Performance Rewired is a podcast for movement experts ready to challenge everything they’ve been taught about learning movement and tap into a brain-based approach to performance. For dancers, gymnasts, artistic athletes, instructors, and coaches who want to understand what’s really behind elite performance. Hosted by Nikki Bybee and Yuka Sugiura, master neuro trainers and performance coaches.
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Episode 2: Unlocking Movement Mastery - The Power of the Cerebellum
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 • Duration 36:12
Discover how understanding and training the cerebellum can dramatically enhance coordination, balance, and agility—especially for dancers, gymnasts, athletes and movement enthusiasts. Join us as we explore the brain's tiny yet mighty structure that controls precision, muscle tone, and error correction in movement. In this episode:
The cerebellum's core functions: accuracy, balance, and coordination
How cerebellar drills improve trunk control, eye movement, and limb precision
The significance of right-left limb balance and strategies to assess imbalances
Simple assessment tools: RAPS, heel-to-shin, and eye tracking
Practical drills for cerebellar training to boost athletic performance
The impact of cerebellum health on muscle tone, and posture
Relationship between cerebellar function and neurological conditions like hypotonia
How to tailor training programs based on cerebellar assessments
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to the cerebellum's role in movement
00:48 - The cerebellum and trunk control: a dancer's story
01:06 - Coordination in sprained ankles and brain-body maps
02:07 - How cerebellar function affects angular vs. smooth movement
04:11 - The ABCs of the cerebellum: accuracy, balance, coordination
04:43 - Error detection and correction: refining motor plans
05:13 - How the cerebellum acts as a project manager in movement
06:40 - Signs of cerebellar imbalance: stiffness and angularity
07:09 - Regulation of muscle tone and reflexive postural control
07:49 - Roadside cerebellar tests and eye coordination drills
09:16 - Personal gaze stabilization exercises and their benefits
10:24 - Zones of the cerebellum: vermis, intermediate, lateral zones
11:21 - Assessing limb control and fine motor skills
12:57 - The importance of bilateral training in dance and gymnastics
15:23 - Assessment tools: diadochokinesia, heel-to-shin, circle drawing
18:13 - Recognizing cerebellar deficiency: slow and flailing movements
20:22 - Foot and leg coordination tests for balance and power
23:01 - Posture and muscle tone: cerebellar contributions
25:23 - The spinocerebellum and eye convergence in sports
27:27 - The cerebellum's neuronal density and metabolic impact
28:52 - Practical outcomes of cerebellar training: better coordination, balance, and strength
30:39 - Tailoring cerebellar drills for individual imbalances
32:42 - Recognizing and addressing hypotonia related to cerebellar lesions
33:04 - Final thoughts on the tiny but powerful cerebellum
Resources & Links
RAPS (Rapid Alternating Pronation / Supination) also known as diadochokinesia, the ability to perform fast alternating movements
In this episode, we explore how the frontal lobe influences movement, decision-making, and inhibition, with insights from dancers, gymnasts, and case studies. We discuss practical drills and exercises to activate the frontal lobe, improve movement initiation, and reduce unnecessary tension, enhancing athletic performance and everyday function.
Key topics:
The anatomy of the frontal lobe: primary motor cortex, motor association cortex, prefrontal cortex, Broca's area, and the frontal eye field
How the frontal lobe controls movement initiation, planning, and inhibition
The relationship between the frontal lobe and movement disorders like Parkinson’s and ADHD
Practical exercises: Stroop activity, saccades, and balance drills to activate and train the frontal lobe
The impact of frontal lobe activity on movement fluidity, tension, and reflexive responses
Case studies: eye movement delay in patients with brain tumors and personal experiences with initiation/inhibition challenges
The global influence of frontal lobe function on daily habits, gait, and emotional regulation
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to the episode and the importance of studying the frontal lobe in movement
02:25 - Overview of the frontal lobe regions involved in movement control
03:06 - Primary motor cortex and inhibition versus initiation roles
04:01 - The motor association cortex as the brain’s navigator for movement plans
05:01 - Executive functions housed in the prefrontal cortex: decision-making and emotional
regulation06:26 - The frontal lobe as the brain’s CEO in movement
07:06 - Coordination of brain regions for seamless responses
08:00 - How the brain anticipates and prepares for movement using the motor association cortex
09:22 - The impact of over-monitoring on movement fluidity and tension
10:20 - Fear, mental rehearsal, and the "frozen" states in movement execution
11:19 - Case study: eye movement delays post-brain tumor removal
12:23 - Personal experiences with initiation delays in weight training and eye pursuits
15:34 - Broader effects: initiation issues in habits and early signs of neurodegenerative conditions
Trailer
Monday, March 30, 2026 • Duration 13:32
Welcome to the trailer for Performance Rewired! In this episode we talk about our backgrounds, why we wanted to start a podcast, and how we hope to educate gymnasts, dancers, coaches and instructors on what it actually means to apply neuroscience to these pursuits, how you and your students can benefit, and share practical ways to do it.
Things we covered: •Why we started a podcast •Our background and education, how we came to neuroscience and why it’s now central to how we work •How conventional training falls short •The brain’s role in movement •Real-world success stories •Key take-aways and what’s next
Episode 4: Convergence - A Crucial Visual Skill for Dance and Gymnastics
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 • Duration 29:38
In this episode, we explore how visual skills, particularly convergence, impact movement, performance, and injury prevention in dance and athletics. You’ll find practical insights into diagnosing convergence issues and techniques to improve visual capacity for better performance.
Main Topics:
The role of convergence in movement and performance
How to self-assess convergence skills
Insight into optimizing visual input for better balance, movement, and injury prevention
The impact of visual system efficiency on sports like gymnastics and dance
Practical exercises to enhance convergence and visual awareness
In this episode:
How convergence influences depth judgment, balance, and coordination
Common signs of convergence issues
Case examples of athletes with convergence deficiencies and their effects on performance
The relationship between eye health, tension, and movement safety
Timestamps:
00:00 - The influence of eye convergence on movement
02:30 - Prevalence of convergence insufficiency among children and adults
04:10 - Case study: Traumatic brain injury and convergence challenges
06:47 - How convergence impacts depth perception and spatial awareness
09:00 - Examples from gymnastics and sports illustrating visual system importance
12:14 - Personal experiences with eye dominance and depth perception issues
15:07 - How visual input drives movement safety and efficiency in dance and sports
17:38 - The importance of convergence training in improving athletic performance
22:22 - Signs of visual fatigue linked to injury risk and mental blocks
25:07 - Why train your visual system for optimal movement and safety
Episode 3: Enhancing Movement Through Vision - The Power of Eye Training in Dance and Gymnastics Performance
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 • Duration 41:49
Discover how your eyes influence movement, performance, and overall physical health. This episode explores the deep connection between vision and motor skills, providing practical insights into improving visual skills for athletes and movers alike.
Key topics
The critical role of vision in motor development and movement efficiency
How early eye tracking (smooth pursuit) influences locomotion
The connection between eye health, movement, and neck pain
Assessment tools for visual system deficiencies impacting performance
Practical drills to enhance visual skills such as smooth pursuit, saccades, and accommodation
The impact of visual training on athletic reflexes, balance, and confidence
Reweighting neural pathways through targeted eye exercises
Case studies: from dance to sports—how vision training improves outcomes
The relationship between visual input and reprogramming motor patterns
Simple daily eye exercises for immediate movement and performance benefits
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to the importance of vision in movement
00:21 - Personal updates and new neuro performance mentorship program
02:18 - How visual skills impact athletic performance
04:20 - Visual system's role from infancy to adult movement
05:51 - How vision influences safety, balance, and coordination
06:02 - Developmental milestones: eye tracking and locomotion
07:36 - The significance of visual skills like focus, acuity, and pursuit
08:56 - Vision as a primary sensory input for spatial awareness
09:23 - Consequences of vision impairments on confidence and movement
11:18 - Visual skills assessment and neural pathways
12:34 - How eye motion reveals neurological and motor coordination issues
13:44 - Practical examples: improving sports performance with visual drills
16:56 - The impact of focus, accommodation, and eye muscle efficiency
20:23 - Visual training's effect on high-level performance and reflexes
22:44 - Simple drills to train smooth pursuit, saccades, and near-far focus
Episode 5: The Vestibular System's Hidden Role in High-Performance Athletes
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 • Duration 36:55
Discover why the vestibular system, a crucial set of organs in the inner ear, can significantly impact athletic performance, balance, and movement. Learn how fine-tuning this system can lead to rapid improvements in stability, flexibility, and overall coordination, as well as reduce spinal tension.
In this episode:
The role of the vestibular system in balancing and spatial orientation
How vestibular dysfunction affects elite athletes and dancers
Simple tests and drills to assess and enhance vestibular function
The misconception of BOSU balls as proprioceptive tools
Relationship between vestibular health, postural tension, and movement quality
Case studies demonstrating quick progress with targeted vestibular training
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to the powerful vestibular system
01:53 - The importance of understanding vestibular health for performers
02:22 - How the inner ear regulates balance and spatial relationships
03:07 - The impact of vestibular dysfunction in elite athletes
04:17 - Common signs of vestibular system issues and their effects
05:09 - What is the vestibular system and how does it work?
08:18 - The vestibulo-ocular reflex and its importance for focus during movement
09:12 - How delayed reactions reveal vestibular deficiencies
10:06 - Rapid and effective training methods for the vestibular system
11:43 - The connection between balance, eye focus, and performance
13:06 - How vestibular assessments help guide training, especially in young athletes
14:46 - The significance of reflexes in movement and performance
16:00 - Common signs of vestibular dysfunction in gymnasts and dancers
Episode 6: How to Incorporate Neurotraining In High Performance Athletes, Dancers, and Gymnasts— Boost Your Movement, Resilience, and Longevity
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 • Duration 35:05
Discover how neuro performance training can enhance athletic and dance performance, prolong careers, and optimize movement efficiency. This episode explores the integration of neuro training into high-performance routines, emphasizing the importance of training the brain and nervous system alongside physical strength.
In this episode
The hierarchy of movement: Why the brain's input (visual, vestibular, sensory systems) governs muscle function
How neuro training acts as the software for the body's hardware, optimizing movement and performance
The significance of neuro training for high-level athletes, dancers, and performers aiming for that extra 1% boost
Ways to incorporate neuro drills into daily routines, training sessions, and pre-performance routines
The role of neuro training in reducing tension, unraveling compensations, and preventing injury or plateau
Understanding the nervous system’s role in pain, tension, and movement limitations
How neuro training enhances resilience and adaptability to high stress and demanding environments
Case examples: Olympic athletes, dancers, and even horses benefiting from resilience-building neuro protocols
Practical tips on assessing nervous system thresholds and customizing neuro interventions
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction: How neuro training fits into high performance and why it matters
00:17 - The hierarchy of biomechanics: inputs controlling muscle function
00:47 - Neuro training as the brain's software, enhancing the body's hardware
01:30 - Benefits for elite athletes and dancers: performance edge and career longevity
02:45 - How neuro training can reduce tension and undo compensations
03:36 - Addressing nervous system regulation in movement and performance
04:04 - Why high performers plateau and how neuro training offers a solution
05:04 - Integrating neuro drills into busy training routines and pre-performance warm-ups
Episode 7 - Why Elite Dancers and Gymnasts Need Elite Levels of Proprioception
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 • Duration 32:07
In this episode of Performance Rewired, we dive into the essential role of proprioception in athletic and artistic performance, exploring how elite performers might still have gaps in their sensory awareness and how to optimize this critical system. We share insights from our coaching experiences as well as practical exercises to improve proprioceptive capacity.
Key Topics:
The importance of having high-levels of proprioceptive awareness for elite athletes, dancers, and gymnasts
How injuries and repetitive patterns can limit proprioceptive acuity
Exercises to enhance proprioceptive awareness, including two-point discrimination and graphesthesia
The impacts of sensory reweighting, like an overreliance on visual inputs to understand where you are in space
The role of sensory mapping in injury recovery and movement
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to proprioception and its relevance for performance
00:27 - Common misconceptions about elite proprioception levels
01:23 - Life updates
03:54 - Observations from coaching diverse groups and managing threshold points in the course of a class
04:51 - How having a neural lens aids in calibrating performance level changes during a class
08:39 - The hierarchy of systems that drive movement and where proprioception falls in that hierarchy
09:10 - Proprioception defined
09:44 - Why high performers need high-definition 3D brain-body maps
10:02 - How injuries and repetitive patterns can lead to gaps in proprioceptive maps
11:00 - Clues pointing to proprioceptive deficits and cases of intentionally ignoring information
from the limbs13:17 - Sensory reweighting: Reliance on proprioceptive information vs visual and vestibular inputs
15:37 - Effects of mirror reliance and visual dependence in artistic movement
Episode 8 - How We Approach Neuro Training Program Design for Dancers and Gymnasts
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 • Duration 33:23
In this episode, we talk about the perception of neuro training as brain ‘tricks’ and discuss how it's a process and approach that creates changes in the brain to improve physical performance for the long-run. We share recent experiences from workshops and clinics and the process behind designing and refining programs for groups and individuals.
Key topics
Why neuro training should be part of the beginning of every movement session
Translating workshop “tricks” into long-term training
How an Assess - Reassess process helps athletes track what actually works
Individualized protocols and why some athletes respond differently
Using neuro training as a warm-up for the nervous system, not just the muscles
Pain, safety, and how the brain can create protective responses that inhibit movement
Timestamps
1:20 - How Nikki creates accountability for dancers in her workshops
02:08 - We’re rewiring the brain in order to create changes in how it drives movement, not doing a series of brain “tricks”
05:35 - The Assess - Reassess process as a method to select drills, and how to reinforce the learning process with athletes, dancers and coaches
07:37 - The benefit of coaches and instructors understanding the approach and process
09:05 - Why neurotraining works best when integrated into daily practice, classes or rehearsals
09:53 - The process of introducing and adjusting drills in group settings
11:20 - How body position plays a role in the outcome of a drill and the importance of gradually introducing complexity
13:13 - How a simple positional change could create a negative or positive result from a drill
14:30 - Challenges of introducing neuro training to a group that will respond to drills differently
15:47 - The power of individualized protocols and the optimal frequency for the best results
16:25 - An example of neuro training improving a professional athlete’s performance and longevity
19:20 - Why warming up and performance improvements benefit from solutions beyond solely biomechanical ones
20:40 - Pain as a protective response from the brain, and how a single neuro drill provided relief from knee pain
Episode 9 - Understanding the Crucial Role of Feet in Movement, Safety, and Performance
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Duration 37:37
Inthis episode, we explore the often overlooked importance of foot function in dance and gymnastics, emphasizing sensory feedback, biomechanics, and training techniques to improve connection to the ground. Whether you're a performer or coach, gain insights on how foot awareness can transform movement quality and safety.
Key Topics
The feet as primary sensory tools critical for safety and movement control
The feedback loop between feet and brain: How sensory input influences gait, posture, and power
The anatomy of the foot: 26 bones, joints, muscles, and its complexity
The concept of the tripod foot: Its shape, significance, and how proper contact points enhance control
How to recognize and correct improper foot engagement in dancers and gymnasts
The impact of footwear and technique on foot sensory input and function
Connection between foot alignment and overall body posture, with practical exercises
Interrelationship between hands, feet known as interlimb neural coupling
Drills to improve proprioception and internal rotation via sensory feedback
The importance of barefoot training and reducing compressive footwear for better foot health
Tips for assessing and enhancing foot sensation in daily and training routines
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction: The importance of foot awareness in movement
00:42 - How the feet influence posture, safety, and performance
03:35 - Exploring the main focus: foot feedback loop and biomechanical control
05:07 - Recognizing momentum generation through the foot: lurching vs tripod grounding
06:31 - Aesthetic considerations in gymnastics and the importance of foot points
08:48 - Defining the tripod foot: contact points and misconceptions in training
11:13 - Using the tripod concept to improve ground engagement and reduce tension
12:10 - Sensory input, safety, and the brain's representation of the feet
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