Fitness is not just about how fast you can run, how much you can lift or how high you can jump. For some of us, being fit may mean losing weight or building up strength following an injury. However ambitious your personal goals might be, if you’re looking for guidance that goes beyond what a gym can offer and a more holistic approach than most personal training programs provide, a sports performance coach may be able to help.
NX Level offers performance training for athletes of all ages and abilities at three locations: NX Level Mequon, NX Level Waukesha and NX Level Wauwatosa. The athletes who train at NX Level cover a wide range of ages and abilities from the middle school and high school level to adults, seniors and even professional athletes.
“We focus on the whole athlete and assess each person to determine what might be getting in the way of reaching a goal,” said Brad Arnett, NX Level owner and executive director. “A lot of what we do revolves around mobility, stability and, in some cases, nutrition.”
Some athletes may want to enhance their performance in their sport. Others may be coming back from an injury and want to continue rehabilitating and strengthening that part of the body. Many are simply focused on improving their general fitness. The NX Level training philosophy takes into account the unique attributes of each athlete.
“We train our athletes to move as efficiently as possible to maximize their potential and prevent injuries,” said Dylan Shaver, NX Level performance coach and facility manager at the Mequon location. “It is important to build strength and proper movement patterns for the fundamentals first. We start our clients and athletes working at low intensities, typically with body weight resistance. Eventually, we can progress to more intense, externally loaded movements.”
The partnership between NX Level and the Froedtert & MCW health network is a testament to both entities’ shared goals.
“We don’t just want to treat injuries,” said Tom Engel, executive director of the Froedtert & MCW musculoskeletal service line. “We also want to help prevent them, and as an academic medical center, we can provide people with the education and knowledge of how best to approach training and sports.”
Sports Performance Training at NX Level
Clients work with an NX Level sports performance coach during their initial visit and go through a 30-minute assessment to determine their abilities and discuss their fitness goals. Training sessions take place two to three times per week in small groups of eight or less. Training times are available by appointment between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
“The assessment is important because it helps us develop a base and identify acute or chronic injuries, take note of asymmetries and understand the individual’s goals,” Shaver said. “We evaluate all of the major joint areas, such as ankles, hips, knees and shoulders. Depending on what we observe, we know what limiting factors each individual needs to work on in order to move more efficiently.”
NX Level facilities include artificial turf for performance training, state-of the-art cardio equipment and a free weights area, drop-down batting cages and a sandpit for strength and mobility training. Workouts include a wide range of speed, agility and conditioning drills along with weight training drills that are appropriate to the individual’s level. Traditional cardio, resistance training, mobility and a combination of upper and lower body activities are designed to elevate the heart rate, build muscle and burn fat. Training sessions are not sport specific, but NX Level sports performance coaches can build in challenges and progressions based on an individual’s goals.
“You are guided by a coach from start to finish,” said Shaver. “We will demonstrate each exercise and make sure you are executing the movements safely.”
Nutrition for Sports Performance
Nutrition is a key component of athletic performance. Athletes who are interested in nutrition counseling can work with a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition at the NX Level Wauwatosa location.
“We’ll discuss your goals and can make a plan to address them, whether they involve weight gain or weight loss,” said Julie Lois, RD, CD. “A body composition analysis is a great place to start. We can also discuss meal planning, nutrient timing and portion control.”
A Focus on Injury Prevention
Injury prevention and education is a big part of the philosophy at NX Level, which is why all locations are adjacent to Froedtert & MCW physical therapy clinics.
“NX Level’s program is developed to focus on proper movement patterns and correcting any asymmetries that can lead to injuries,” Shaver said. “When an athlete is moving as efficiently as possible and is under the guidance of one of our sports performance coaches, their potential to become strong and powerful increases, and their risk of injury decreases.”
Learn more about sports performance training at NX Level.
