Course Overview

The enhancement of performance in athletes and the active patient is a most interesting topic. In this course Whitfield Reaves covers much of his experience with athletes over the last forty years, including the Olympics, cycling and running events, and the triathlon, both nationally and internationally.

Acupuncture and the principles of Chinese medicine can support performance, both for the athlete as well as the active. For acupuncture specifically, body points will be discussed that have been used by the presenter for pre-performance treatment. Also, auricular points with retaining needles will be covered for their use during the actual performance itself. And herbal medicine also has its place with sports medicine. Whitfield will cover formulas that complete a simple yet precise system of managing the athlete and keeping them both healthy & fit.

Treatment phases will be presented using yin yang theory. The yin phase is considered the training period. The yang phase is competition and performing. True to TCM principles, both the yin and the yang phases need to be addressed for effective management of the athlete. You can not have yang (performance) with yin (rest)!

We hope this course will give the viewer some new ideas as well as increased skills and confidence in their care of the athlete and the active patient. Whitfield rarely speaks on this subject, and there will be new material he has developed over the last 40 years on care of the athlete.

Course Objectives

• Yin training phase and yang competing phase of the athlete, and how to keep them balanced.
• Acupuncture points of the body used in pre-performance treatment.
• Auricular points used during performance with retaining needles.
• Herbal medicines used in management of both the yin and the yang phase of athletic training.

Course Outline

0 hrs - 45 minManaging the yin phase (training) & the yang phase (competition). Review of Kidney/Heart relationship (water/fire) as seen with heart rate monitor or pulses. Points to consider for the yin phase of training. Points to consider during the yang phase.

45 min - 1.5 hrsBody points used for pre-performance treatment. Includes upper and lower extremity points with indications for endurance and strength. Includes points for balancing the zang fu and points for improving posture. And points that move qi and blood.

1.5 hrs - 2 hrsAuricular points with retaining needles used during actual performance. Includes points that affect the related zang organs, including the lung and heart. Includes points that affect the nervous system, including shen men. And points for moving qi.

2 hrs - 2.5 hrsHerbal formulas and individual herbs for managing the athlete in both the yin and the yang phases. Emphasis is primarily on the Bupleurum formulas that smooth the liver qi. Secondary emphasis is on herbs that tonify without add heat to the body.

2.5 hrs - 3 hrsReview of the yin and yang phase of the athlete. Review of the body points. Review of the auricular points. Questions and answers. If insufficient questions we will offer case studies of athletic performance enhancement with TCM.