Empowered Performance Blog

Enter the curling club in 2024 with confidence, throw your first rocks with less chance of pain, and sweep each rock post-to-post to the button for the win.   The problem is curlers worldwide don’t know the how, why and what behind training specifically for improving their performance on the curling ice.   Quick links: […]

Holiday Survival Guide -Helpful Tips & Visualization Activity Worried about time off the ice during the holidays? (jump to signing up for the free holiday reset here) Here’s what to do instead:   You don’t get stronger while working out, while practicing and while competing. You get stronger when you give your body time to […]

I’m super pumped about this little project. I hope you share it with your team and get good use out of it for years to come.   There are a few struggles I’ve come across when trying to do brushing intervals; both dry land and on-ice: Finding an interval timer that lines up with the work:rest […]

Happy Curling Season “The beginning & end of both a game & a curling season are the most common time for injuries to occur” With a little bit of preparation before the season, and before each game you have the opportunity to lower this risk. This document is going to provide you with some resources […]

Train off ice so that you are fitter than what you need when you are on the ice. Listen to Episode 38: Brushing Workout Tips HERE for more info This means that you don’t need to worry about feeling out of breath, or managing your jelly legs during a game. = the following become easier: judging […]

How to become a stronger brusher off the ice? Many factors come into play; including movement efficiency and tissue health, the ability to create, resist and transfer tension and force throughout the body, work capacity and time to practice in season. But in my experience the #1 struggle for most curlers is comfort over the […]

For curlers by a curler. Evidenced based classes in Yoga, Strength & Conditioning, and Recovery. Purchase link HERE What is it? Progressive workouts to gain the skills and knowledge to move better through 3x weekly live* classes: Yoga for Athletes Blending traditional yoga with the biomechanics of sport and exercise. You’ll learn how to move […]

New to the gym life? Looking for a simple way to find progress with your lifting? Need an easy program to follow to stay on track this summer?   Try this 8-12 rep scheme!   I’m most definitely not the first one to use this program before, so I take zero credit. Regardless of where it […]

Enter the curling club in 2022 with confidence, throw your first rocks with less chance of pain, and sweep each rock post-to-post to the button for the win. The problem is curlers worldwide don’t know the how, why and what behind training specifically for improving their performance on the curling ice.   The goal is […]

Welcome! The Empowered Performance for Young Women in Curling project is designed to inform, educate and inspire action in girls and young women across Canada, in an effort to keep females involved in curling longer. Thanks to Curling Canada for their support on this project. I have created a follow-along program containing appropriate information for […]

Don’t worry about the time off from curling. Here’s what to do.   You don’t get stronger while working out, nor while practicing or competing. You get stronger when you give your body time to adapt to the stressors that you apply to it; whether in the gym or on the ice. If you play […]

There are so many things we cannot control as we head back on to the ice. Don’t let your body slow you down. The below is for you even if you haven’t been able to stay active over the past few months. I want to make sure your first few slides, games and the rest […]

“Curlers who experience less pain and more strength & fitness, are able to play and practice more, perform better, & enjoy their time on the ice longer” ~Stephanie Thompson, R.Kin, Empowered Performance   Who is the Kickstarter for? For those that realized the curling season is only a few weeks away and are in need a […]

We don’t believe there is one way to swing a club; we believe there are an infinite number of ways to swing a club. But we do believe that there is one efficient way for everyone to swing a club and it is based on what they can physically do. Need help with your swing? […]

Hey curling fam! There are a lot of emotions surrounding our respective curling seasons. Some of you have access to ice, and some of you don’t. Regardless, it seems like everyone’s “Normal” curling season has been shifted and we have all the feels; disappointment, anger, frustration, fear, regret, you name it. As a perpetual optimist […]

Glenn Paulley said it best “sweeping is what makes curling an Olympic sport, but it is the most under-coached aspect of the game”. Sadly my own curling has been put on hold this year, but that means I’ve had way more time to watch a lot of curling, and am grateful to get to work […]

You’ve asked, & now I’ve (finally) answered;   “What is the best mask to wear for curling?”. *edit [submitted recommendations & reviews found below] I am not a doctor, but here is what I have learned from a lot of smart people.   What we don’t know: A crap-tonne, don’t get me started.   Let’s […]

I want to save you time. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Give this bad boy a read. Mistake #1: I trained for the sake of training, without a plan and without a focus. Solution #1: Reverse engineer your goals & plan out your off-season training Why? Specific goals require focused training. Make sure that […]

Big thanks to Ryan and Jonathan from Rocks Across the Pond for having me on their podcast last week. I talk nerdy, and I talk fast. All about training specifically for curling.   We’ve been gifted with an extra month or 2 in our off-season, and we dive into some of the big and some […]

This is a 4 part series where I will discuss topics including warm up, cool downs, practice efficiency and maintaining strength during a busy competitive season. You can find the series on TSL Curling as well.   Part 1: Warm-Up Essentials for Every Curler The following are some tips to help get everyone of all […]

My updated Top 10 Health Benefits of Urban Poling article was featured on www.jackedscholar.com Check it out here. Happy Poling, Stephanie