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.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 17/10/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Performance Rewired, a podcast by Yuka Sugiura & Nikki Bybee - Stats, Episodes and Rankings - My Podcast Data
RSS feed quality
To improve
Score global : 48%
Episode 15: Why We Don't Use BOSU Balls in Training
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 • Duration 24:01
In this episode we break down why BOSU balls and foam pads are not the best tools for improving balance, ankle proprioception, or athletic stability. There's a difference between training on unstable surfaces and training for the actual demands of performance, and we share examples from dancers, gymnasts, and other movers. Yuka walks through a study on ankle proprioception and unstable surfaces, while Nikki adds practical coaching context from dance training and foot tripod mechanics. Together, we clarify that balance work should match the environment and task the athlete actually needs to perform.
Key Topics
Why BOSU balls often train a different balance strategy than the one athlete actually need
When the floor is unstable, the nervous system reweights balance inputs away from the ankle and toward other strategies
Yuka shares her preferred ankle stability drill
Nikki emphasizes tripod foot contact at the heel, first metatarsal, and fifth metatarsal as the foundation for force and stability
A practical takeaway that training should match the surface
Timestamps
0:00 Cold open and welcome to Performance Rewired
0:38 Why we don’t use BOSU balls: What to expect from the episode
5:05 Why head movement matters for improving balance
6:30 - The study: Ankle proprioception is not targeted by exercises on an unstable surface
14:10 Why force production is not enhanced on BOSU or foam and a drill you can do instead
19:37 Managing the tripod of the foot, the sensory pronation drill, and closing thoughts
Episode 14: Building Resilience to Enhance Performance
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 30:27
We explore what resilience means in elite performance and how small movement patterns can reveal opportunities to build capacity. We discuss why resilience involves both the body and the mind, from adapting to physical challenges to staying open to feedback and unexpected changes.
Key topics
In this episode, we discuss how resilience can help athletes and artists perform at higher level, even when conditions or physical patterns aren’t ideal.
Why examining subtle movement patterns can help identify opportunities for growth, rather than labeling movement as simply good or bad.
How elite performers can still have small deficits or “glitches” in their systems, and how addressing the right one may improve performance.
How movement analysis can be mistaken for criticism, and why curiosity and openness to feedback can help performers make progress.
How sticking to the same routines, locations, or equipment can limit adaptability when competition conditions change.
Building resilience through safe, intentional disruptions in practice or interrupting a familiar routine.
Techniques for nervous system regulation
Timestamps
00:00 - Opening the conversation and introducing resilience
03:16 - Why resilience matters in performance
04:14 - Looking at movement patterns, not just facial expression
05:21 - Finding the small challenge that could build capacity
06:22 - Visual, vestibular, and movement-system inputs
09:40 - Usain Bolt as an example in a discussion of physical resilience
12:38 - Why elite performers may still have areas to explore
15:38 - Simone Biles, pressure, and performance challenges
17:38 - Breaking down movement without labeling it good or bad
20:33 - Resilience in viewpoint and openness to feedback
21:20 - Why top performers are willing to show where they’re struggling
24:12 - Flexibility, plasticity, and getting out of a fixed routine
26:31 - Practicing resilience through intentional disruption
27:24 - The horse example: safely building tolerance for unexpected events
29:27 - Practical ideas: changing practice positions and using a breath reset
Episode 13: Seeing Clearly - Why 20/20 Vision Is Not the Whole Story for Dancers and Gymnasts
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 30:13
In Episode 13 we dig into the difference between static vision and the kind of visual control athletes actually need in motion. We focus on how vision, vestibular input, and body position affect spotting, turning, landing, and overall performance in dance and gymnastics. In this episode, we also share a practical drill progression for training visual acuity under movement, plus a few real-world coaching observations from the studio and the gym.
Key topics
20/20 vision only measures static acuity
Why motion changes what your eyes can do
Signs vision may be limiting performance
Plyometrics as a cross-training lesson in force and foot contact
Why a nervous system approach can outperform biomechanical cueing
Vision, vestibular, and proprioception have a hierarchy
A simple drill to assess and train dynamic visual acuity
Time stamps
00:00 - Introduction
02:28 - Life updates
04:37 - Ballet jumps, thuds, and why foot stiffness matters
06:11 - Applying plyometrics to a gymnast’s switch leap
07:15 - Why 20/20 vision does not explain performance vision
07:32 - What static visual acuity actually measures
09:01 - Spotting, tumbling, and why movement changes vision
10:23 - Testing static acuity beyond the standard eye exam
11:52 - Head, neck, and shoulder position affecting vision
14:25 - Why dynamic acuity matters for athletes in motion
15:46 - Signs the nervous system is not getting enough visual data
17:09 - Fake spotting, dizziness, headaches, and inconsistent skills
20:17 - Athletes may not notice their vision is bouncing or blurry
21:13 - Introducing the VOR drill for visual training
Epsiode 12: Built to Rotate: Reflexes Behind Turns, Spins, Flips, and Rotational Performance
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 38:39
In this episode, we are breaking down some reflex systems that quietly shape balance, spotting, and rotational control in dance and gymnastics. The focus is on how the vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive systems work together, and why performance issues like chin drop, bobblehead movement, and unstable turns may be tied to reflexive responses rather than just technique. This glimpse into the neural is especially useful for coaches and athletes who want a more complete view of rotation, head control, and why some movement problems do not respond to the usual biomechanical cues. It also includes practical signs to look for in training and a few ways to think about neck and sensory system prep differently.
Key topics
• In this episode, we discuss why balance depends on three inputs - vision, somatosensory or proprioceptive input, and the vestibular system.
• This is also a dive into the vestibulospinal reflex, the vestibulo-ocular reflex, the vestibulocollic reflex, and the cervical colic reflex as key systems behind upright posture, gaze stability, and head control.
• Nikki shares how dropping the chin in pirouettes can be a reflexive safety response, not just a technical error.
• Yuka explains how the vestibulo-ocular reflex helps keep the eyes stable during spotting in flips, turns, and spins.
• We describe the vestibulocollic reflex as a major factor in keeping the head upright during running, vaulting, and other high-speed movement tasks.
• Yuka shares the cervical colic reflex as a proprioceptive system driven by the neck muscles, especially the suboccipital muscles, which are extremely sensitive to motion.
• They point out common clues in dancers and gymnasts, including chin tucking, head tilting, excess neck tension, trouble spotting, and unstable head position.
• Both hosts emphasize that these reflexes are trainable and worth assessing in high-performance athletes.
Timestamps
03:24 - Why rotational athletes need head stability and gaze control
Episode 11: The Unintended Consequences of Corrections that Gymnastics Coaches and Dance Instructors Say
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 40:40
In this episode, we unpack common coaching cues that sound helpful in dance and gymnastics but can create confusion, tension, and even body-related insecurity. We discuss how the nervous system prioritizes safety over performance, and how that changes the way corrections could be given. When we replace vague or body-part-heavy cues with clearer, more effective language that supports learning without increasing threat, we get better results.
Key topics
This episode was inspired by a post by Shane Wuerthner @athletistry. We explore corrections that dancers and gymnasts hear constantly but may not understand, and why that gap matters for performance and confidence.
We explain why “performance comes after safety” and how the nervous system will always choose stability over compliance with a cue.
You’ll hear a break down the problems with cues like “tuck your butt,” including how they can create extra tension in the pelvis and make students feel like their bodies are wrong.
The problem with the common “ribs in” correction and why rib-cage cues often fail when the athlete does not have enough proprioceptive awareness of the area or has to manage respiration and spinal position at the same time.
We contrast internal-body cues with external-focus imagery, using examples like “monster mouth” for rib alignment and tape imagery for handstand shape.
There is also an explanation why “lower your shoulders” can be frustrating, especially when the athlete is already trying to manage arm position, neck tension, and shoulder-rib spacing.
We dig into the problem with naming muscles or anatomy that the athlete does not understand, such as “use your lats,” “pull up your quads,” or “connect your hamstrings to your sit bones.”
Nikki emphasizes that a lot of these cues can trigger anxiety, scanning, and maladaptive perfectionism, especially in dancers who already feel pressure to monitor every detail.
We unpack the cue “lift from under the leg” and explain why joint position, pelvic
availability, and internal rotation matter more than simply trying to grip or force a muscle action.
Conclusion is that by stepping back to a whole-body lens, arguing that many visible compensations are the result of the nervous system trying to preserve control, propulsion, and safety.
Timestamps
Episode 10: The Neuroscience of Corrections and Movement Safety
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 35:11
Discover how neural inputs, safety mechanisms, and sensory feedback influence corrections in dance and gymnastics, and learn practical strategies to optimize performance by rewiring the brain and body.
Key Topics
The role of corrections in dance and gymnastics and how they affect performance
Why some athletes need fewer corrections due to neural safety and neural input
How safety mechanisms, like eye convergence and body awareness, influence movement correction
The importance of neural wiring and sensory input for efficient, fluid movement
External focus techniques, imagery, and environment adjustments to enhance learning
The significance of body-wide interconnectedness, including foot and hand neural coupling
Practical drills to improve foot awareness, alignment, and sensory feedback
Understanding foot anatomy, the 'tripod' concept, and implications for aesthetic and functional movement
Strategies for managing tension, absorption, and safety in landings and complex skills
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to corrections and their intrinsic role in dance and gymnastics
00:32 - Life updates
01:03 - The core reason behind corrections: neural safety and the body's protective mechanisms
01:54 - How body structure influences correction needs and performance
03:19 - The impact of safety on movement, including eye convergence and neural wiring
04:30 - The path of least resistance in movement and how neural input shapes correction
05:27 - Why deep neural rewiring is essential for optimal performance
06:49 - Common movement resistance caused by neural safety zones
07:45 - How safety behaviors, like closing eyes or avoiding corrections, develop
09:44 - Cognitive reserves and their impact on reflexive versus voluntary movement
11:09 - The significance of accurate sensory input from the feet for safety and performance
Episode 9 - Understanding the Crucial Role of Feet in Movement, Safety, and Performance
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Duration 37:37
In this 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
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 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 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
Related Shows Based on Content Similarities
Discover shows related to Performance Rewired, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
00:06 - What the episode is about: unhelpful studio cues
00:48 - Yuka’s Tahoe trip and summer travel update
01:41 - Nikki’s summer, Yellowstone, and Boston plans
02:36 - Inspired by a post asking which corrections people hear but do not understand
03:47 - Why unclear cues can create insecurity and nervous system threat
04:54 - Safety first: the nervous system will choose security over performance
06:39 - The first major example: “tuck your butt”
08:02 - How tucking can increase pelvic tension instead of helping alignment
09:24 - Why body-focused corrections can feel like criticism of the athlete’s body
10:51 - The issue with “ribs in” and why rib awareness is so limited
12:43 - External-focus cues and the “monster mouth” example
13:49 - Why playful language helps learning and lowers threat
14:36 - Breath, autonomic function, and how respiration changes patterns
15:47 - Gymnastics crossover: ribs in during handstands
17:01 - “Lower your shoulders” when the shoulders are already low
18:55 - The exhausting cycle of “shoulders down” versus “relax”
19:15 - The problem with naming muscles and anatomy students do not know
21:10 - How piecemeal corrections can create anxiety and over-monitoring
23:47 - “Connect your hamstrings to your sit bones” and why squeeze is a bad cue
24:40 - Why “squeeze more” often leads to too much tension and confusion
26:11 - “Lift from under the leg” and why the cue feels impossible
27:39 - Why 90 degrees is where compression and restriction often show up
28:36 - Training length under load instead of just passive stretching
29:34 - Why pelvic internal rotation matters in higher leg lines
30:33 - Clarifying devloppé mechanics and the role of the pelvis
31:30 - Sacral mutation and counternutation as part of available movement
32:28 - Joint position first, muscle engagement second
35:03 - Developing control and stability at end range, not just height
37:46 - Whole-organism thinking: the athlete is not separate body parts
38:45 - Example of a dancer swinging the arm for pirouette propulsion
39:41 - Better foot contact and ground reaction force as the real solution
40:24 - Closing thoughts, performance comes first with safety, we’re a whole organism and we’re not pieces and we’re not body parts, the brain rewards safety.
