Steve Hess
After 21 years as Director of Performance with the Denver Nuggets, Coach Steve Hess has chosen a new and exciting path as Chief Performance Officer for Panorama Orthopedic and Spine Center and Operating Owner for Panorama Wellness and Sports Institute.
Steve has undertaken the task to revolutionize the exercise industry. He truly believes with this group of individuals, all of them at the top of their fields, they are all working with one ultimate goal in mind - which is to bring out the best in everyone. To accomplish this, a team of specialists will work close together to determine the most appropriate treatments and programs. They have devised a “Performance Profile” which gives them the fingerprint of your physiology. It is non-invasive and objective allowing them an exact three dimension look at how a muscular-skeletal system looks while in motion; providing them with joint angles, and force output at all positions of movement. In addition, they are able, through ultrasound, to determine muscular asymmetry and glycolytic capacities. Most importantly being able to determine the actual age of a muscle. Through all this objective data they are creating an algorithm, which has been able to group individuals into high risk, moderate risk, and low risk categories. Once they have obtained this information, they have a tactical plan to create workouts, treatments and programs according to your fingerprint. That is Panorama Wellness and Sports Institute!
As Director of Performance for the Denver Nuggets, Steve was responsible for overseeing the team’s weight training, conditioning and nutritional programs. He designed and arranged the Nuggets’ weight room in the Pepsi Center and also designed functional pieces unique to the Denver Nuggets.
Hess is one of six trainers worldwide who sits on the Under Armour training council. He is a sponsored athlete by Met-Rx and an ambassador for Red Bird Chicken. He is also on the scientific advisory board for Masimo MightySat in addition to sitting on the scientific facility board for Panorama Orthopedics and Spine Center.
Hess has been featured on NBA Inside Stuff, All-Access with Ahmad Rashad, NBATV and The Eating Network. He also has his own workout segment on the Altitude Sports & Entertainment network and has been featured on all Denver major news channels including the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News and the Wall Street Journal.
A graduate of Ithaca College (N.Y.), Hess received a master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis on sports medicine and a bachelor’s degree in exercise science fitness and cardiac rehabilitation in ’91. Hess became a Muscle Activation Techniques (M.A.T) specialist in 2013 and just completed his M.A.T mastery certification in 2015. In 2016 he completed his RTS (resistance training specialist) Mastery certification and in 2017 he completed his CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist) certification and was awarded his RSCC*E (registered strength and conditioning coach with 20+ years experience) in 2018.
As most people enjoy a completely different life outside of work, Steve is not your average workaholic. He lives and breathes the same philosophy and mentality that he preaches to his players every day. When Steve is not at work, he enjoys spending as much time as he can with his wife, Alicia, who is also a health and fitness expert, and his two boys, Jordan and Korey.