There’s a compelling reason why the Cairns Ironman send an email out the very next day after athletes have completed their first 70.3 team or solo, or a full Ironman event on the iconic course. While we may be tired and sore, we’re also on a high from the buzz of the crowd, the pride at having completed an endurance event or the lovely medal we now own. It’s the perfect time to hit the sign up button- with many potentially thinking ‘I’ll train up next year!’

But before you get back into Netflix, camping and fishing (or whatever floats your relaxation boat!) why not consider how you can best use THIS time to maximise your time and performance in the next event? A few small changes is all it takes, we promise! Like a footy player in the off season, there’s great ways to use this time which our Cairns city centre physiotherapy practices can help you out with! See below for 5 ways to improve your athletic performance.

5 ways to improve your athletic performance! 

• Look at your strength and technique: Now is the perfect time to work on strength and technique, to ensure you best avoid injuries once your training load starts to ramp up again. The Movement Assessment Technologies ( MAT) assessment allows our physiotherapist to measure your strength in all the major muscle groups against normal findings for your age range! No more guessing if you have weak calves/ shoulders, etc- or picking a random number of repetitions to perform! You’ll receive a comprehensive report- including individualised exercise prescription and injury management/ prevention advice for you. We also offer a Cairns Physiotherapy Running assessment, which can be used to identify issues with your technique, footwear, flexibility and strength, enabling us to work together to help Improve your overall performance, whatever your chosen sport or activity!
• Get some hands on treatment. If you’ve experienced niggles or more during the course of your footy season or triathlon/ running/ cycling training, don’t ignore them and hope they’ll go away. Our physiotherapists are skilled at hands on assessment, diagnosis and treatment of joints, muscles and other soft tissue, choosing the treatment and injury management strategies which are right for you. Regular remedial massage at our Sheridan street clinic will also help with your recovery, stress, pain management and flexibility.
• Review your diet: often referred to as the ‘4th discipline of triathlon’ , good nutrition is key to performance in all walks of life. It’s also vital for recovery post surgery, in all musculoskeletal conditions including tendinopathy, muscle strain and more, as well as in head injuries such as concussion. If you just want a good quality protein supplement or something to assist with joint health, recovery or muscle tension ( e.g Magnesium, PEA, Chondroplex, fish oils and more)- speak to any of our friendly team about the Practitioner Grade range of Bioceuticals/ Metagenics products we have for sale in both clinics). For a fully comprehensive look at your diet and needs, book in a Naturopathy assessment with Catherine. This is a 2 point process. Step one involves a consult to discuss your health, goals, training and more as part of a full clinical assessment. Once you’ve obtained all investigations ( including blood tests, hormone level checks and more) requested by Catherine, step 2 is a second consult to discuss your Comprehensive health management document. Catherine believes firmly in diet FIRST, so with some small tweaks and changes, you should be well on your way to a healthier, more energetic you!
• Try a new exercise: if you’ve never visited a gym before or feel uncomfortable starting on your own, why not check out our services at our intimate Rehab gyms at both Sheridan Street and Scott street, Cairns/ Parramatta Park. We have 1:1 personal training, 1:1 and small group Exercise Physiology, as well as small group Physiotherapist led Rehab Room clinical exercise classes. We have a range of equipment, including Clinical Pilates reformers, weight training and biofeedback, for our experienced team in Cairns to guide you through safe exercise and injury prevention strategies. Clinical Pilates, in particular, is excellent for long term pain management.
• Try something new. Now is the perfect time to work out what will help you during your peak training/ competition season. If you need help with mindset or stress management, perhaps some Breath-work would help? We offer 1:1 breathwork/ respiratory consults with our Physiotherapist & trained Wim Hof instructor, Campbell, in our Cairns’ clinics. For a taste of what Campbell does, we also have an online course- Breathing for Daily Living– with lifetime access available on purchase. If you don’t know how to use a foam roller, why not get our Foam Roller class, with lifetime access available. Need an easy strength session to do at home? We have an online course for that too!

If you require any further information regarding our services, please call our friendly team on 4231 9777 or email: admin@wellnessembodiedcairns.com