Resilience Unleashes Performance
H-Lab
The Problem We Tackle
Up to 60% of elite endurance athletes—runners, swimmers, cyclists—face overtraining syndrome (OTS) or non-functional overreaching (NFOR) at some point in their careers, with over 30% of young performers and 10% per training cycle at risk.(1) These conditions are more than temporary setbacks; they pose a serious threat to an athlete’s career longevity, performance consistency, and overall well-being, often leading to chronic fatigue, burnout, and a loss of passion for their sport—a devastating outcome for those who have dedicated their lives to achieving excellence. (1)
The biological logic of adaptation in training relies on a delicate balance: when athletes are exposed to appropriately managed training loads, their bodies adapt through a process of homeostasis and allostasis, where physiological systems (muscular, cardiovascular, immune) adjust to the stress of training, leading to improved performance and resilience.
However, when training loads become excessive or are poorly managed, this balance tips into maladaptation, resulting in a dysregulated stress response that can lead to hormonal imbalances, immune suppression, and impaired recovery. (2)
While much attention is given to managing training loads, a critical and often underestimated factor is the effective management of recovery and the broader spectrum of stressors athletes face—physical (e.g., inadequate sleep, poor nutrition), mental (e.g., pressure to perform), and physiological (e.g., travel, illness)—which can compound the effects of training and increase the risk of OTS and NFOR. (2) (3)
(1) Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Overtraining Syndrome: Joint Consensus Statement of the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 45(1):186-205, January 2013. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318279a10a.
2) Schwellnus, M., et al. (2016). How much is too much? (Part 1) The influence of training load in sport on the risk of illness and the potential underlying mechanisms. International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement. Available at: https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Athletes/Medical-Scientific/Consensus-Statements/2016_How-much-is-too-much-load-sport-risk-illness-part-1.pdf.
(3) Schwellnus, M., et al. (2016). How much is too much? (Part 2) International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of illness. Available at: https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Athletes/Medical-Scientific/Consensus-Statements/2016_How-much-is-too-much-load-sport-risk-illness-part-2.pdf.
Our approach
We optimize athletes by understanding body and mind as a unified system, surpassing traditional sports psychology with evidence-based strategies. We’re a transdisciplinary team of experts integrating systems biology, neuroscience, and applied psychophysiology. Through biomarker monitoring and systemic stress response data, we design individualized resilience strategies that prevent OTS and NFOR, supporting coaches and physiologists with a deeply human approach that honors each athlete’s unique personality and journey
Our methodology
Systemic Performance Resilience (SPR) methodology sets us apart through three core pillars:
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Predictive Approach: We anticipate fatigue states indicative of NFOR with data-driven resilience models.
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Personalized Interventions: We craft real-time protocols tailored to each athlete’s systemic responses.
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Systemic Integration: We bridge psychophysiology, neuroscience, and systems biology for a fully integrated approach.
We actively collaborate with athletes, co-creating strategies that empower them to identify and manage their own fatigue states, fostering greater self-awareness and moving beyond the traditional external diagnostic model. Together, these form our SPR Index—a dynamic measure of resilience and performance sustainability.
