Mud Madness Prep: Week 4 and 5 training schedule

Here are the next two weeks' worth of MM Prep workouts!

Don't have kettlebells? Grab anything heavy! Can't find a good hill in your neighborhood? Work extra hard during sprints. Need help making some of these movements work? Let me know and we'll make sure to put you on the right path.

The real trick to training for the Tough Mudder race is to train the different "energy systems" that you will need during the actual race. Be aware that the TM race involves a lot of max exertion with a lot of min to mod exertion in between events. This is how we've been training and how you should too.

If you've been training by jogging at a slow and steady pace then you're not training for the Tough Mudder race. I think the Boston Marathon is the weekend before the Frederick, MD TM. Good luck with that.

GET SOME!!

Week #4

		Venue specific move
Time	Giant A-frame
:00		Dyno Warm-Up
:10	Drill Circuit 1	Kettlebell sprint relay
		Ramp sprints
:15	Drill Circuit 2	Rope/ramp relay
		Stair erg
:25	Drill Circuit 3	"Haynesworth"
		Shrimping
	Berlin walls
:35	Drill Circuit 1	SEAL crawls
		Bear crawls
:40	Drill Circuit 2	Up/downs
		Kettlebells on parade
:50	Drill Circuit 3	Mountain climbers
		Over/unders

Week #5

		Venue specific move
Time	Everest
:00		Dyno Warm-Up
:10	Drill Circuit 1	Sprints
		Superman-hill sprints
:15	Drill Circuit 2	Sprint to lay out
		Resisted sprints
:25	Drill Circuit 3	Superman-hill kbell trot
		Shrimping
	Funky monkey
:35	Drill Circuit 1	Over/unders
		Leap frog
:40	Drill Circuit 2	Up/downs
		Prisoner squat
:50	Drill Circuit 3	Jungle gym work
		Farmers walk

An open letter from a recent student

Below is a copy of a letter that a recent student wrote in completion of her affiliation with our clinic. While I wouldn't normally post something like this, I do feel that other physical therapists, strength coaches and personal trainers who work the way we do would have an appreciation as well as be excited to see that fighting the good fight is worth it.

            For my first integrated clinical experience, I was at SPARK Physiotherapy in Alexandria, VA. My CI was Dr. Carlos Berio—a former graduate of Marymount University. SPARK is set up so that each physical therapist sees only one patient at a time for the entire hour. It was a different transition from the clinic that I worked at as an aide—each physical therapist would see 4-5 patients an hour and each PT had one aide assigned to them.

            Seeing one patient an hour really allowed for a lot of one on one time between the patient and the physical therapist. Dr. Berio set up his clinic with the thought of bringing back quality of care to the patients and not worrying about the quantity of patients. Another part of SPARK was the personal training side—not only will Dr. Berio see physical therapy patient’s but will also see some patient’s for personal training. I really like his saying of “making people bullet proof” post injury.

I also got to observe the administrative side of a clinic. SPARK was in the process of moving to a bigger location. I got to see the floor plans and hear the reasoning behind the layout. As a small business owner, Dr. Berio not only had to worry about the patient care but also the inner workings of the clinic.

            SPARK physiotherapy was a great location to see the performance side of physical therapy. As an athletic trainer, I have always enjoyed working with the athletic population. I have not seen a lot of the personal training side (as I’ve never used a personal trainer or done a lot of weight lifting) so it was great to have exposure to exercises I had never seen before. Some of the exercises included Russian dead lifts, Turkish get-ups, and clean and jerks. It was also great to have to be creative with the equipment in the room. There were not the usual weight machines in the gym but instead we would utilize theraband, kettlebells, and barbells.

            Dr. Berio did a great job allowing me to get hands on experience even when I was a little unsure of what I was doing. He was always right there showing me different ways to do things and offering other advice. When we had down time, we would discuss articles, anatomy, or practice evaluation techniques. Overall, it was a great experience for learning, observing a small business, and seeing a different mentality towards patient care.

Thank you to the student. This is why we all volunteer in the advancement of our disciplines.

Mud Madness Prep Course: Week 3 training schedule

This week is another intense but fun workout to prep you for the Tough Mudder race. Take a look below to continue your training with us.

We've streamlined the movement timing so it's easier to follow. See each workout as an hour and then perform each movement to your highest possible intensity for the time allotted.

At this venue we're making great use of a very steep but short hill located on the periphery of Angel Park in Alexandria, VA. The hill is grass, is about 50 feet long and has a grade at the bottom of 8% and steepens to a 30% grade near the top. It's making training out here fun and highly useful for the TM.

If you have questions about training just shoot them along.

		Venue specific move
Time	King of the Mountain
:00		Dyno Warm-Up
:10	Drill Circuit 1	Gasser-Hill sprints
		Sprints
:15	Drill Circuit 2	Sprint to lay out
		Muscle ups
:25	Drill Circuit 3	No-touch leap frog
	Jumping bale
:35	Drill Circuit 1	Broad jump to vert jump
		Gasser-Hill bear to sprint
:40	Drill Circuit 2	Up/downs
		Shrimping
:50	Drill Circuit 3	Mountain climbers
		Over/unders

Mud Madness Prep Course: Week 2 training schedule

Hey Fellow Mud Madness members and SPARK It Up Teammates. Here is this week's training itinerary. Week 1 was a blast and a great way to start to this training program.

Let's work hard to keep up our intensity and help our Mud Madness friends along in the journey.

In Week #2 we are training for "Arctic Enema" and "Log Jammin'".

Tell us how your training is going!

		Venue specific move
Time	Arctic enema
:10		Dyno Warm-Up
:15	Drill Circuit 1	Superman-hill sprints
		Superman-hill kbell trot
:25	Drill Circuit 2	Partner muscle ups
		Over/unders
:40	Drill Circuit 3	Bears and SEALs
	Log jammin'
:15	Drill Circuit 1	Over/unders
		Iron chair squats
:25	Drill Circuit 2	Muscle ups
		Pullups
:40	Drill Circuit 3	Kbell trot
		Walking lunges

Mud MadnessTraining Schedule: Week 1

Fellow Mud Madness members! This is the first installment of our SPARK It Up-Mud Madness (MM) training program. Keep an eye out for weekly updates so that you can train with us from near or far.
Here is everything we'll be working on this coming week. Each of the moves is broken down by the MM event that it will prepare you for. Not sure what the move is? Leave a comment. We'll keep everyone on the same page. We'll also be taking pictures and video for everyone to follow.

Try to follow the timelines given and to work as hard as long as you can during each training circuit. On off days, you should work to get in 1.5 - 3 miles worth of jogging or running at least twice per week. Grab a training buddy and get to it! Feel free to join our team, SPARK It Up, on Monday nights and Saturday mornings as a drop-in training partner.
We're looking forward to fielding comments or questions and having plenty of discussion.
Have fun. Be safe. Train hard. MUD MADNESS!!!!

		Venue specific move
Time	Braveheart charge
:10		Dyno Warm-Up
:15	Drill Circuit 1	Sprints
		Ramp sprints
:25	Drill Circuit 2	Stop and starts
		Rope/ramp relay
		Stair erg
:40	Drill Circuit 3	"Haynesworth"
		Shrimping
	Kiss of mud
:15	Drill Circuit 1	SEAL crawls
		Bear crawls
:25	Drill Circuit 2	Up/downs
		Crab walk
:40	Drill Circuit 3	Mountain climbers
		Over/unders

Mud Madness Prep Course: SPARK It Up Team Training Info

SPARK It Up Training Team and Fellow Mud Madness members from Everywhere!

We’re excited to begin our training for the September 8th Tough Mudder. Monday workouts will meet promptly at 7PM. Saturday workouts will meet promptly at 9AM. All workouts will be posted here. Alerts will be made on facebook and twitter. Our week 1 training schedule will be up very shortly.

On training day one, we will introduce our SPARK Staff, talk some logistics about workouts and get everyone acquainted. As some of you have mentioned, there will be training days that each of us miss for one reason or another. This is ok. Life happens. However, we will all do our best to make each training session we can and also support our fellow Mud Madness members during training if it is needed.

Note: all of our workouts are going to be posted via tweets and our blog. If you’re going to miss a day, you should keep an eye on these outlets so that you can make up the training session and not skip a beat!

Twitter: @SPARK_Bod_Doc
Blog: http://sparkphysio.blogspot.com/

Also be sure to share the info with friends who are running the Tough Mudder race and may be interested in joining us. Drop-ins are welcome at $20 per day; we can accept cash or check for drop-ins.

We will work out rain, shine, monsoon, hurricane or otherwise. Here is some info that should prove helpful:

Highly recommended but not required. A training-gear bag with the following:

·         Change of clothing

·         Large towel

·         Gloves: football, gardening or otherwise. We will be doing a lot of moving around on our hands and using the environment to improve our grip strength. However, there is no need to mar up our hands if possible. I wear these gloves FYI: http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/pcid1227749?cid=PS%7CGoogle%7CPLA&CAWELAID=931007465&cagpspn=pla. These are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at nearly any sporting goods store. There are many other brands and types ranging in price from $15-$50. Find what is comfortable for you.

·         New-ish running or training sneakers that fit well. These will be your Madness shoes. While minimalist sneakers like the NewBalance Minimus are excellent shoes to walk and resistance train in, I do not recommend them for this type of race or training as they will not provide you with the ankle support needed for the uneven terrain nor the cushioning for the various different surfaces you will be running on. I’d recommend finding one pair of sneakers for training and the eventual race. The tradition at the end of the Tough Mudder race is to throw your sneakers in the ‘pile’ after the race. These sneakers will likely not be worn again by you but they are cleaned and donated to those who are less fortunate.

·         Athletic tape: each of you should bring a roll. Before each workout we will take time to tape wrists and any nicks while we talk about the days’ exercise circuits. The biggest risk for injury during the race and training is likely to ankles and wrists. We’re going to work hard to prevent injuries where we can.

Venues:

HQ: SPARK Mill Rd

2331 Mill Rd, Alexandria, VA 22314

Base Camp:

2609 S Walter Reed Dr, Arlington, VA 22206

Superman Hill to Fort Barnard Park

2101 South Pollard Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204

Angel Park

299 W Taylor Run Pky, Alexandria, VA 22314

Carlyle Quad

In front of 330 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

We’re excited to begin training. Have Fun. Be Safe. Train Hard. TOUGH MUDDER!!

Mud Madness Prep Course! Begins 4/2/2012. Calling All Mudders.

We’re all excited about competing together to survive the Tough Mudder Frederick, MD 2012. The event will be taking place on September 8th and 9th.

We have designed a training course specifically to prepare you for each event you will face on the Mud Madness (MM).

If you're not yet a member of a MM team, feel free to join us on 'SPARK It UP'. Space is available but limited. As with our team registration, space in our TM Prep Course, starting 4/2/2012, is limited as well. See below for details

Who:
Anyone participating in the Tough Mudder or anyone who would like the experience of training with a bunch of Mudders! Participants who are registered with team SPARK It Up will receive team shirt. All others may purchase the SPARK It Up training t-shirt.

What:

Twice per week for 10-weeks of boot camp style classes offered by SPARK Physio’s orthopedic physical therapists and professional strength and conditioning coaches. Veterans of Tough Mudder events and elite level conditioning programs will lead and perform all of the conditioning drills.

We will use primitive exercise techniques specifically designed to prepare participants for each individual obstacle and the high exercise intensity encountered during the Tough Mudder.

Where:
Locations will vary over the course of the program. All TBD in advance of training session. Locations will be within the NoVA area and will include public parks, street locations and of course, our facility in Alexandria, VA

When:

Session #1:
Week of April 2^nd through the week of June 9^th
Session #2:
Week of June 18^th through the week of August 25^th

Costs and requirements:

Program cost: $299 per participant
(about $15/workout)

All participants will:

·  Read and sign SPARK Physio ‘training client contract’
·  Complete a PAR-Q exercise readiness questionnaire
·  Remit payment by the due date for participation in each session (can mail check or use credit card or cash in person)
·  Adhere to all instructions and advice from professional staff

Bring:

·         A towel
·         Water
·         Good attitude
·         All the guts you got!

You can officially register beginning today. We need your completed Training Client Contract, your completed PAR-Q and payment no later than 3/26/12. If you would like to complete and mail all of the necessary info and payment or just have questions please email us at info@sparkphysio.com. As always, feel free to come by our HQ in person. Just let us know when to expect you.

The first workout of Session #1 will meet at 7PM on Monday, April 2^nd at our Alexandria location. This session will run longer than most as we will convene briefly for some “chalk talk” and to get everyone acquainted. Workouts during Session #1 will be on Mondays at 7PM and Saturdays at 9AM.

Feel free to pass this info along to anyone you think would enjoy training with us. We’re looking forward to training with you all.

Movement Econ 315: Addressing throwing shoulder pain by getting after the t-spine

There are lots of similarities in the painful or dysfunctional shoulder. In general, most of these young men and women sit among the top of the heap in their overall size, strength and power capabilities. This is a great advantage to have over your competition but in many case, like the one's we see often, these strengths expose many different weaknesses.

The one we're highlighting here is "ipsilateral thoracic spine rotation lack". We just call it 'thrower's spine'. During normal trunk rotation and shoulder horizontal abduction (think cocking the throwing arm) the t-spine and ribs should rotate and angle themselves back toward the direction of the dominant arm. More often than not in our painful or dysfunctional baseball and softball players this lack of dominant side rotation is very apparent.

If you are working with throwing athletes, be sure to check and address this aspect of their movement econ. This lack of mobility will ask the shoulder to produce the remaining mobility needed to complete the throw.

As has been previously discussed, the movement economics of asking the shoulder to do what the t-spine should be doing is obvious. We're taking an activity which by itself is already violent and difficult and therefore very movement costly and adding more ways to waste movement capital. Unless the movement account is VERY BIG, there won't be too many throws before you are overdrawn.

It is very important to know what other mobility or stability issues exist in your athletes. If 'thrower's spine' isn't the most significant movement econ issue, then this mobilization won't deposit the biggest lump sum to the movement account. If it is, then here is a great first line treatment and home exercise that we use with great effectiveness: the side-lying t-spine rotation (documented as: SL T/S rot):

Have the athlete lie on his/her non-dominant side. If they are a right handed thrower, they should be lying on their left. Next they should maximally flex their hips up toward their chest as in the 'fetal' position. This posture ensures that all of the subsequent rotation happens at the t-spine and not with help from the hips or lumbar spine. Lastly, the athlete will place their hand behind their head or will reach straight ahead with their dominant arm as in pushing away from their chest. The set-up is complete.

The mobilization is simple: The athlete will turn their head toward their dominant side as far as it possible. Once the cervical spine is maximally rotated, begin to track the elbow or arm in as big as arc as possible toward the dominant side. Once the barrier to continued rotation is met, the position is held; a long 5 count is fine. At this time, there shouldn't be pain but restriction to further movement or an urge to lift the knees is normal. Keep the knees together and the bottom knee in contact with the ground/plinth. The mobilization should be done x10 and then t-spine rotation reassessed in standing. If there is a major difference between sides, the mobization should be done more toward the deficient side.

Note: There are some pretty high quality videos of this self mobe available if you simply search 'sidelying thoracic spine mobilization'.

This movement econ strategy should add the funds necessary to getting you or your athletes back on the hill.

Be well.

Guest bloger! Liz Davies: Fight Cancer with Exercise

Physical activity can result in a variety of benefits for people with cancer, just as it would for people who are cancer free. A daily exercise routine gives people a way to stay active, maintain a healthy weight and be more muscular. In addition to these rewards, physical activity increases positivity and self-confidence while lowering exhaustion and the threat of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

It is important for people undergoing cancer treatments to make sure they remain active; starting just about any type of regular exercise can improve healing. This is true no matter what type of cancer someone is dealing with, whether that is colon cancer or mesothelioma! It is also recommended to consult a professional before beginning a daily exercise routine. There are many licensed health and exercise professionals that can be of great assistance and can tailor individual exercise programs in order to deal with the impact that cancer may have on someone.

Patients who have no prior experience exercising can start with low to moderate intensity mobility exercises. Yoga, tai chi, and pilates are just a few different forms of exercises that are wonderful for improving mobility and balance and can be easily altered for any level of physical ability.

For people who are accustomed to more activity, cardiovascular exercise like swimming, running and walking are great ways to achieve significant benefits from working out. These activities burn calories while increasing lung capacity and decreasing risk of stroke, heart attack and diabetes.

Resistance training, like weight lifting, should not be ignored. This type of exercise helps with improving muscle mass which is very important because treatments like chemotherapy and radiation often cause significant muscle loss. Ideally it is important to include both cardiovascular exercise and strength training into a daily exercise routine.

Motivation can be hard to find when you have an obstacle like cancer standing in the way. This may feel overwhelming but adding some simple activities to a daily routine can be a good way to start. Putting away groceries, taking the stairs instead of the escalator, or buying a pedometer to monitor activity is a good step in the right direction. With such a large variety of activities to choose from finding what works best for you may be the most important part of using exercise to improve your outcomes.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She is also a friend of SPARK Physiotherapy! She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.