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Case Studies
Correcting Biomechanics
One of the main ways Ish helps athletes maximize their performance is by improving the way their body moves (i.e their biomechanics). If the body moves better, it will be able to benefit much more from strength training and ultimately perform better. His extensive assessment protocols give him the intel he needs to curate specific mobility, stability, and strength programming to make biomechanical improvements such as in the following case studies:
MIKAELA D: Improved squat mechanics
Properly being able to squat is considered a foundational movement as it involves coordination and multi-joint mobility, stability, and strength. Foundational training prior to strength training is often overlooked as many athletes find it boring and tedious. Young athletes especially need to start on the right foundation before increasing training demands. Skipping that critical step can have long lasting detrimental effects.
When training young athletes, it’s important for us to meet them where they’re at and help them develop these foundational movements as opposed to imposing a generalized training program.
Take a look at what a specialized program did in a few months in the above before and after views of Mikaela’s squat.
MARINA R: Improved Squat Mechanics
This is one of our young basketball athletes Marina showing some fantastic squat improvements.
Her improved squat requires a much higher level of multi-joint mobility, control, and strength in her lower extremities – all of which are the reasons why she wasn’t able to have a more narrow stance in the first squat. Being able to make these multi-joint mobility and stability improvements have significantly improve her speed, strength, and agility.
RACHEL NEUMANN: Improved Force Production mechanics
While force absorption mechanics are very important as it is where injuries most commonly happen, force production mechanics are also important in developing athleticism. The above clip is a basic breakdown of a broader range of movement mechanics Ish has worked on with Rachel.
Over the course of a year of strength training with Ish, Rachel has been able to develop a much more stable and controlled base of movement (can visually observe the the knee is not longer collapsing on take-off) – which creates a much more efficient way to produce force for movements that require pushing off (i.e running, jumping etc). This in turn prepares a much safer base to add resistanceand load to continue progressing her athletic training.
CASSIE JOLICOEUR: Improved Dynamic Knee stability & Running mechanics
Knee stability is huge for female athletes. It’s one thing for an athlete to progress at an exercise, but at CP we are always pushing to take things to the highest level. When it comes to building athleticism, your movement mechanics are your foundation. You can’t build a sky scraper on a weak or misaligned foundation. Similarly, you can’t build high performance athletes on dysfunctional movement patterns.
The above videos illustrate Cassie’s improved dynamic knee stability while running, as well as a side of view of her significantly improved stride.
Significant results are tedious and take time because often the root cause(s) are not superficial. Among other gains she has made while training with Ish, Cassie has greatly improved her running mechanics due to better proprioception, as well as increased functional strength & mobility/stability.
Injury Prevention
Ish believes that incorporating injury mitigation protocols should be one of the core tenants of athletic training. Injury mitigation is multifaceted however proper strength training can help significantly reduce your risk of injury by reinforcing the right body parts. After all, what use is it to be athletic but constantly in pain or injured? Take a look the following case studies to see some the motor control and strength improvements that can be made by following an individualized program that is based on a detailed assessment:
RILEY R: Improved Ankle Stability & Single Leg control
“Look ma’ – no ankle brace or shoes!”
This is an example of mitigating risks of injury through building multi joint functional mobility, control, and strength. Being able do a “stationary” or closed chain exercise doesn’t mean that you can safely and efficiently move out of those positions in dynamic situations.
Riley followed her unique training plan with Ish for approximately 10 weeks to improve these weaknesses. Take a close look at the after video and how she is better at producing force and absorbing impact without collapsing her knee while jumping on one leg!
HANNAH RIDDICK: Improved Dynamic Single leg stability
Before working on explosive training, it was clear that there were some stability issues that had to be addressed with Hannah as she is a very dynamic athlete.
After putting her through his assessments, Ish was able to curate a program for her to improve her stability on one leg in order to be able to safely absorb landing forces. Take a look at the results in the above video.
MARINA R: Improved Single Leg Stability
Single leg stability is especially crucial for young female athletes who play fast-paced sports that include jumping and constant changing of direction. The “before” video is from Marina’s initial assessment, where she was barely able to hold her balance in a single leg stance.
Through weekly training sessions (continued virtually during the pandemic) as well as having her unique training plan, Marina made incredible stability and strength gains and progressed all the way to the point of being able to do a full pistol squat on a Bosu ball!
Building Muscle Mass
Building muscle mass is typically one of the more common goals that athletes are looking to develop. The catch is, most athletes don’t know how to “bulk up” without getting slower and more stiff, essentially becoming less athletic.
Ish’s training protocols allow athletes to make what he calls “functional gains” – gaining the right amount of muscle mass for their body frame while maintaining and more often improving their athleticism. Take a look at some of the examples below:
NATE M: Major gains
Over the course of training Nate for a few years, Ish was able to help Nate build a significant amount of muscle mass without it having an impact on his athleticism. In fact, during that time, he’s actually gained a considerable amount of speed, control, functional strength, and even added a few inches to his vertical.
JD MUILA: Building lean Muscle mass & Athleticism
During one of many off-seasons JD spent training with Ish, he was able to cut and put on some lean muscle mass that allowed him to be functionally stronger, faster, much more agile, while adding a whole 11 inches to his vertical.
The following season he came out the gates flying and got noticed as one of the best JUCO prospects in the US and was able to secure a scholarship to play first division NCAA basketball at Southern Illinois University. Take a look at the before and after images above.
HANNAH RIDDICK: Building lean Muscle Mass in-season
Ish believes that it is mostly important for athletes make functional gains (GO muscles) – meaning muscles that actually improve athletic performance (speed strength power agility etc) as opposed to the SHOW muscles. It is however tricky to do both properly – especially in-season with the amount of training and playing load typically happening.
Take a look at what Hannah was able to achieve with Ish during one of her senior high school seasons before being recruited to play first division basketball in the NCAA (University of Memphis).
Vertical Jump
Improving vertical jumping is the most common goal that athletes have. While there are several key factors that contribute to maximizing one’s explosive power, the key thing to know is that not every athlete’s body is ready to do such explosive training . Ish’s assessment and training protocols allow every athlete to target those factors while progressively loading their training in a safe and efficient matter. And here are some the amazing results we have seen with both female and male athletes of various ages/competitive levels:
CASSANDRE PROSPER: Virtual training to dunking with 2 hands!
Cassandre’s training journey with Ish was entirely virtual over the off season as she lives in a different city. Using regular live video calls, video analysis, and careful programming, Ish was able to assess her and prepare a regimented program to target her weaknesses.
By the end of summer, she was able to add approximately 7inches to her vertical to finally be able to dunk – and with two hands! (on a 10 foot net of course).
Check out the above video from the begging and end of her journey.
HANNAH RIDDICK: Dunking at 5'11" after a 9 inch increase in her vertical!
Based on Ish’s advanced assessment protocols, Hannah’s highly specialized in-season Strength Training regimen (which did not include any weight training) enabled her to:
– Put on lean muscle mass
– Correct dysfunctional movement patterns
– Take care of previous aches and pains
– Get stronger, faster, and jump 11” higher and DUNK for her first time ever (she’s only 5’11!!) . Yes, on a regulation 10 foot rim.
JD MUILA: 11 inch Vertical Increase
JD started his off-season before finishing rehab from knee surgery. Over the following 3 months, Ish’s specialized training regimen helped him become functionally stronger, faster, significantly more agile, AND added a full 11 inches to his vertical!
Check out his reaction in the above video from a progress jump test about half-way through his 3 month journey.
GRADDY KANKU: Highest vertical gain at CP!
Graddy represents the single highest vertical jump gain in CP history. He came in to see Ish in his first off-season with us with an impressive 30” vertical as he is a very explosive guard.
Little did he know, after spending the summer at CP working on his areas of weakness in terms of mobility, stability, and strength – he would finish his off-season with a whopping 13” gain in just 3 months of training with Ish (now having a 43” vertical!).
Take a look above at his last test jump at the end of his offseason.
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