Meet Walt Shedd: Director of Biomechanics and Movement

We had the good fortune of connecting with Walt Shedd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Walt, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Without a doubt our people are what make the difference first but coupled with that is our process model for building an explosive, efficient, and injury-risk-mitigated athlete. We call this model the Athletic Development Continuum or ADC Model. This model (like any good model) has been a living organism that has drawn extensively upon Science / evidence based training and movement protocols; peppered with empirical testing spanning a base of almost 20,000 athletes and ten (10) years.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
First and foremost Athletes in Motion (AIM) has been on the cutting edge of redefining the elements and priorities of what goes into developing an explosive, efficient, and safe (injury mitigation) athlete……and has done so at every level spanning 20,000 athletes from ages 8 through professional ranks. To this point, Athletes in Motion has been recognized for consecutive years as “Best of Class” in the market(s) we serve.

There have been many challenges especially navigating through this past year with the Pandemic. Again through Divine Inspiration, within a week of orders to close our facilities, we mobilize a virtual training platform which some of our customers still utilize even to this day after reopening. During this period we pushed out all of our equipment into the homes of our athletes and provided them with a continuum of their training program. This move has been key to those athletes remaining safe (from injury) after their return to sport (RTS).

For prospective customers please know that the ADC model is a paradigm shift….it is not the throw weights and drills at the athlete from the start; instead it follows the proven premise that proper athletic mechanics (sprint; throwing, hitting, stroke, swing, movement, etc.) follow correct biomechanics. As such, EVERY athlete start is the same it begins with a biomechanic, performance,, and movement assessment, followed immediately after by a correction (bio-mechanics) process, PRIOR to any movement or strength training.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are blessed living in California; probably take a trip to San Diego and visit Balboa Park; stay at the Inn of the Park so we could enjoy the roof top experience; would have to visit my favorite Vegan spots Plumeria for Thai cuisine.

Next a long walk at the beach at New Port and a visit to Lily’s Balboa Caffe for lunch;

Next San Francisco to take in the many sites there with a finish to one of the most beautiful alpine lake scenes in the world Lake Tahoe. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh my, well first and foremost there has been a Divine stewardship behind every major decision that has come to fruition.

Co-founder Brad Gerhardt’s contribution have been integral in the sustainability of our organization and in adding another cutting edge advantage in the space of strength development.

Jasmine Shedd’s giftedness in the areas of creativity (she has assumed our programming role) and assessment and discernment (people and processes) has been instrumental.

I have to especially at this juncture shout out to my mother Ann Shedd who has watched me learn more and grow more from doing it wrong more times than doing it right, and all along the way model Agape – unconditional love….at the writing of this mom, age 93 is living out her faith witnessing to her nurses and rehab specialists as she battles to come back from a stroke….certainly she has taught me more about Gracious Perseverance than any other person in my life.

Website: www.athletesinmotion.net

Instagram: Aim_Brea

Image Credits
none