SYNERGISTIC PROJECTS

A key factor in the success of Quebec athletes at a national and international level

Research, innovation and education are at the core of INS Québec’s mission. Within the “Synergistic Projects” component of the PSDE (Programme de soutien au développement de l’excellence — program to support the development of excellence) run by the Quebec Ministère de l’Éducation, INS Québec assists Quebec sports federations in developing projects, carrying out research, encouraging innovation and using advanced technologies.

To do this, the experts at INS Québec share their expertise in biomechanics, nutrition, physiology, mental and physical training, and performance monitoring. The main aim of the program is to support Quebec athletes in the “Élite” and “Relève” categories on their journey toward excellence.

On December 15, the first project was launched at the INS Québec complex with the Association québécoise d’aviron (Quebec rowing association), in partnership with Excellence Sportive Sherbrooke. Canadian champion Marilou Duvernay-Tardif took part in the project, which aims to compare the biomechanics of rowing on a rowing machine with rowing on water. The aim is to improve training technique on the rowing machine. By working with Marilou and nine other athletes, the experts were able to measure the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and the effectiveness of each athlete’s body movements.

“There are some 30 synergistic projects in the pipeline that INS Québec will be working on in partnership with Quebec federations and sports organizations. Of these, 18 have already received the ‘green light’ from the Quebec Ministère de l’Éducation, which is very promising,” says David Jeker, Research and Innovation Advisor at INS Québec.

From development at a provincial level to performance at a national level

What sets this program apart is that the projects must be instigated by the Quebec sports federations and must help athletes to improve their performance to reach the ranks of the Canadian teams. At least two partners must work with the federation on the project, hence the term “synergistic.”

“Synergistic projects are a key element for the development of our athletes in Quebec and for their national and international performance. It is by equipping our provincial organizations with the right tools that we will be able to more adequately prepare the next generation of high-performance athletes,” says Martin Roy, Advisor, Pathway to Excellence at INS Québec.

In addition to working directly with Quebec federations in the development and execution of their synergistic projects, INS Québec also works with other partners, including Canadian federations, regional multi-sport training centres and university research teams.

Innovations at INS Québec in support of the federations

Some synergistic projects are the direct result of ongoing research activities at INS Québec, which allows Quebec athletes to benefit from the expertise gained through working with athletes from Canadian teams. Measuring techniques range from simple questionnaires to electroencephalograms (EEGs), while some projects are based on virtual reality.

It is important to note that the projects are very different from each other. Some of the work is being carried out at the INS Québec complex, while other parts are being carried out across Quebec or even at training camps in other countries.

A promising list of projects

Nearly 50 Quebec sports federations are the target of synergistic projects, and several activities are already underway. The initial stages, most of which have long-term goals, were launched in late 2021.

Click here to discover ongoing synergistic projects and the organizations taking part in them.