Thanks Lee!

If that weren't enough to entertain the NSCA troops, there was always the Shuttle Balance. While the Balance has been shown to help a variety of different athletic populations with their proprioception and core stability through all sorts of sports specific functions, we think more and more people like the Balance simply because IT'S SO DANG FUN TO PLAY ON!

I mean, who cares about the athletes, the Balance provides trainers and coaches with hours of physical fun and challenge.

Some attendees tried playing the iphone game Superblox while balancing on one leg on the Shuttle Balance (extremely difficult). Cindy Keegan recommended we look at changing up the difficulty on the Balance by wearing different types of footwear (our guys said the high heels were much more challenging than cute little sandals). 

Imaginations almost at an end, someone suggested we try serving drinks on the Shuttle Balance during Thursday night's Reception. The unfortunate loss of wine glasses, cost of carpet cleaning, and the brief but exciting ambulance ride to the local hospital proved that idea to be a poor one.

Just kidding....

We are continually amazed at the uses trainers, coaches, and therapists are coming up with for the Shuttle Balance. We will preview some video soon where Dr. Robert Donatelli of GolfersMD.com fame is using his Balance to help a local baseball player recover from recent ACL injury while improving balance and core stability at the plate. You'll want to see that - coming soon.

Thanks to everybody who came and played at the Shuttle Systems booth! It was great fun and we all learned a lot. We leave you with the impressive and empowered moves of Johnny Gillespie on the Shuttle Balance.

Johnny Gillespie founder of Empowered Yoga demonstrates the Bow Pose on the Shuttle Balance at NSCA 2010 in Orlando Florida.

Thanks again NSCA - look forward to next year in Las Vegas!    

We gave away free t-shirts to those who scored 750 points or higher. Those went quick. In fact, we had 10 different people score 1,000 points the first day. We figured we'd have to have a toss-off to decide the Ipod winner. But then Tim Dugan stepped on the Balance....

His first throw fell to the earth, I know not where. Then, calmly, he rattled off three straight five hundreds. 1,500 points! We had ourselves a winner - and somebody who obviously knows how to toss his cookies!

I'm sure everybody's gonna want to toss their cookies in New Orleans, next year - and everybody will be gunning for Tim. You all better get some practice in. Better yet, just buy a Balance. You can rehab athletes, practice tossing your cookies, and win an Ipod next year in New Orleans....

Speaking of the Balance, we had Mich Lynch, MD stop by our booth. Mick is the original creator of the Shuttle Balance. Oh, we'd like to think we helped a bit in the process, but he and his sister, Teresa Schuemann, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS (you see, all those letters do make a difference) really were pioneers on the Balance. 

We got some good video of Mick sharing the story of the Balance. We look forward to showing it to you sometime soon....

While we'd like to think we think of everything, we have to admit that much of the creation and improvements on our products come from our Shuttle owners. They ask, "Can you do this and this?" And we respond, "Well, we can do that, but that other thing is what they call illegal...." Just kidding. We really appreciate our owners. They are a wealth of knowledge, insight, and creative genius. It keeps us on our toes and our products continually improving. Thanks again!!

Gaming on the Shuttle MVP

Not to be outdone by the Balance, athletic trainers were able to do some fun stuff on our MVP as well. Steve McGee from CDM Sport stopped by our booth to show us his little "rehab game in a box." We hooked it up to our MVP and let some of the athletic trainers play around with the video games doing controlled leg presses.

It turned out to be a fun challenge providing a nice rehab workout. One ATC said that if they had one on their MVP "they'd never get the athletes off it." Rehab would no longer be rehab. It'd be a game. Well, as everyone knows, competition improves performance. In this case, it would improve recovery. We're very much intrigued and will keep you posted on progress with this new technology.

Shuttle Travels

Of course, we didn't spend all of our time at the show. We wanted to go and visit some of our Shuttle owners in the area. For some reason, the Philadelphia Eagles, Sixers, and Phillies were just a tad busy (I know, shameless name dropping). But we did get to see the folks at Arcadia, Temple and Villanova University. It was great to visit with Varsity Fitness, St. Joseph Medical Center, Northwest Physical Therapy (Wyndmoor, PA), and PTW Institute (Quakertown PA). They gave us some interesting insights into how they are using their Shuttle products for athletic rehab and all sorts of other applications. 

Larry Kaplan of Varsity Fitness is using his Shuttle MVP to work on his tennis players explosive power and cardio endurance. We've got video of him demonstrating some of the protocols he uses to get his young players primed for their matches. Stay tuned for those videos coming soon!

And there were the requisite visits to the local historical sites: Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, Dogfish Head Brewery (some just couldn't get enough of tossing their cookies).

Be Social

So, it was a fantastic trip all the way around. Now we're all back safe and sound in Glacier, Washington. 

With all the hustle and bustle of the show, we didn't get to spend that much time with each one of you. So, tell us what you thought of the show on Facebook or Twitter. 

Thanks for the Philadelphia memories. We look forward to New Orleans 2011!

We have a single ticket to his Spokane course and would like to offer it to fans of Shuttle Systems. See contest details below.... 

Bob's Sports Specific Rehab course is described as:

".... the most comprehensive and complete sports rehab course on the market. It includes neuromuscular, strength training and manual therapy concepts for athletic injuries of both the upper and lower extremity core. An understanding of the etiology of athletic injuries and the influence of poor mechanics and muscle imbalances will be presented. The course will include lecture, discussion, patient cases (video and slides) and lab. The etiology of overuse injuries and treatment concepts will be reviewed. Strength training concepts to include: physiology of muscle adaptation to exercise, and developing a strength training program to improve performance through periodization, plyometrics, OKC and CKC exercises will be presented. Attendees will leave the course prepared to implement their own sports rehab program."

Contest Details

To win this free Spokane registration, tell us why you deserve it on our Facebook Page. Become a fan and let us know why you deserve a free registration to the Donatelli Sports Specific Rehab course in Spokane. Be as creative as you want and may the best fan win. If you have any questions please contact us.

Seminar location:

Here's to your FREE continuing education!

Thanks from Shuttle Systems

If you've never experienced the Balance before, we invite you to come by booth #1637 in Philadelphia and take this baby for a spin - or a whirl, or jolt, or slip....

You see, the Shuttle Balance Professional provides a safe platform for the recovering athlete to re-establish dynamic stability in the lower and upper extremity. But this is not your mother's proprioceptive device. It doesn't involve simply rolling or tipping the ankle. It's not a compliant surface either. The Balance sports a suspended platform that moves in all planes of direction to produce an unstable surface invoking use of stabilizers throughout the athlete’s body.

It's also intuitive - plug and play - with an emphasis on play. Because it is as challenging as the athlete wants it to be, it's fun to use. Fun means increased use, which means better rehab. 

Here's some things the Balance can do for your athlete:

ACL

Help athletes "day one" after surgery get their confidence back....

Shoulder

Strengthen the core and develop proprioceptive ability during upper body movement....

ADVANCED BALANCE

Portland Trailblazers' Steve Blake does one-legged squats with one-handed passing for increased balance....

ADVANCED Jumping

Improve game day performance with increased proprioceptive abilities....

But you really need to experience the Shuttle Balance Professional to, well, experience what it can do.

Thus, the "Toss Your Cookies" contest....

Come to the Shuttle booth #1637 at the NATA show in Philadelphia. Hop on the Shuttle Balance Professional and toss a few of our inedible cookies. Score some points and you'll be entered to win one of our "I Tossed My Cookies" t-shirts. Simple as that.

We'll see you in Philly!

Oh, join us at Yards Brewery Thursday night, the 24th, for a beer on us! Be sure to stop by the booth so we can have an approx head count.

First, Twitter users can follow @shuttlesystems on Twitter to stay up to date on top stories and select posts. We don't push everything we publish to Twitter so as not to overwhelm you; instead we aim for our best and most interesting posts of the day. If you would like to mention one of our products please use the following hash tags:

#ShuttleMVP #ShuttleBalance #Shuttle20001 #ShuttleRecovery or #ShuttleMiniPress

If Facebook happens to be your preferred social media poison, you can opt instead to become a fan of:

• ShuttleSystems
• Shuttle MVP
• Shuttle Balance
• Shuttle MIniPress
• Shuttle 2000-1
• Shuttle Recovery

Similar to our Twitter feed, we only post our favorite links from the day to our Facebook page to avoid overwhelming your newsfeed. Become a fan, follow, or tweet - it's the social thing to do!

-Kris
@krisaguero 

P.S. If you still rely on your email for all updates we did not forget about you. 

Come by booth #1731, hop on the Recovery, and experience for yourself why therapists feel this new Recovery is truly unique:

Start Rehab Early

Because the Recovery is in a fixed supine position (not at an incline whose resistance load is based on gravity), all patients - particularly those fresh out of surgery - can access the Recovery and begin their treatment immediately.

Patient Comfort & Confidence

The Recovery comes with our widest carriage ever - a full two feet wide. This allows you to treat bariatric and senior patients who are naturally fearful of falling off other machines. Also, you don't have to get a patient off and on the Recovery to change their resistance load - you can easily change the resistance of the elasticords while the patient rests comfortably on the Recovery.

Revenue Versatility

We have taken some of the best qualities of our other popular machines - the MVP and 2000-1 - and incorporated them into our Recovery. Sporting the same resistance loads of the 2000-1, the Recovery can also be fitted with elasticords matching the MVP Classic. Thus, in addition to serving your regular rehab patients, you can also offer sports rehab and athletic performance in your clinic services. Increase your service offerings and revenues with the Recovery Sport and Performance models.

Convenient & Affordable

We've also created the Recovery keeping in mind shrinking budgets and clinic space. The new Recovery is only 8 feet long, weighs just 200 pounds, and starts at under $4,000. You get a Shuttle machine that allows you to see a wide variety of patients/clients, increase clinic revenues, all while preserving your clinic space as well as your bottom line.

So, drop by, hop on, experience the Recovery - and enter to win an iPod touch^®. We look forward to seeing you!

The Fascinating Five of 2009

Ursula Grobler & Carlos Dinares:

     Innovative coach and humble, determined athlete prepare for a run at the 2012 London Olympics.

Michael Boyle:

     Always learning, growing, and teaching about human excellence.

Coach Curt Kramme:

     Back-to-Back state football champions - and it's all about family.

Dr. Mark Sanders:

     Letting injured athletes know that there is a faster way back.

Kenji Carp, PT, OCS, ATC:

     Helping Vertigo, Vestibular, Neck & Cervical injury patients with Perturbation Therapy.

You can meet all these fascinating people on our blog - Happy New Year!

Fall Prevention is a major issue in this country and Kenji has taken the approach that one of the best ways to prevent a fall is to first simulate a fall. This allows a patient to develop the sensory perception and neuromuscular capabilities to help prevent a fall in the future.

In much the same way, Kenji has incorporated Perturbation Therapy in working with Neck and Cervical injury patients. Kenji uses Perturbation to simulate a mild whiplash experience. This forces the muscles around the neck and spine to react in space and time in order to become stronger.

Recent studies are showing how Perturbation can be effective in a variety of different of treatments. Kenji Carp is using his expertise and eloquence in teaching others how to apply this intriguing therapy in a variety of innovative ways.

Meet the Fascinating Five of 2009»

He's always learning and willing to learn....

There's no sense of agenda with Mike. He seems to just go where the research and his practical experience working with thousands of athletes takes him. Consequently, he's not afraid to be a bit controversial when needed (ala Death of the Squat below).  

He can also reverse course when he learns something that doesn't jive with previous understanding (ala Jump and Stick below).

Mike uses our Shuttle MVP in his MBSC facility emphasizing its versatile nature. He uses it with his: 1) personal training clients to develop and maintain explosive power; 2) injured athletes to start them on less-than-body-weight exercises; and 3) overweight or large athletes that need a safe environment to develop their lower body eccentric strength.

The other thing we find fascinating - and refreshing - is that while being on the forefront of Strength and Conditioning, Mike doesn't feel the need to make sure everyone's aware of the fact. In a world where too often the loud, the crass, and the egotistical seem to grab all the spotlight, Mike is content to learn, to grow, to teach so countless others can do the same. His latest thinking is contained in his DVD set Functional Strength Coach 3.0 and new book Advances in Functional Training. 

Coming from his beloved state of Massachusetts, Mike can appreciate the advice of President John Adams. Toward the end of his life, President Adams was visiting with a young Ralph Waldo Emerson who had been studying at Harvard. President Adams said that he would to God that there was more ambition in the land. Not the ambition to have more money or power or fame, but the laudable kind -- the ambition to excel.

Because of who he is and what he teaches, Michael Boyle reminds us of why this industry is so wonderful to work in - we're all in the business of pursuing human excellence.

Meet the Fascinating Five of 2009»

But to hear the reserved coach describe it - a man who teaches high school Algebra as well as Weight Training and Conditioning - it's all about family. “It’s just so special. I’m just so blessed to have high quality coaches and to have high quality players. And the community supports us,” Kramme said.

The Family Philosophy

But it's not just a family. It's a family that believes. Believes in itself, in each other, in a Coach Kramme philosophy: “As long as the other team hasn’t crossed the last line, our kids know and believe we can make something big happen. We can get an interception, we can get the offense to make a penalty. We just need to keep playing, and as long as they haven’t crossed the goal line, we have a shot. Our guys have seen that on tape enough. A lot of coaches can tell that to their team, but the team doesn’t see it happening. Our guys have seen it over and over again—you keep playing hard.”

That philosophy certainly explained their state title game this year. A defensive struggle highlighted by six turnovers - three for each team - Lynden kept believing and kept playing hard to pull out a 16-6 victory.

In order for Shuttle to become a part of this wonderful family, Coach Kramme turned to a "rich uncle" - his Lynden Lions booster club. With proceeds from their annual fundraiser, the booster club was able to purchase a brand new Shuttle MVP Pro. We installed the new MVP in the Lynden weight room, then demonstrated with some of their best athletes the various protocols they could use to improve players' forty times and vertical jump. While we can't claim the MVP made the difference this year, Coach Kramme said his players did notice a difference in their abilities as a direct result of their using the MVP.

We're excited to be part of such a hard working family and hope we can help Lynden continue making big plays in the future. And, as the family's newest member, we just wanted to recognize the "father" that works so hard - oftentimes behind the scenes - to keep this Lynden family believing and achieving great success.

Thanks Dad!

Check out the history of the Lynden Lions

Meet the Fascinating Five of 2009»