Empowered Performance -for Life, Fitness & Competition

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Markham, ON
Empowered Performance -for Life, Fitness & Competition

🥌 Helping curlers move well, get fit & improve performance on & off the ice.

My focus is on Training for Health and Fitness, and Training for Performance-related Fitness

If you are interested, send me a message through this page, or an email at stephthompson.cpt@gmail.com

With my background in coaching, kinesiology, and CSEP I hope we can work together to achieve your health and fitness goals! Note: Available throughout York Region and the Peterborough area

Online and distance training also available

04/13/2026

All of my curling specific workout plans provide you with the opportunity to learn how to MOVE WELL.

These programs are so much more than just “do this 10 times and this 20 times”

The warmups are intentional, the exercises selection is intentional and the cueing is intentional.

Curlers who find themselves moving better with improved body awareness can set themselves up for “greater gains” in the gym because they will spend less time worrying about possible injuries and more time focusing on maximizing every breath and every movement.

Check out the list of programs in my bio or dm me OFFSEASON to have the list sent to you.

For a more customized approach consider a Movement Assessment or joining the coveted EPVIP program.

Cheers to the offseason -stay safe!

04/03/2026

HA in all seriousness I don’t regret all that work. It’s made me smart as h&$@

AND if your preferred training modality is exercise videos -this is not a stab at you.

My only issue is when curlers have SPECIFIC goals but run themselves through a GENERAL workout program.

I’ve got science based done for you programs and loads of exercise videos that are designed to help you SPECIFICALLY get stronger and fitter for curling.

Not to mention a sweet 1-1 program for individuals & teams.

All this to say, I may have my CSEP-CPT but I am so much more than *just* a personal trainer. If you’ve got a curling struggle, fitness goal or injury you want to eliminate shoot me a message and let’s make this off-season the best one yet!

04/01/2026

Who’s ready for the offseason?

This is the perfect time of year to spend some time and energy on improving how well you move, and in increasing your strength and fitness.

What kind of strength and fitness goals do you have for the summer? How do you hope they will help you on the ice next season?

Check the links and bio for a program options or send me a DM to chat about off-season training. I work with individuals of all levels on the ice and in the gym, and have options for teams and coaches.

04/01/2026

General fitness will help you generally improve your curling.

But specific problems require a specific and sometimes CUSTOMIZED plan.

Got an injury, fitness related or technique struggle you want to tackle this off-season? Check out the link in bio or send me a DM. I’m happy to help you find the perfect program for you & your team!

03/26/2026

You don’t need to spend 20 years figuring this out like I did. I’ve tried it all!From programs, coaching, rehab, certifications. And I was just trying to answer one question:

What actually helps curlers get better at the sport?

The answer has ended up being way simpler than expected.

So I put the key rocks into a short off-season guide you can actually use:

✔️ simple priorities
✔️ education to the basics
✔️ a free workout to get started

Nothing fluffy, nothing overwhelming. Just a solid starting point.

Grab the free guide at the link in my bio.

And if you know a curler, who’s trying to level up this off-season please send it to them!

-season

03/19/2026

Not every exercise in your off-season training program needs to look exactly like the movements performed in Curling. Most exercise exercises we can argue have a transferrable skill that help improve your on a performance, delivery, brushing.

as is the case for the Romanian Deadlift, the benefits for curlers include:
• improved grip strength -helps with brushing, but also your grip on the rock and release
• improved core strength -for everything from postural control, sweeping, and your delivery
• improved strength and coordination and mobility in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and back muscle muscles) -which decreases chances of injury, strength, and control into and out of the hat, and power generation during brushing

This movement is not just an exercise, but a skill that is often performed incorrectly; we often see too much movement in the lower back, and at the knee. Suggesting movement in efficiencies that could negatively impact your performance, decrease comfort, and increase your chance of injury.

Dumbbells provide a unique challenge, compared to a barbell, but we can, of course, perform this exercise in multitude of ways, including with a landline, a machine, or even resistance bands

Make sure to consider empowered performance for all your ice training needs

Let me know in the comments if there are any exercises, you want me to break down in future.

03/18/2026

Q: “Where does she get the energy!?”
A: FOOD

Ya gotta EAT for energy, for intensity, for recovery.

Overall calories IN matters first
Then quality (think nutrients)
THEN worry about supplements.

I did 2 awesome interviews with last year and we discuss eating for PERFORMANCE (she worked with the Scottish curling & they are dominant so I’d listen to her!) and how to choose save supplements (& if you even need any!)

DM for the links or search “ Empowered performance for curlers podcast Nina Walker” in Google or on your favourite streaming service.

The off-season is a great time to master proper nutrition, not only to learn it as a skill, but also to enhance your off ice performance

-season

03/11/2026

These are some of the key skills I have all of my athletes work on improving whether you’re starting your very first training program or embarking on your 20th offseason.

Skip this step & set yourself up for possible injury or plateau your fitness. Join the EP lab now, check out The Fundamentals program or reach out about other coaching options.

Think “Empowered Performance” when it comes to preparing your mind & body for a quality curling season!

03/05/2026

Breathing in and out your nose AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Nasal breathing is the bodies natural and intended method of respiration which provides numerous advantages over mouth breathing and impacts overall health, sleep, quality and physical performance.

The primary benefits stem from the nose’s ability to filter, warm, and humidify the air, as well as produce nitric oxide which improves blood flow and oxygen circulation throughout the body, including to the lungs and the brain.

Expansive & slow nasal breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system to help us “rest and digest”; which promotes relaxation and reduces stress and anxiety.

This is by far the easiest way, and most accessible way to improve your overall health and well-being no matter who you are.

Focus on nasal breathing first at rest as much as possible, then emphasize it during your lower intensity activities (tip: this means use nasal breathing to gauge intensity) and then bring it into recovery between higher interval sessions.

The transfer to performance on the ice helps improve endurance, recovery, mental clarity, and emotional stability.

It is one of the main things I have all of my athletes focus on throughout the entire season. And there’s no better time to start to focus on this than right now.

03/04/2026

This concept drives the majority of my coaching, rehab and problem solving on the ice.

Are the joints doing what they are supposed to be doing? How do we restore efficient function across the entire body?

Because so many are shocked to find that their knee pain isn’t a problem at the knee … it’s something above or below that’s working too hard or not enough causing too much motion or tension at the knee. Tackle above and below not just the area where the pain is for optimal function 👏

The offseason is coming. Think of for all your rehab & fitness needs so that you can enjoy the summer & tackle next season with gusto!

03/04/2026

1. Scottie’s
2. Olympics!!
3. EP Lab exercise for shoulder health (scapular control)
4. Single leg zercher deadlift for core, foot, & rib coordination
5. Split squat with “nose knee big toe” cue (transferable positioning of hip & ribs for curling delivery)
6/7/8 Beach, “Boops” & Golf

Till next month 👊

10/06/2025

It’s that time of year!!

Send me a DM to access FREE Back to Curling resources for you, your team & your club.

Newsletter subscribers will have already received the links.

From fitness, to warmups, brushing & technique tips to avoid injuries these resources have it all; for everyone from club to elite curlers alike!

Have a safe & happy start to your curling season 💕 🥌

Share with a teammate who needs this 👏

Address

-
Markham, ON

Website

https://empoweredperformance.ca/eparmy/

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