Let’s geek out on Skeletal Muscle!
You know your quads from your hamstrings. Great! But do you know what your muscles are actually doing?
In this 5-hour, continuing education course, we’ll move beyond skeletal muscle names and anatomy charts to finally understand how skeletal muscles work, adapt, and respond to exercise (or lack thereof!). From skeletal muscle contractions to trigger points, sarcopenia to strength training, we’ll cover it all. You’ll finish this course with a much deeper understanding of the physiology of how we move so that you can better understand human movement.
Taught by Bre Dumke Helfrich, MSc, PhD, Certified GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® Trainer, Certified GYROKINESIS® Trainer, & Certified Comprehensive Pilates Teacher
*Whether you're a fellow movement professional or a client looking to deepen your knowledge of exercise science for your own personal practice, I'm so glad you're here. I've made the MDL Geek Outs to bring exercise science to all.
ABOUT:
Skeletal muscle physiology is seriously one of my favorite topics. This phenomenal contractile tissue is the whole reason you can do a Pilates teaser, Figure 8’s on the Pulley Tower or Bulgarian split squats. I originally taught this course back in 2022 as the very first MDL Geek Out and I’m stoked to bring this course back to life!
When we understand the science behind what we do, we can ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and, most importantly, teach to the body in front of us, rather than blindly following a formula or running on vibes.
And this isn’t just a rerun of the original course! I’ve spent hours giving the course a serious update. We’ll cover the foundations of motor control (going from nerves to muscles!), how skeletal muscle changes in response to exercise (or lack there of!), and what the research actually tells us about building and maintaining strength. I’ve also added in the basics on bone physiology, because, IMO, if we’re going to talk about strength training, we need to talk about the differences in programming for each tissue type so you can best program to your client’s (and your own) needs.
The goal? To deepen your understanding of the physiology behind human movement so you can think more critically, program more thoughtfully, and bring a more science-informed perspective to whatever movement method you teach.
This five-hour, primarily lecture-based course which weaves movement into the learning, connecting the science to your real-world teaching and practice.
MDL GEEK OUT: SKELETAL MUSCLE PHYSIOLOGY
WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO LEARN:
Skeletal Muscle Physiology:
Types of muscle
Gross, cellular, & subcellular skeletal muscle anatomy
The physiology of muscle contractions
Skeletal muscle metabolism
Motor control & learning
Skeletal muscle plasticity
And a few rabbit holes: cramps, stretching, trigger points, & the interplay of emotions + skeletal muscle function
Applied Skeletal Muscle Physiology:
Motor learning
Skeletal muscle recruitment & force production
Releasing trigger points via compression & reciprocal inhibition
Strength Training 101
SCHEDULE:
Day: The course will be taught live, Saturday, November 7th
Time: The course will be taught 10 AM -4 PM Mountain Time with an one hour lunch break from 1 - 2 PM
Where: Zoom
CECs: 5 NPCPs
Cost: Early Registration: $195 before Monday, November 2nd at 11:59 MT
Regular Registration: $250
Registration: Early bird registration opens Thursday, October 29th.
*Note: Class will be recorded so if you are unable to make the course live, you can easily watch it on your own time later! All participants will be given the link to the replay so you can watch it as many times as you like.
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 where she lives with her husband and two young boys.