, this is for you.
ABOUT:
The MDL Applied Biomechanics course is a two-part course composed of a 3 hour lecture followed up by a 2 hour movement class. We’ll cover the basics of biomechanics so that you can leverage this information in teaching. Have a client who’s 6 weeks post-op? Or another client who’s a professional athlete training for their next marathon? No problem. With a solid biomechanics understanding you can work with any body, any time, and truly tailor this work to help them meet their goals. This course will give you everything you need in order to be able to analyze, cue, and adapt movement effectively, safely, and creatively.
HERE’S A QUICK ROADMAP OF WHAT WILL BE COVERED IN THE COURSE:
Biomechanics Lecture:
Foundational Concepts of Biomechanics:
The building blocks of movement: bones, joints, skeletal muscles, tendons, & ligaments
Skeletal muscle physiology: contractions, force generation, and lines of pull
Understanding motion: Newton’s law of motion, types of motion, & free body diagrams
Basics of movement: levers, load, force, velocity, rotation, torque, momentum, & inertia
Applied Biomechanics in Teaching Contexts
Bridging movement analysis
Exercise selection/programming
Cueing
Balancing biomechanics & aesthetics
Modifying for individual differences
Applied Biomechanics Movement Class:
For the second portion of the course, we will be applying what we learned in the lecture in to movement. We’ll gain a deeper understanding of torque, load and how to adapt movement to fit the goals of our clients. We will utilize a mix of mat Pilates, equipment work with the Pilates Chair and the GYROTONIC® Pulley Tower and free weights.
Note: If you don't have access to specific piece of equipment, I still encourage you to join. Understanding biomechanics will allow you to begin to see past specific pieces of equipment and begin to view it all as loads and levers so that you can move interchangeably between equipment. My goal is to inspire you to take this work and creatively make it your own. While fancy equipment is fun to have, we will discuss innovative ways you can replace the equipment with resistance bands and other more accessible props.
SCHEDULE:
Day: The course will be taught live, Saturday, December 20th
Time: 10 AM - 1 PM for the lecture & 2 - 4 PM Mountain Time for the movement course
Where: Zoom
Cost: Early Registration: $175 before Saturday, December 13th
Regular Registration: $195 On/after Saturday, December 13th
Registration: Early bird registration opens this Friday, December 5th!
*Note: Class will be recorded so if you are unable to make the live course, you can easily watch it on your own time later!
Meet Bre
Bre Dumke Helfrich, MSc, PhD, is the founder of Movement Design Lab in Steamboat Springs, CO. After surviving a mountaineering accident in Southern Colorado that left her with numerous injuries, she left the world of academia on a mission to heal. It is from her own experience rehabbing with both the Pilates and the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® that both systems blended perfectly with her geeky science mind. She is passionate about adapting both systems to fit the needs of her clients. Clients first - choreography second. Bre earned her MSc in Health and Exercise Science from Colorado State University, is a Certified Comprehensive Pilates Teacher, a Certified GYROTONIC® Teacher, and a Certified GYROKINESIS® Teacher. She also earned her PhD from the University of Utah in Kinesiology specializing in Cognitive & Motor Neuroscience. To say she is a movement geek is a bit of an understatement.
Outside of the teaching, Bre loves all things mountains. From trail running to backcountry skiing, from climbing to simply going on a hike, Bre feels most at home in the high alpine. She feels lucky to call Colorado home with her husband and son.