Have you got big goals to achieve this year? Whether you want to improve your health, enhance your training, sort your nutrition, or level-up your athletic prowess, the Waikato Human Performance Hub is here to help. 

The hub (launching this April) will be the first of its kind in the Waikato, and provide exercise science services to amateur, competitive and professional athletes, as well as those looking to improve their health and wellbeing. Services on offer can be tailored to meet the needs of individuals, groups and teams.

This is a paid service giving the community access to expert staff and staff, facilities and services such as individually prescribed exercise programmes for people with health issues; sports nutrition and exercise programmes; physiological and biomechanics testing and advice and strength and conditioning assessments. Also on offer will be physiotherapy assessment and treatment, sports psychology services, food diary analysis and behaviour modification through exercise programmes.

The hub will be run by expert staff within Wintec’s Centre for Sport Science and Human Performance. Wintec’s students studying within the centre will also have the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience.

Wintec’s Centre for Sport Science and Human Performance Director, Greg Smith says The Waikato Human Performance Hub has been developed in response to a demand in the region for training, knowledge and expertise in this area.

“There’s currently limited access to services that allow people at all levels to improve their performance or benefit from clinical services.

“The Waikato Region is quickly becoming the sporting and exercise epicentre of the country. We have huge numbers of athletes.” he says.

“We also have a lot of natural resources like river tracks, cycle ways, bush walks and hiking tracks that encourage physical activity.

“Our regional demographics and health statistics, alongside the fact that we have many developing and high-performance athletes in the Waikato, is evidence of the need for these type of services to be made available to the public.”

What’s on offer:

Sports consultancy

Exercise physiology 
The testing and recommendations made will be specific to your particular goal or sport. You’ll be able to then make adaptations at a cellular level which result in improved performance.

Testing can include:
• VO2max test (aerobic capacity) 
• Lactate threshold (how hard can you go and still maintain a high intensity) 
• Wingate test 


Nutrition  
We all know that we need to eat well to stay healthy, but when it comes to fueling performance there is more involved. Sports nutrition is about delivering the right fuel at the right time to produce optimal performance.

Services provided include:
• Sport nutrition consultations 
• Three day diet analyses 
• Supermarket tours 


Mental Skills Training  
You can achieve so much more with the right mindset. 

With a mental skills consultation, you can learn how to apply key psychological principles that will improve your confidence and self-motivation for training, help you learn to cope with pressure, stay focused, assist in team building, and manage a busy life. 

Biomechanics 
This sports science discipline specialises in utilising physics and technology to understand the body's movement. Through objective, diagnostic assessment and analysis we’ll help you increase your movement capacity, function, and performance.

Services provided include:
•2D High speed video movement assessment 
•Running assessment 
•Isokinetic strength assessment 
•Landing assessment 

Strength and Conditioning 
Do you or your team want to get bigger, faster, or stronger? Or are you struggling to regain your previous strength and function after an injury set-back? A Strength and Conditioning assessment and scientifically based training programme is right for you.

Services provided include:
•Conditioning/Training programmes 
•Individual or group training sessions 

A Physiotherapy assessment and treatment service is also available onsite.

Biokinetic Clinic

Wintec’s Biokinetic Clinic provides specialised exercise prescriptions for people living with chronic health conditions.

We offer supervised and personalised exercise programmes which may include aerobic, resistance, flexibility and balance training. We also offer baseline and progress assessments, including: ECG monitored exercise stress testing; strength, flexibility & balance testing; blood analysis (blood glucose and total cholesterol screening); and, musculoskeletal exercise rehabilitation.

Other services offered at the Waikato Human Performance Hub include:

• Anthropometric assessment (ISAK Level 1) 
• Acclimation training- state -of –the- art Heat Chamber 
• Simulated Altitude Training 
• Field testing

Interested in finding out more, or booking in? Visit www.wintec.ac.nz/whph, email humanperformance@wintec.ac.nz or phone 07 834 8860