Preparing for Obstacle Races

A fun new fitness craze thats taking the world by storm is Obstacle Races. These events such as "Survival of the Fittest, Spartan Race, Tough Mudder" etc they are just growing by the masses. Although you have a timing chip on your shoe its more about surviving each obstacle and attacking it in style (usually a penalty is offered to those who can't complete the obstacle such as push ups or burpees).

Its so rewarding to prepare for an event like this and its great to get a team together in case you face tricky patches on the course its better to face it with a little team work, good in the build up in terms of training preparation/ motivation and most importantly fun!

The Spartan Race Team super stoked!

So to prepare for an event what can you expect?

The organisers will try an hit you with every angle so you need to be a well oiled machine, preparation needs to include basically all realms of gym and fitness training.

I love preparing for events like this as you'll never get bored with your training!

Ok so what you expect!

1. Hills:

You can expect to have plenty of up hill sections in an obstacle race, even if there isn't its great preparation for any kind of event, your cadence, strength, speed and mechanics will improve with hill sprints...

Hill sprints in prep work is a must!

2. Reptilian Crawling..

Reptilian Crawl prep work!

Hulya demonstrating a great reptilian crawl!

In the black pool above you either got low in the ice tub avoiding electricity, or you did 30x burpees!

Ok sounds silly but have we forgotten how to crawl?

 I was stuck in this same tunnel as the one above (Hulya coming out of) behind a guy trying to squiggle his way through like a worm, he was huffing and puffing whilst I glided through at hardly any effort?? You can expect various obstacles requiring a functional crawl. The bonus is it has many great benefits such as hip mobilty, core strength (babies actually strengthen their spinal segments and body in preparation for the walking gate through crawling so if you've experienced postural back pain these patterns can be a good exercise to get the spinal segments operating again in a functional manner, will actually get the heart rate up in your circuits also!

3. Rope Training

Obstacle at Spartan Race

TRX Power Rows

Grip strength is a must at these events as we got faced with a vertical rope climb, rope ladders and often  walls ropes are present like the caption above. The surface can be very slippery and so too the rope itself, so plenty of TRX work, Sled pulls, chin ups and battle ropes will help to master these obstacles!

If you live near an indoor rock-climbing wall, why not do a few sessions to enhance your climbing mechanics!

Sled pull from squat position

Battle Ropes

Other than that there will be plenty of surprise obstacles you may be faced with such as military presses with logs, throwing spears at a target, balance beams and sometimes bouncy castles. So challenge your body with variety and limited rest periods. Heres an example Program for your prep work!

1. 30 WALKING LUNGES 

2. 2 MINS REPTILIAN CRAWLS

3. TRX POWER ROWS 15 EACH SIDE (No TRX? Do 15 chin ups)

4. Barbell DEADLIFT 15 REPS (60kg)

5. 20 JUMP SQUATS

6. 20 PUSH UPS

7. Battle Rope Whips 30 seconds

8. 3MINS INCLINE TREADMILL RUN (can do hill sprints or stairs)

Repeat every exercise no rest during the circuit. Once circuit complete rest 1:30minute and repeat 3 times!

Good Luck!

Release Your Boundaries- TRX!

The TRX class is relatively new to the fitness industry, the TRX suspension training kit has been around for a few years as a piece of kit that you may see hanging in the corner of the gym but no-one really knew how to use it. You might have seen the odd guy doing a few body rows and thats about it.

TRX Class at MOVE THREE SIXTY personal training studio.

When I got my first TRX I was rebuilding my body from a knee reconstruction I had about 6months prior. I had got through some of my rehabilitation in New Zealand and was heading to the UK. The problem was I needed something that was portable, could train the whole body and something that was progressive for the lower body so I could start at a basic level with assistance and build up to a point where I was fully functional and could perform my sports and hobbies such as Tennis, snowboarding, rugby, running (marathon) etc So you can imagine I needed a very solid rehabilitation program to cater for the demands I was planning to put my recovering knee through. It did all that and more!

The Sogn Fjord in Norway only hours before my friends wedding!

So I had this piece of kit that I started to take everywhere with me on holidays, parks, clients houses for jogs, you name it, it was pretty much an extension to my body... 

The exercises that you can achieve with the TRX can cater the novice untrained body to the elite athlete.
In a health club I used to work at I was hanging in the TRX one day when Daniel Craig (James Bond) started asking me what it was and what it was useful for. He happened to be sporting a sling on his shoulder due to some accident and needed to restore stability, strength and mobility as well as maintaining his rock solid abs.. next minute he was hooked and borrowing my TRX each time he came to the gym (shame he already had a trainer).

I had an amazing client who was told she'd never walk again by health professionals. She did although have a great attitude, fairly strong upper body and legs (although not cooperating fully with her nervous system). I could see potential to achieve the impossible. The machine based exercises in the gym were great for her as she built some much needed strength and it allowed her to focus on isolated movements at the beginning of her programming but then she needed the next step, the phase of building stability to the point where she could stand on her own two feet and move one foot in front of the other. The TRX offered a great deal towards reaching that level of stability it was something other practitioners hadn't tried before, even though every realm of the training including her amazing "never give up attitude" played a huge role, the TRX certainly helped bridge the gap towards her ability to walk. After only 6months of training she could walk unassisted across the gym.

Semi private TRX (train with a partner).

So apart from amazing rehabilitative programs for people with back pain, shoulders, knees, hips etc I use it in performance situations such as elite tennis athlete, figure contestant, rugby players and generally people who want a strong stomach, toned butt, thighs and arms. With hundreds of exercises and stretches so you'll never get bored. 

Performing some mountain climbers!

The TRX class itself is a hour long session which I break up into a dynamic warm up, Upper (anterior and posterior chain) /lower/core/cardio/power segments followed some unique stretches. Its usually 4 rounds of intense exercise but if you're a complete beginner you'll be offered options to descend exercises to suit your current level. The mountain climber above is one of the many core exercises you'll experience in the class.

TRX TRICEPS (great for the core also).

I've heard people say "but you can't overload to build muscle like weights" well this is coming from people who have never tried it or been taught properly by an expert. Just because you see a dumbbell with a numerical figure on the side and you feed your ego by the amount of weight you can throw around the gym it doesn't mean you're training the right patterns of muscles to do the job correctly. The TRX initiates important stabilisers with every movement and you add more resistance by changing the angle of your body meaning you're almost taking on your whole bodyweight. I supplement many other forms of training with the TRX and use it for super sets and maintenance also. So if you choose to do the bench press and have plateaued try super-setting with some TRX atomic push ups- you won't regret it!

Atomic Push up!

Many thanks for reading I'm off to set up the next class :)

If you're in West London area and wish to get involved contact me on luke.d.marshall@gmail.com

Miles high! win your own TRX by guessing my finishing time!

The London Marathon is only a few weeks away and the training program I'm following has one more big volume week before the tapering!

My last few weeks have consisted of some tough runs and training but its paid off and I'm feeling confident...

My colleagues and I at "Move Three Sixty" studio also hosted a Running workshop covering topics on:

• Minimalist footwear (barefoot running) vs Traditional cushioned shoe
• Assessments on form and corrective exercise
• Video Analysis
• Injuries (prevention and awareness)
• Nutrition and Hormonal response
• Self release Myofascial
• Stretching, active and passive-corrective stretching
• Periodisation and Programs
• Strength exercise for runners

This was an amazing lecture, we have a great team of professionals, we were also mentioned in HFM (Health for Men) magazine this month just to top everything off! Pick up your copy at a local Holland and Barrett today!

This month I also performed some MOT health consults with some amazing individuals at the Vitality Convention in London, I was representing REPs (Registrar of Exercise Professionals)! 

Back to the training... currently my typical week would have;

Monday: TRX total body workout with battle rope intervals
Tuesday: Track Session 1600s with 2min easy running x4 (5km warm up)
Wednesday: Mobility and stretch session
Thursday: 3km easy run- 10km time trial- 3km easy
Friday: 16km
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 30km (race pace)

Its been pretty much this for 3 weeks but this week I hit a easier build up to finish the week with a 16km on saturday and a demanding 36km on sunday before my taper..

Here's some images of one of my clients training outdoors with some typical resistant exercises I been using to retain strength, core and muscular endurance- not to mention highly metabolic!

TRX suspended lunge 3x15reps 

Battle Ropes 20seconds whips, 20secs alt whips and 20seconds wide to close... Hard work, gets the heart racing!!!

TRX oblique Jacknife 45seconds x3

TRX Alt leg Hamstrings 45seconds x3

TRX mountain climbers 45seconds x3

1600m intervals x4

The race top, look out for me!!

WIN ME!!!

 I'm running the 2012 London Marathon for St John Ambulance and almost at target! Donate minimum £15 on my just giving page and email me the predicted finishing time to luke.d.marshall@gmail.com if you are closest to my actual time you'll receive this TRX force kit! London residents only and I'll throw in an hour PT worth £65 to get you started! Whole package worth over £200....

Click on this link to donate! http://www.justgiving.com/Luke-Marshall2012Run

Run Run Run- London marathon training update!

The London Marathon is only weeks away now and my training is in full flight!

To avoid boredom and injuries my program is a good mix of fartlek training, hill runs, 10km pace runs and the LSD (long slow distance) so far my furthest distance of 30km and the longest run I reach before the event is 36km.

I love my strength training but have reduced the emphasis on my regular routine and made more specific plans to allow better recovery for my running training. I use TRX total body suspension training as there is plenty of unilateral closed chain leg exercises such as the suspended lunge (pictured) and the emphasis on core and stabilising(tonic) muscles that improve posture is super important for any runner!

Amice and James performing suspended lunge

There are many exercises with over 300 to choose from, so I perform 2 TRX session a week in amongst my runs.

I find mobility exercises are really important especially pre-running- I like to make sure my thoracic is mobile, I have sufficient ankle dorsi-flexion, and my hip flexors are loosened up with a variety of moves!

This knee banger assessment can be done with a ruler against the wall, you can test your range but also use it as a mobility exercise by keeping your foot firmly in a neutral position (shown in picture) but at a distance a few more centimetres back where your knee can't quite reach the wall. Do 12-15 glides and watch your dorsi-flexion improve!

To improve thoracic spine mobility a roller is great. You can roll back and forward in the position shown above and iron out any tight fascia, then lower hips-inhale and extend over the roller. I use different segments of the thoracic spine and about 8-10 extensions over each segment.

A great active stretch for hip flexors, thoracic and dorsi-flexion in one, perform 12-15 each side!

New Years Resolutions Start Now!

Another solid training week gone by and only a few more sleeps until the jolly fat man and his team of well conditioned reindeer fill our stockings, this by any means is not the time to slacken off, no we must work harder to maintain the good work thats been put in over the year!

New Years resolutions need to start now, don't put off your goals start with putting the steps into place now and hit the ground running in the new year, especially if you're going on ski holidays, you need fitness, strength and core stability to ensure you don't come home with nasty injuries and make the most of the trip!

Marathon training wise I put in a personal best effort on my 10km of 42.53min, I added another hill sprint (5times up Primrose Hill with 12km total) to my training and I've ran my furtherest to date of 24km.

It was an awesome 24km run up the canal in the rain, the pace was great and it was a good little stepping stone for me!

The combination of the hill sprints, interval training,10km pace running and the longer endurance runs seems to be exactly what my body requires. I find they all compliment each other and my recovery is getting a lot quicker!

On the longer run I tried using a isotonic energy gel. I took one at 10km mark and another at 15km, I have to admit it gave me a real boost!

Along with the running training I joined in on the last Spartan circuit of the year!

Todays spartan workout was enough to burn off all the extra Christmas treats and Mulled wine from winter wonderland!

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas, 

Also if you haven't yet donated towards my London Marathon Charity, St Johns Ambulance- Please visit my Just Giving page, any contribution will be appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/Luke-Marshall2012Run

Run through to Christmas

Ok back to a track session on Wednesday, my Nike Plus program required me to warm up for 3km constant pace and then do 3mins fast pace and 2mins recovery x 4 intervals.This was a killer session, each 3minute interval was extremely tough maintaining the pace I'd set myself, I managed to get out a solid 10km distance during the session. This session was actually close to my fastest 10km time...

Now todays gym session is the Spartan training circuit, just during the flaming warm up, I could feel the hard work I'd put in during the track session yesterday.

Circuits like this are highly metabolic and great for getting to your ideal body composition. Probably not the most ideal for marathon training but I'm always up for a challenge!

I knew Claud from "Move Three Sixty", wasn't going to go easy on us as I saw him preparing the equipment.

Today he changed from 15reps of each exercise to using the clock meaning we went hard for 45seconds for four rounds (that is round one-then we do a second round) each and we used Kettle-bells, Cables, BOSU, TRX and medicine balls in dynamic style to hit every muscle in your body... Was the hardest one so far and I know I going to appreciate my rest day tomorrow!

Heres a little snippet of todays workout!

MY LONDON MARATHON TRAINING

I have made a decision to take on some challenges that have been sitting on my mind for a while, so after accomplishing the Mens Health "Survival of the Fittest" I decided to apply for the London Marathon 2012. I'm running for Charity with the St Johns Ambulance Team. Please check out my Just Giving Page, any donations would be truly appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/Luke-Marshall2012Run

Survival of the Fittest was an amazing event which challenges every aspect of ones fitness. The obstacles range from climbing over hay bails, over walls, crawling through tunnels, mud, water, sandbags not to mention a 10km run! 

This is great fitness event for my type of body- I'm a rugby players build, I've been playing rugby from aged 5yrs to 31years and just recently decided to hang up my boots. I spend my life in gyms pumping weights and I do fitness, speed, stability and power regimes specific to my other passions i.e Tennis, snowboarding, rock-climbing, hiking etc

The real question is can this body of mine handle a marathon?

I love running, I have been told all the pro's and cons to running- some industry experts don't believe in running because it raises cortisol levels (which can cause fat levels to increase), it also causes muscle atrophy(losing metabolically active tissue can cause fat levels to rise), not to mention injuries that can develop through extensive running....

I believe on the other hand that if you still do your strength work, core work, flexibility, stability, look after your diet and develop the milage over time that your body can handle you wreak all the benefits running has to offer. One thing is the endorphins (its like a drug-I think I'm addicted)!

Over the next few weeks/months I'm going to be blogging my day to day progress in the lead up to the London Marathon, this will include topics such as diet, tips, training, gadgets, phone apps, gear, injury prevention basically leaving no stone unturned!

Here is a brief overview so far!

I am running in Nike Lunar glides which have Nike Plus features, on the Nike Plus website I typed in my goal of running the marathon and it gave me an ideal 24 week program for my level. After researching other programs this seemed to be on par with the experts so went with it! The Nike Plus chip and sports band gives details of your splits, duration, and pace and the Nike Plus application has GPS if you fancy mapping out your runs. I also use a basic Polar heart rate monitor. Obviously some watches these days can do everything in the one unit but I decided to roll with what I had on hand!

So the training,

WEEK 1

Started lightly with a 6km run and a build up to a 12km by the end of the week. I squeezed 3 runs and 2 strength sessions in.

One of my commitments is a Spartan Training Circuit in which I do at Move Three Sixty (www.movethreesixty.com) in which I work as a Personal Trainer. This is an intense progressive workout involving a combination of power, strength and core (a specific blog will follow)... I also did a TRX circuit which is great for runners as it builds functional strength, stability and core...

WEEK 2

This was 2x7km and a 16km run on the Sunday. 16km is actually the furtherest I've ever ran, I've never been involved with a sport that requires long distance running. Actually it felt really great to chew up the kms and I felt amazing afterwards! Did the Spartan and TRX workout during the week also.

WEEK 3

2x8km fast and a slow 16km. Spartan and TRX circuits.

WEEK 4

1x8km, Intervals on Track; 5km of easy running- 4 x 1mins pick ups/3mins recovery (8km), 1x 16km.

Strength and core circuit, Spartan workout.

WEEK 5

1x10km, Intervals on track; 5x2mins pick ups 2-3mins recovery, 16.5km; warm up 5km, 10km race pace for 10km- 1.5km cool down.

Strength and core circuit and Spartan workout.

That brings the program to WEEK 6, the current week.

Monday I completed a 4km warm up jog to Primrose Hill, 5xHill sprints and ran home at speedy pace equalling 12km all up.

Here is my view from the top!

One way to stay motivated is to follow a program and mix things up, the program didn't include the hill sprints but it added a great challenge to the runs and gives you great strength for the inclines you may face on race day!