Optimal performance in sports and health requires two things: the ability to optimize performance without compromising injury risk. This module will provide you with a very practical toolbox towards designing the appropriate exercise programs for your clients. This module will cover topics ranging from the biomechanical basis of optimizing core stability for health and performance, neuromuscular adaptations to pain and injuries, neuromuscular basis for exercise selection, overuse and acute injury mechanisms, to understanding the mechanical limits of athletic behaviours. In a practical, you will collect your own data and perform scientific experiments to understand and characterise the effect of footwear in the context of injury prevention. Lessons will be a mixture of lectures and hands-on session, where students get taught on how to instruct the optimal performance of different exercises to ensure maximum benefit to health and function.

After natural talent and adequate training, the role of the diet is crucial for athletic success. Whether optimising training adaptations, enhancing performance or altering body composition, correct dietary intake is essential for achieving these goals. This module will explore macronutrient requirements for athletes across a variety of performance types (endurance, strength, power) with particular reference to evidence-based guidelines and published literature. Furthermore, the role of ergogenic aids in enhancing performance and supporting athlete health will be discussed. The module will take the theoretical underpinnings relating to ergogenic aids and apply these in a laboratory environment, offering a hands-on opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of certain supplements. The programme will develop understanding in applied dietary strategies to advance the athletes' performance, whilst appreciate the nuance’s with translating scientific, evidence-based literature into real-life food intake. The module will afford opportunities to engage with cutting-edge scientific literature, whilst consider the key issues in designing, implementing and analysing performance nutrition research. A variety of key skills and knowledge will be developed throughout the module, including the advancement of scientific knowledge, understanding and use of research, problem solving, understanding the delivery environment and communication. The module will include a number of approaches to learning, including lectures, laboratory practical’s group work and self-directed learning.