Research shows that people who engage in varied movement achieve a higher level in sports, experience more enjoyment in physical activity, and are less prone to injuries. Physiotherapist René Wormhoudt (60 years old) has been the fitness coach for the Dutch national football team since 2012. Together with Prof. Dr. Geert Savelsbergh, he founded the Athletic Skills Model (ASM). This model emphasizes varied movement and provides physiotherapists with new insights.
Allesoversport.nl
By: Robert Hesen
Allesoversport.nl is an initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The editorial team, organization, and maintenance are managed by the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity. Read the original on allesoversport.nl.
After completing his physiotherapy training, René Wormhoudt came to an important conclusion: the treatment room often presents limitations. Within the field of physiotherapy, he was one of the first to start using outdoor spaces and the gym. René explains: “At that time, it wasn’t common practice. Why did I choose to do that? The practice space didn’t always reflect the real-world environment. I didn’t just want to prepare my patients for a zoo, but also for the jungle. To do that, you need to incorporate elements of the jungle into the recovery process.”
Several decades have passed since then. In the Netherlands, fifty sports facilities have now been innovatively designed based on the Athletic Skills Model (ASM). It also serves as the foundation for exercise and treatment programs used by professionals in sports and healthcare. The core of the model is versatile movement, a philosophy that is gaining ground in sports, education, and the healthcare sector.
To help physiotherapists apply the ASM in recovery and rehabilitation, the ASM Academy offers the ASM Advanced Instructor Training. This course consists of three sessions plus an online module, covering all the building blocks and scientific foundations of the ASM, both in theory and practice.
He explains that this means you become a better skater, footballer, or tennis player by integrating other fundamental movement skills. “Not just in your training, but also in your lifestyle. Think of tennis players like Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, who learned to ski in their youth, footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic who practiced taekwondo, or footballer Jackie Groenen who was a Dutch judo champion. These athletes found out that their diverse movement background helped them in their development to reach the top.”
En dat geldt voor elk niveau, legt René uit. ”Oefenen om je sokken zelfstandig te kunnen aantrekken is ook presteren. Dat geldt dus ook voor dagelijkse activiteiten zoals: traplopen, het gras maaien, boodschappen doen, fietsen of klusjes in huis. Je wilt natuurlijk dat iemand niet alleen herstelt van zijn of haar klachten, maar ook dat hij of zij niet of minder vaak terug hoeft te komen.”
Enjoyment and prevention are important concepts in physiotherapy. René explains, “People who engage in varied movement find more joy in physical activity. As a result, they are more likely to continue exercising after treatment ends. Additionally, they are less prone to overuse and injuries. With reduced overuse, they can engage in more physical activity overall, which leads to better performance.”
Physiotherapists often base their treatment plans on skills such as strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. René points out that the ASM offers an alternative approach. He uses knee stability issues as an example. “The stability of the knee is largely determined by the control, or coordination. In the ASM, coordination is addressed separately.”
The ASM model distinguishes seven coordination abilities:
“These abilities are not only interconnected, but also heavily reliant on each other for proper function.” To train knee stability, improving coordination is crucial. “This can be achieved by integrating the ten basic movement skills into your exercise program,” René explains: “Think of activities like throwing, catching, hitting, rolling, spinning, climbing, pulling, pushing, or moving to music. All of these activities can be used to enhance knee stability. Subsequently, conditions such as strength, speed, endurance, or flexibility are added.”
Adding different forms of movement requires clear explanation to the patient. “It’s important to involve people in the treatment plan. The days when someone would just blindly follow your instructions are over. If you advise a patient that ballroom dancing is good for knee balance training, you need to be able to explain why.” He also emphasizes the importance of an active role for the patient in their treatment. “The patient is the manager of their own recovery process. This approach allows patients to make the right choices even when they cannot consult a specialist.”
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