Motion and Performance Centre

Current Services Offered

• Performance Testing
  
  • VO2 Max
  • Lactate Threshold
• Performance Analysis
• Sports Therapy and Injury Rehabilitation
• Sports Nutrition
• Sports Psychology
  • Attention and Concentration for Competition
  • Relaxation Techniques for Competition
  • Mental Imagery for Competition
  • Goal-Setting and Self-Talk for Competition
  • Dealing with Emotion, Mood and Stress
  • Mental Toughness: Flow and ‘being in the zone’
  • Performance Profiling
• Educational Workshops
• Health Care
• Biomechanics

Performance Testing

VO2 max Test

Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max) provides a measure of aerobic power. It reflects an individuals’ ability to take in, transport and use oxygen at the active muscle. Typically, the higher an individual’s aerobic capacity the greater their endurance ability. Maximal aerobic power is influenced by a number of factors including muscle mass, age, gender and training status. In untrained individuals, VO2max can increase by as much as 20%, however in already trained individuals changes are much lower.

After a gentle warm up the test will begin, increasing in intensity every minute until volitional exhaustion or until the athlete has the inability to maintain the required pace.  Heart rate and oxygen consumption (using a gas collection mask) will both be measured continuously during the test.

This test can be completed using the treadmill, cycle ergometer (or own bike) or rowing machine, to best suit the athletes needs.

Lactate Threshold Test

The body constantly produces lactate. At rest and in light exercise the level of lactate that is produced is small enough that you can effectively remove it from the working muscles without it becoming problematic. With increasing exercise intensity, lactate production increases and reaches levels that become problematic due to the association of lactate and fatigue. By assessing blood lactate at a range of exercise intensities a blood lactate curve can be plotted. From this curve we can determine i) Lactate Threshold and ii) Lactate Turnpoint which are important indices in monitoring your aerobic and anaerobic fitness.

Following a gentle warm up the test will begin, increasing in intensity every three minutes until volitional exhaustion.  At the end of each 3 minute stage, a blood sample is taken (either from the finger or ear lobe) to measure blood lactate.  Heart rate is also monitored throughout the test.

This test can be conducted on a treadmill, bike or rowing machine, to best suit the athletes needs.  

Combined LAVO Test

The LAVO test is designed to measure both maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max) as well as lactate profile.  The protocol for this test usually consists of six 3 minute stages, each at increased intensity, followed by minute long stages each increasing in intensity until volitional exhaustion occurs.

Following completion of this test, you will be provided with a feedback report detailing your test results, calculated thresholds, comparisons to normative data and recommendations on how these results can be used to inform your training. 


If you are interested in booking a test, please contact mpc@worc.ac.uk for further details.

Performance Analysis

Performance Analysis

The Motion and Performance Centre offers a video or match analysis service for a wide range of sports.  Using a variety of Performance Analysis software, including SportsCode Elite, team and individual performance can be analysed in order to inform the coaching process and ultimately improve performance.  Analysis can be tailored to meet the needs of the individual and/or team. 

Sports Therapy and Injury Rehabilitation

Isokinetic Dynamometer

The Isokinetic Dynamometer, more commonly know as the Cybex, is a testing and rehabilitation system capable of measuring a range of isolated joint movement patterns in four resistance modes: isotonic, isometric, isokinetic and passive.  

Parameters tested include strength, power, fatigue and imbalance.  Muscles can be tested both eccentrically and concentrically at speeds ranging from slow (15° per sec) to fast (500° per sec), however the most appropriate test will be selected based on client history and requirements.  Joints able to be tested are shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hip, knee and ankle.  A printed report displaying the results from the muscle function being tested is provided for clients.

Clinical Gait Analysis

Sports Therapy

The MPC Mobile Unit provides a fantastic facility for taking Sports Therapy out to the public.  A dedicated team of staff and students provide Sports Massage to athletes at sporting events, which have this year included the London Marathon and Evesham Rowing Club Indoor Rowing Championships.  

In addition, there are also Sports Injury & Massage Clinics on campus in the Sports Therapy Clinic, located in the Bredon Building.

Sports Injury Clinic                                                          
Monday 16:00-19:00                                               
Tuesday 16:00-17:00
Thursday 16:00-18:00                                              
£5 per session                                                                  

Sports Massage Clinic
Tuesday 10:00-12:00
Wednesday 09.30-12.00
£3 per session

To book an appointment, send an email to sportstherapyclinics@worc.ac.uk or call 01905 855476

Sports Nutrition

Content includes the basic nutritional principles underpinning performance, the components of good sports nutrition and how eating and drinking the right foods and fluids can have a big impact upon the quality of training and overall performance.  In addition, examples of good and bad snacks and meals can be highlighted as well as information on carbohydrates and the Glycaemic Index, nutritional supplements and sports performance.

One of our most popular services is food diary analysis.  On completion of a 7 day food diary, detailed feedback on diet and its impact on performance is supplied, as well as providing a series of recommendations. 

Sessions can be tailored to meet your individual or group requirements, including recommendations for your specific sport.

Anyone interested in learning more about Sports Nutrition should contact mpc@worc.ac.uk

Sports Psychology

The standard workshops available are listed below, however further workshops can be designed to suit club or small group needs. 

• Attention and Concentration for Competition

  In this workshop, psychological skills techniques will be introduced and we will show you how these skills can be used to complement and further develop your existing level of skill.  We will also cover the topic of attention and concentration, both of which are vital elements to successful performance. We have all been told to ‘concentrate’ at some time or another, but few of us have ever been shown how. This workshop will help to improve your levels of concentration and what you pay attention to.
  
  

• Relaxation Techniques for Competition

  It is quite common, in many walks of life to hear the phrases "just relax", "chill out", "don’t get so tense" or any variations on these themes. Yet, few people are ever shown how to relax. In this workshop, two common relaxation techniques will be introduced in order to help you reduce nervous tension as competitions draw closer. We will then move on to show you how to make effective use of ERT, or 'enhanced relaxation training.' Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for this workshop.
  
  

• Mental Imagery for Competition

  Competitors in many sports benefit from using visualisation or mental imagery in order to prepare for competition. In this unmissable workshop, we will introduce the concept of using mental imagery as a way of ‘rehearsing’ for a forthcoming competition. It has been suggested that this technique forges and strengthens neural connections in the brain so that, when the competition is taking place, the competitor has ‘been there before in their head’. We will show you how to create, enhance and practice this technique so that it becomes second nature. It is indeed a powerful tool in your mental armoury.
  
  

• Goal-Setting and Self-Talk for Competition

  Competitors commonly report setting goals. However, on many occasions these are either unrealistic, overly vague or too distant to retain motivation. In this workshop, our intention is to explain why unrealistic, overly vague, or distant goals are unhelpful for competitors. Secondly, we aim to highlight important differences between outcome, performance and process goals. We will then move on to explain how to set appropriate goals using a technique, known as SMART.
  
  

• Dealing with Emotion, Mood and Stress

  In this workshop, the effects of emotion, mood states and stress on performance in competition will be discussed. We will illustrate how these bodily states can be overcome, modified, or, integrated into your psyche so that they are no longer cause for concern. We will explore cognitive processing or ‘ways of thinking’ about such states so that they do not interfere with performance. With practice, such states can be used to enhance your performance. Subject to facilities, you may be able to feel the effects of emotion, mood and stress during a simulated event.
  
  

• Mental Toughness: Flow and ‘being in the zone’

  Optimal performance occurs when several ingredients are present and just seem to gel or come together. Your performance oozes quality and you just know that it is good. You may have experienced this feeling, known as ‘flow’. In this workshop, we will argue that perfection does not exist, except in your head! Flow provides a glimpse of it. We will provide a simple set of ‘qualities’ that should be present in order for you to achieve a ‘flow state’. The dilemma is that the more you think about flow, the less likely you are to achieve it. We will help you to overcome this dilemma.
  
  

• Performance Profiling

  Performance profiling is increasing in popularity within sport psychology. It aims to highlight strengths and weaknesses as perceived by competitors. In this highly recommended workshop we will show you how to create your own performance profile, showing strengths and weaknesses. This will act as a personal and unique fingerprint of where you currently stand in relation to your aspirations. We will move on to discuss how to progress towards your aspirations, maintain motivation and how to monitor this progress.

* Further workshops can be designed to suit club or small group needs.  One to one support is also available. 

Please contact mpc@worc.ac.uk for further details.

Previous clients include: West Bromwich Albion FC Academy, Worcestershire County Cricket Club Academy, Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain and 400m Runner Melinda Cooksey.

Educational Workshops

Health Care

Biomechanics

• Kinematics - using high speed video or motion capture, allowing the activity to be scientifically measured to a high level of precision. 
• Kinetics - measurement of force either by the subject using a state of the art isokinetic dynamometer which measures joint strength or using force platforms which measure the forces involved in the participants interaction with the ground. EMG also allows the muscle activation to be measured and considered as part of the analysis.

  

By assessing movement, MPC is able to provide advice on reducing the risk to employees, optimising working practice and reducing costs. MPC's research and consultancy capability means the analysis offered can have benefits to a wide range of companies and organisations. 

Previous work conducted in the Motion Analysis Laboratory includes:

• Assessment of sporting performance in a wide range of sports.
• Equine analysis, including saddle mapping and movement analysis of horse and rider
• Design assistance for manufacturers of new products.
• Job capability, to assist employers in determining whether a member of staff has fully recovered from injury / illness for return to work. 
• Manual handling assessments for a number of large shipping organisations.  
• Motion capture for animation.