H.E.R Foundation Girls Can Ball

“Nothing changes if nothing changes. If you’re not changing it, you’re choosing it.” — Ashik Naidoo

Read that again.

Because sometimes the hardest truth isn’t that something needs to change.

It’s accepting that we already know it does.

We know the job isn’t right.
We know the environment is unhealthy.
We know the culture is broken.
We know the relationship isn’t working.
We know our habits aren’t helping us.
We know the team needs a different approach.
We know our leadership needs to improve.
We know we’re capable of more.

Yet we wait.

For the right time.
For someone else to make the decision.
For circumstances to improve.
For permission.
For motivation.
For an opportunity to magically appear.

But here’s the reality:

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

You cannot keep making the same decisions, surrounding yourself with the same influences, repeating the same behaviours and accepting the same standards — then expect a different outcome.

At some point, awareness has to become action.

And that’s where the second part becomes uncomfortable:

If you’re not changing it, you’re choosing it.

Not necessarily because you want it.

But because continuing to tolerate something is still a decision.

In sport, if the game plan isn’t working, you adjust it.

In business, if the strategy isn’t producing results, you change it.

In leadership, if your people are disengaged, you look at the environment you’ve created.

In health and performance, if the body keeps giving you warning signs, you stop ignoring them.

And in life?

Sometimes you have to have the courage to admit:

This isn’t working anymore.

Change doesn’t always mean quitting.

Sometimes change means communicating.

Sometimes it means setting boundaries.

Sometimes it means asking for help.

Sometimes it means learning something new.

Sometimes it means working harder.

Sometimes it means working differently.

And sometimes it means walking away from something you’ve outgrown.

You don’t have control over everything that happens to you.

But you have far more control over what happens next than you sometimes realise.

Change can be uncomfortable.

So can staying exactly where you are.

The question is:

Which discomfort is taking you somewhere?

Because another week becomes another month.

Another month becomes another year.

And eventually what you once called a temporary situation becomes the life you’ve accepted.

So if there is something you know needs to change — your career, your health, your mindset, your environment, your standards, your relationships, your leadership or your direction — ask yourself one question:

What am I prepared to do differently?

Not tomorrow.

Not when everything lines up perfectly.

Now.

Because…

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

And sometimes the most powerful realisation is this:

If you’re not changing it, you’re choosing it.

— Ashik Naidoo

🏆 MAKE THE SELECTORS CHOOSE YOU.

Let’s talk about something young athletes and parents often think about, but rarely say out loud.

Sometimes selection can feel like it comes down to who you know, reputation, relationships, politics or nepotism.

You can spend your energy worrying about that…

Or you can CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES.

You cannot control the selectors.

You cannot control who else trials.

You cannot control someone else’s connections.

But you CAN control how prepared you are.

Your fitness.
Your strength.
Your speed.
Your skills.
Your movement.
Your recovery.
Your mindset.
Your attitude.
Your consistency.
Your professionalism.

MAKE IT HARD FOR THEM NOT TO SELECT YOU.

That’s where NEXT LEVEL SPORTS TRAINING comes in.

We provide one-on-one athlete development designed around YOU — not a generic programme built for everyone.

🏃‍♀️ FEMALE ATHLETE SPECIALIST

Female athletes aren’t simply smaller versions of male athletes.

Girls and women can have different considerations around growth and maturation, biomechanics, strength development, menstrual health, energy availability, nutrition, recovery and injury risk.

That doesn’t mean female athletes need to be treated as fragile.

It means they deserve training that understands their bodies, their sport and their performance demands.

Our goal is simple:

BUILD STRONGER. MOVE BETTER. PERFORM BETTER. RECOVER BETTER.

⚡ Next Level Sports Training & OX Personal Training

Individual athlete development including:

• Strength & Conditioning
• Speed & Agility
• Power & Explosiveness
• Acceleration & Change of Direction
• Running Mechanics
• Coordination & Balance
• Mobility & Flexibility
• Core Strength & Stability
• Athletic Movement Development
• Injury Prevention Strategies
• Pre-Season Preparation
• In-Season Maintenance
• Post-Season Development
• Fitness & Conditioning
• Recovery Planning
• Hydration & Nutrition Education
• Stretching & Mobility
• Athlete Testing & Monitoring
• Individual Performance Planning

From developing juniors to aspiring representative and elite athletes, we identify where you are now, where you want to go and what needs to improve to get you there.

👐 Physique Therapy

Training is only part of performance.

Your body also needs to recover, move and function effectively.

Our integrative therapy and recovery services can include:

• Trigger Point Therapy
• Sports Massage Techniques
• Myofascial Release
• CranioSacral Therapy
• TMJ Therapy
• Acupressure
• Assisted Stretching
• Mobility Work
• Compression Therapy
• Cupping
• Percussion Therapy
• Hot & Cold Recovery Strategies
• Nerve Care & Nerve Flossing
• Recovery Sessions
• Injury Prevention & Body Maintenance

We look beyond where something hurts and consider how the body is moving and functioning as a whole.

PREVENTATIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE.

🧠 CONNECTED

Performance happens above the neck too.

CONNECTED focuses on the person behind the athlete.

ATHLETES • COACHES • OFFICIALS • COMMUNITY

Our approach supports:

• Mental Health & Wellbeing Awareness
• Mindset Development
• Mental Strength
• Confidence
• Resilience
• Emotional Regulation
• Stress Management
• Performance Pressure
• Goal Setting
• Leadership
• Communication
• Team Culture
• Connection & Belonging
• Recovery & Wellbeing Education

Because sometimes the biggest thing holding an athlete back isn’t their physical ability.

It’s confidence.

Pressure.

Fear of failure.

Comparison.

Overthinking.

Or simply not having someone in their corner.

WHY DO WE DO IT?

Because talent alone doesn’t guarantee selection.

We want athletes walking into trials knowing:

I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WITHIN MY CONTROL TO BE READY.

Next Level Sports Training develops the athlete.

Physique Therapy helps maintain the body.

CONNECTED supports the person.

BODY. MIND. PERFORMANCE.

One athlete.
One individual plan.
One-on-one support.

🏉 Rugby League
🏐 Netball
⚽ Soccer
🏀 Basketball
🏃 Athletics
🎾 Tennis
🏉 AFL
…and athletes across multiple sports.

Stop trying to control the selection decision.

Start controlling what gives selectors a reason to make it.

MAKE THE SELECTORS CHOOSE YOU.

NEXT LEVEL SPORTS TRAINING
Female Athlete Specialist

PHYSIQUE THERAPY | CONNECTED

PEOPLE. PURPOSE. PERFORMANCE.

📩 Message to enquire about one-on-one athlete development, performance, recovery and wellbeing support.

Love this!!! ⬇️ 😎 🙌 👏

2026 Brisbane Broncos Indigenous Jersey Launch Introducing our 2026 Indigenous Jersey made in collaboration with ASICS and Deadly Choices, designed by Ladda Kaewhanam, a senior student of the Beyond the Broncos program.

Let’s Go Bronx!!!

💪 🙌

Heavy vs Light Weights: What Actually Builds Muscle?

Strength training debates often focus on heavy weights vs light weights, but modern exercise science shows that the answer is more nuanced. Muscle growth (hypertrophy) is influenced by training effort, total stimulus, recovery, nutrition, and individual biology, not just the weight on the bar.

Below is a science-based explanation.

⸻

Heavy vs Light Weights: What Science Actually Says About Muscle Growth

In strength training, a common belief is that heavier weights automatically build more muscle. While heavy loads can increase maximal strength, scientific research shows that muscle growth can occur across a wide range of loads when training effort is high.

Research in exercise physiology indicates that mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and sufficient training volume are key drivers of hypertrophy rather than load alone.

One study frequently referenced in the literature examined how the body responds to different loading strategies under controlled conditions.

⸻

The Study Design

Researchers used a within-subject unilateral design, meaning participants trained each limb differently while keeping genetics, nutrition, and recovery constant.

Participants:
• 20 healthy, untrained young males
• 10-week resistance training program
• Training frequency: 3 sessions per week

Exercises included:
• Knee extensions
• Dumbbell preacher curls

Each participant trained one limb with heavier loads and the opposite limb with lighter loads.

Higher Load Training
• ~70–80% of one-repetition maximum
• 8–12 repetitions

Lower Load Training
• ~30–40% of one-repetition maximum
• 20–25 repetitions

The key condition:

All sets were performed to volitional fatigue, meaning participants continued until they could no longer complete another repetition with proper form.

⸻

What the Researchers Measured

To accurately assess muscular adaptation, researchers used several validated testing methods.

Muscle Size

Measured using:
• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) for lean mass
• Ultrasonography for muscle thickness and cross-sectional area
• Muscle biopsies for individual fibre size

Strength

Measured using:
• One-repetition maximum tests
• Maximum voluntary isometric contractions

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Tracked using deuterated water methodology, allowing researchers to measure integrated myofibrillar protein synthesis across the training period.

⸻

Key Findings

1. Load Alone Does Not Determine Muscle Growth

Muscle hypertrophy was similar between heavy-load and light-load training when sets were taken close to muscular fatigue.

This suggests that effort and recruitment of muscle fibres are more important than the specific weight lifted.

However, heavier loads still play a significant role in maximal strength development and neuromuscular adaptation.

⸻

2. Individual Biology Plays a Major Role

The study observed large variability between individuals in how much muscle they gained.

However, within the same person, muscle growth tended to be consistent across different limbs and loading strategies.

This indicates that genetics, hormonal environment, muscle fibre composition, and recovery capacity influence hypertrophy responses.

⸻

3. Muscle Protein Synthesis Responds Strongly Early in Training

Protein synthesis rates increased significantly during the early stages of training, particularly in the first week.

Over time, this response attenuated as the body adapted, highlighting the importance of progressive overload, training variation, and adequate recovery.

⸻

4. Muscle Size and Strength Are Not Identical Adaptations

Strength improvements were not perfectly correlated with increases in muscle size.

Strength is influenced by:
• Neural adaptations
• Motor unit recruitment
• Coordination and technique
• Tendon stiffness

This explains why some athletes gain strength without large increases in muscle size, and vice versa.

⸻

Differences Between Male and Female Athletes

Male and female athletes can experience similar relative improvements in strength and hypertrophy, but physiological differences influence training approaches.

Key Female Considerations

Women often demonstrate:
• Greater fatigue resistance
• Faster recovery between sets
• Lower absolute upper-body strength
• Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle
• Higher risk of certain injuries (e.g., ACL injuries)

Because of these factors, female athletes benefit from training programs designed specifically for female physiology, recovery needs, and injury prevention strategies.

⸻

Why Female Athletes Need Female Athlete Specialists

Female athletes are historically under-represented in sports science research and coaching models.

A female athlete specialist understands:
• Female biomechanics
• Hormonal influences on training adaptation
• Injury risk patterns (especially ACL and knee injuries)
• Recovery differences
• Nutrition and energy availability considerations

Training female athletes using male-based training models can limit performance development and increase injury risk.

⸻

Why It’s Important to Work With a Qualified Professional

Strength training is not just about lifting weights. Effective training requires knowledge of:
• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics
• Injury prevention
• Load management
• Recovery protocols
• Individualised programming

A qualified, accredited and experienced trainer ensures that training is:
• Safe
• Evidence-based
• Individualised
• Progressively structured for long-term results.

⸻

How We Can Help

We specialise in science-based athletic performance, rehabilitation and recovery training, combining Eastern and Western knowledge.

Our services include:
• Personal training and strength & conditioning
• Female athlete specialist coaching
• Biomechanics and movement analysis
• Speed, agility and endurance training
• Rehabilitation and injury prevention
• Recovery modalities including sports therapy and assisted stretching
• Mindset and sports psychology support

All programs are individualised and evidence-based.

⸻

Next Level Sports Training & OX Personal Training

H.E.R Foundation Girls Can Ball

Connected Integrative Health Care

Physique Therapy

📩 Contact us via Messenger or txt 0478 430 743

⸻

References

American College of Sports Medicine
National Strength and Conditioning Association
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Sports Medicine

American College of Sports Medicine. (2021). ACSM Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults.

Schoenfeld BJ, et al. (2017). Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low vs high load resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Morton RW, et al. (2016). Neither load nor systemic hormones determine resistance training-mediated hypertrophy. Journal of Applied Physiology.

Grgic J, et al. (2018). Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure vs non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy. Sports Medicine.

Suchomel TJ, et al. (2018). The importance of muscular strength in athletic performance. Sports Medicine.

💪 👊

🏋🏽‍♂️ Strength Training Techniques: Do You Really Understand Them?

Supersets. Drop sets. Pin drop sets. Countdown ladders.
These aren’t just “fancy gym terms”—they are scientifically grounded training methods designed to manipulate volume, intensity, fatigue, and neuromuscular adaptation.

Understanding when and how to use them can be the difference between progress… and plateau.

⸻

🔬 What Are These Training Methods?

🔁 Supersets

Performing two exercises back-to-back with minimal rest.

✔ Can target the same muscle group (agonist supersets)
✔ Or opposing muscles (antagonist supersets)
✔ Increases training density and metabolic stress

📌 Evidence shows supersets can improve training efficiency and muscular endurance without compromising strength (Krzysztofik et al., 2019).

⸻

⬇️ Drop Sets (Including Pin Drop Sets)

Perform an exercise to fatigue, reduce the load, and continue immediately.

✔ Extends time under tension
✔ Maximises muscle fibre recruitment
✔ Pin-loaded machines allow rapid weight reduction (“pin drop”)

📌 Research supports drop sets for increasing hypertrophy through metabolic stress and muscle fibre fatigue (Schoenfeld, 2010).

⸻

🔢 Countdown Ladders

Gradually reducing reps (e.g., 10 → 8 → 6 → 4 → 2).

✔ Allows high initial volume with progressive intensity
✔ Enhances strength-endurance and neural efficiency
✔ Useful in both hypertrophy and conditioning phases

📌 Ladder protocols are linked to improved work capacity and motor unit recruitment patterns.

⸻

🧠 Why This Matters

These techniques manipulate key training variables:
• Volume
• Intensity
• Rest intervals
• Time under tension

📌 According to American College of Sports Medicine, structured variation in these variables is essential for:
• Strength development
• Hypertrophy
• Injury prevention
• Long-term progression

⸻

⚖️ Female Athlete Considerations

Female athletes are not just “smaller males”—they have unique physiological and hormonal profiles.

Key Differences:
• Greater fatigue resistance (Type I fibre dominance)
• Faster recovery between sets
• Hormonal fluctuations impacting strength and performance

📌 Research (e.g., National Strength and Conditioning Association) suggests:

✔ Females may benefit from:
• Higher training volume
• Shorter rest periods
• More frequent sessions

✔ Technique selection (like supersets and ladders) can be highly effective when programmed correctly.

⸻

🎯 Why You Need a Qualified Trainer

Using these methods incorrectly can lead to:

❌ Overtraining
❌ Poor technique under fatigue
❌ Increased injury risk
❌ Plateau or regression

A qualified, accredited professional ensures:

✔ Correct exercise selection
✔ Individualised programming
✔ Load and intensity management
✔ Safe progression based on your goals

⸻

💼 How We Can Help

We provide:

✔ Science-based strength & conditioning
✔ Sport-specific programming
✔ Injury prevention & rehabilitation
✔ Advanced training methods (supersets, drop sets, ladders, etc.)
✔ Female athlete specialist coaching

We combine evidence-based practice with real-world performance application.

⸻

Next Level Sports Training & OX Personal Training

H.E.R Foundation Girls Can Ball

Connected Integrative Health Care

Physique Therapy

📲 Contact Us

Message us via Messenger or txt 0478 430 743

⸻

📚 References (Australia 🇦🇺 | USA 🇺🇸 | Canada 🇨🇦 | UK 🇬🇧)
• Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review of advanced resistance training techniques.
• Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training.
• American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training
• National Strength and Conditioning Association Guidelines for Resistance Training
• Suchomel, T. J., Nimphius, S., & Stone, M. H. (2016). The importance of muscular strength in athletic performance.
• Hunter, S. K. (2014). S*x differences in human fatigability: mechanisms and insight to physiological responses.

💪 👊

🩺 Injury & Rehabilitation Protocols

RICE • PRICE • PEACE • LOVE

Injury management has evolved. What was once simple RICE is now supported by more advanced, evidence-based frameworks like PRICE and the modern PEACE & LOVE approach — focusing not just on healing, but optimal recovery and performance return.

⸻

❄️ RICE Protocol (Traditional Acute Care)

Rest • Ice • Compression • Elevation

🔹 What it does:
Reduces pain, swelling, and bleeding in the early phase of injury.

🔹 Limitations:
Recent research suggests excessive rest and ice may delay tissue healing if overused.

⸻

⚠️ PRICE Protocol (Updated Protection Model)

Protection • Rest • Ice • Compression • Elevation

🔹 What it adds:
Protection of the injured area (e.g., bracing, taping) to prevent further damage.

🔹 Best for:
First 24–72 hours post-injury where tissue protection is critical.

⸻

🧠 PEACE & LOVE Protocol (Modern Gold Standard)

PEACE (Immediate Care)
• Protection – Avoid aggravating movement (1–3 days)
• Elevation – Reduce swelling
• Avoid Anti-inflammatories – May impair healing
• Compression – Control oedema
• Education – Empower recovery through understanding

LOVE (Recovery Phase)
• Load – Gradual return to movement
• Optimism – Mental state impacts recovery outcomes
• Vascularisation – Pain-free cardio to increase blood flow
• Exercise – Restore strength, mobility, and function

🔬 Key insight: Controlled loading and active rehab lead to stronger, more resilient tissue repair.

⸻

❤️ Why This Matters
• Reduces re-injury risk
• Improves healing quality
• Enhances return-to-sport performance
• Supports both physical and psychological recovery

⸻

👩‍🦰 Female Athlete Considerations

Female athletes present unique physiological and biomechanical differences:
• Hormonal fluctuations (oestrogen, progesterone) can influence ligament laxity and injury risk
• Higher incidence of ACL injuries, particularly in cutting and landing sports
• Recovery timelines may differ due to neuromuscular control and joint stability factors

👉 This is why individualised rehabilitation protocols are essential — not one-size-fits-all.

⸻

🧠 How We Can Help

We provide integrated, evidence-based injury and recovery protocols:

✔ Acute injury management (RICE / PRICE / PEACE)
✔ Advanced rehabilitation (LOVE phase progression)
✔ Strength & conditioning for injury prevention
✔ Female athlete specialist programming
✔ Hands-on therapy (myotherapy, assisted stretching, recovery modalities)
✔ Mindset and psychological support for recovery

⸻

Connected Integrative Health Care

Physique Therapy

Next Level Sports Training & OX Personal Training

H.E.R Foundation Girls Can Ball

📲 Contact Us

Message us via Messenger or txt 0478 430 743

⸻

📚 Scientific Research & Evidence
• Bleakley CM et al. (2012). The use of ice in injury management – BJSM
• Dubois B & Esculier JF (2020). Soft-tissue injury management (PEACE & LOVE) – BJSM
• Shrier I (2004). Should ice be used in acute injuries? – CJSM
• Grindem H et al. (2016). Return to sport after ACL injury – BJSM
• Hewett TE et al. (2006). Mechanisms of ACL injury in female athletes – AJSM
• McKay GD et al. (2001). Ankle injuries in sport – BJSM