Today’s episode features physical therapists, Ryan Foley and Kyle Paxton.  Together they run the continuing education business: “Integrated Kinetic Neurology”.

Dr. Ryan Foley, co-founder of IKN has worked with a number of high level athletes, and owns Evolve Physiotherapy.  He has studied applied functional neurology methods, specifically Proprioceptive Deep Tendon Reflex, along with other applied neuroscience approaches to help get people get out of pain and improve function. Kyle Paxton’s successes and experiences with neurology based training interventions led him to the development of IKN, and Kyle has strategically shaped the techniques involved in IKN to ensure a practical and effective teaching process of neurology for performance and therapy interventions.

I always enjoy learning about the role of the nervous system in training.  As Kyle mentions early in this show “when you really think about it, everything is neurology”.  The nervous system is a very complex entity, however, and personally I’ve seen loads of “neural” training ideas that can get extremely complicated and involved, leading me to wonder how much the placebo effect is in play and how sustained the results are.

That’s where the practicality and dedication of Ryan and Kyle come in, and today’s show narrows neural training down to the specific sensory inputs of the body: proprioception, vestibular and ocular channels.   Without sensation, we can’t feel safe to move with power and grace, and if I’ve learned anything as a coach, it’s to value the sensory map of an athlete immensely in conjunction with their sport technique.  This valuable episode covers those points, as well as performance topics such as “dual tasking, isometric training integration, and more.

Today’s episode is brought to you by SimpliFaster, supplier of high-end athletic development tools, such as the Freelap timing system, kBox, Sprint 1080, and more.

Key Points

Ryan and Kyle’s backgrounds and interest in neurology and performance
The primary sensory systems that contribute to human movement and why they matter
The role of the eyes and intention in human performance
Why bracing the core doesn’t work with the performance principles of neurology
Ways to enhance isometric training using the hands, feet or eyes
“Dual Tasking” and isometric training
Why athletes might place their free hand on a muscle or body region subconsciously during an exercise
How to use the eyes and vestibular system to drive more tone into a body area
Any potential value in balance oriented sensory work prior to heavier strength training

“When you really think about it, everything is neurology”

“Sensory feedback both from an internal perspective and external perspective is what drives our ability to respond to the world around us”

“The sensory systems allow you to fully utilize the actual structure that you have”

“If you can start to understand that the proprioceptive system, the visual system and the vestibular system are the primary drivers of how our body can respond to the outside world, then it can really start to change the lens that you look at your programming through”

“When I think of the (core) versus the limbs, there is a lot more purposeful and intentional control to control my limbs in the real world, versus my (core) which is more subcortical and reflexive in movement control”

“The eyes allow us to maintain that smooth coordination through our hands and through our feet.  Whenever I’m doing any isometric work, or any kind of movement based work I typically have a lot of intention through my eyes and the target and I’m putting a lot of importance on how the hands are dissipating load through the limb and how the feet are dissipating load through the lower body”

“I don’t want a lot of noise in my nervous system when I’m trying to move in a particular direction”

“Isometrics really allow you to experience load in a safe ...