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By admin January 30, 2023 1 Comments Exercises, Gym, Physio, Sporting, Therapy , , , , , , , , , ,

New Year, New You

The 5 most common Gym mistakes in January

It’s January and the new year brings about the reflection of new year’s resolutions.
This will no doubt involve some sort of new fitness regime
We all know the benefits of regular exercise, but what are the 5 most common mistakes that new comers and those returning to the gym make?

  1. The correct dose of exercise – The Goldilocks principle
  2. Consistency is key – You can’t get fit in one workout
  3. Dynamic Warm up – Save static stretching until the end
  4. Train Movements NOT Muscles – Train the brain
  5. Having a plan to your training – Let your plan be your guide

The correct dose of exercise – The Goldilocks principle

Exercise Prescribers here at Marylebone Physiotherapy, we are experts at getting the dosage of exercise correct for each client. Not too easy as to be ineffective and not too hard as to not be able to walk the next day. Not too cold, not too hot, but just right, is also known as the Goldilocks principle. Exercise can be defined as physical movement that is:

Repeated,

Planned,

Purposeful and

Structured.

We can use the acronym RePPS to help us remember this

Repeating a movement is the very definition of exercise. You learn to master a particular movement, then you load it up with heavier weights or speed up the movement. You can also perform the movement under fatigue.

Planning your exercise is covered later on in this Blog.

Purposeful relates to your specific fitness goals. Remember that weight loss is a side effect of fitness training and not the desired goal.

Structured refers to the way your training session is broken down into its component parts

Below is an example of a typical gym session:

Dynamic Warm up
Strength
Metabolic conditioning
Cool Down
Stretch
Use the RePPS principle for your next session.

Consistency is key – You can’t get fit in one workout

“You can’t drink the Ocean in one gulp!”

It is the same with exercise, you can’t get fit in one workout, just like you can’t live your life in one day.

The first six weeks of training you are unlikely to see any results. However, you are likely to feel better and have more energy. The best things come to those who wait, but in a society that wants instant gratification the wait can be frustrating.

Around 8 weeks the physical transformation becomes visible. We tend to lose body fat and gain lean muscle. Look forward to 12 weeks and things are looking even better

However, you will eventually plateau with your fitness gains and this is where you need to maintain it. Make time for exercise and be consistent.

Dynamic Warm up – save static stretching to the end

If you have not trained since your School, College or University days then things have changed. Wear warm layers and slowly strip them off as your body warms naturally with the heat generated from the movement.

We tend to favour a dynamic warm up in preference to static stretching. We can save that until the end of the workout. Because performing static stretches slows down your heart rate, lowers injury risk and helps reduce DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) we tend to leave it for after the workout. The other reason for this relates to studies where over stretching muscles in the warm up loses the protective effect of the tendon reflex that is designed to stop over stretching.

Dynamic as the name suggests means we are moving through a movement rather than holding a static posture. This could look like Squats and lunges or Press ups and toe touches. Starting with partial movements and building into full range, listening to the body and not pushing into pain or restriction.

Movement sequences that open the hips and rotate the body and examples of dynamic stretching.

Train Movements NOT Muscles – Train the Brain

Unless you are body building or focusing on particular muscles, then we at Marylebone Physiotherapy would encourage you to train movements not muscles. That’s why we have our own Movement Specialist, Katia.

Movement is a skill, and as such it needs to be practiced and challenged in order to not just make it better, but optimise the movement. The brain knows nothing of individual muscles, it knows only movement.

There are seven level 1 functional movements that you should be familiar with, these are:
Push
Pull
Twist
Hinge or bend
Squat
Lunge
Walking (Gait)

These seven movements form the basis of all functional movements the body has to perform.

Examples of Level 2 functional movements are running jumping and throwing.

Level 3 functional movements are the highest level and these require proficiency at levels 1 and 2 before attempting. Level 3 includes multi-directional movements or combinations of movements linked together.

An example of this is a Burpee.
This is a hip hinge into a press up, back into standing and then performing a jump at the top of the movement. The Burpee is normally completed at speed to add to the challenge of the movement.

Having a plan to your training – Let your plan be your guide

How do you get there if you don’t know where you’re going?

The answer is to have a plan. This will be based on your Fitness goals.

Are you doing a Couch to 5 km or Running a Marathon? Are you starting your first Boot-camp or competing at CrossFit?

Most Gym goers start with a “Push, Pull, Legs” Plan of three times a week

You could train one of the functional movements every day of the week. Or you could break the functional movements up into training each once during the week.

An example might be:

Monday – Push, Twist

Tuesday – Walk

Wednesday – Pull, Lunge

Thursday – Walk

Friday – Hinge, Squat

So, there you have it. The five most common Gym mistakes and how to avoid them happening to you.

Now it’s your turn to implement this new knowledge and have an injury free return to training.

This is your year to get fit, stay injury free and enjoy being healthy.

 

By admin May 22, 2024 0 Comments Uncategorized

Hyrox London 2024

 

The bank holiday weekend of May 4-6 2024 is when Hyrox came to London.

Dale Walker one of our Physiotherapists from Marylebone Physio and Sports Medicine was practicing what he preaches and was competing rather than treating.

HYROX is a global fitness race for Every Body.

Participants from all around the world compete in the exact same format.

The race starts with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional movement, which repeats 8 times, taking place in large indoor venues, creating a unique stadium like atmosphere for all participants.

HYROX bridges the gap between traditional endurance events with functional fitness, to create a race format for Every Body.

Hyrox is truly accessible: with 4 different racing categories to choose from, HYROX is for everyone no matter the fitness level:

Open – take on the standard HYROX for a challenging but achievable race for everyone.

Pro – for the experienced racer, heavier weights make for a more challenging experience.

Doubles – find a partner and take on the challenge as a pair, running together but splitting the workload of the exercises.

Relay – come together with your friends or family and race the relay where each member of the team does 2 times 1 km and 2 workouts.

Well, HYROX is less running, only 8 km to be precise.

However, HYROX throws in events after each 1 km run.

HYROX 2023

This year’s event in 2024 consists of:

1 km Run

The first HYROX workout is 1000 metres on the Ski Erg.

1 km Run

Workout number two is the Sled Push for 50 m

1 km Run

Workout 3 is 50 metres on The Sled Pull.

1 km Run

Workout 4 is 80m of Burpee Broad Jumps

1 km Run

Workout number 5 is the second Ergometer in the competition. 1000 metres on the Concept 2 Row Erg marks the beginning of the second half of the HYROX workouts.

1 km Run

Workout 6 is a 200m Farmer’s Carry

1 km Run

Workout 7 is 100m of Sandbag Lunges

1 km Run

The event finishes with 75 or 100 Wall Balls.

Dale is our Resident HYROX advisor and he competed in the Men’s Open Race.

Here are Dale’s tips for HYROX:

RUNNING

If you view the 1 km run as actually your recovery after each event then this is a great place to start. Rather than pumping your arms as you would normally, let them relax and dangle. This may look a bit strange but your upper body will thank you for this.

SKI ERG

The Ski Erg is a very individual event where your technique determines everything. I like to use a forward arm circling motion rather than the classic pulling down motion that is going to over work your Triceps.

SLED PUSH

The Sled Push requires you to get your whole body behind it. The muscle of the calf working most is the Soleus. This calf muscle works when the knee is bent. Try doing some bent knee calf raises to build endurance in these muscles.

SLED PULL

The Sled Pull is a whole body movement, not just a test for the arms. Lean back into each pull and use your body weight. Try strengthening your grip by simply hanging from a bar for as long as possible.

BURPEE BROAD JUMPS

Burpee Broad Jumps are the first event where I would pull up my knee sleeves. Make sure your technique is exact and you use the plyometric rebound from the Burpee into the jump. This is a complex movement requiring multiple planes of direction. The only way to practice this is to do the movement itself.

ROWER

Rowing for 1,000 m is the next event. Rowing is quite technical and needs to be practiced before hand. This event does benefit the taller athlete and those who are technically better at Rowing. Practice Pulling slower and hard not faster is the first place to start. Remember to use your back, leaning forward to scoop the handles and leaning back to maximise your pull. Once your technique is cleaner, so can add the speed later.

FARMER’S CARRY

The Farmer’s carry is the ultimate in grip strength and endurance. This is easy to train for as 200 m can seem along way. The better athletes will be able to do this in one or two goes because they have specifically trained their grip. It is also worth practicing fast walking with weight as this itself is also a skill to avoid constantly bashing the weights into your thighs. At Marylebone Physio we use grip dynonometry from VALD to precision measure your grip strength and training improvement.

SAND-BAG LUNGES

The Sandbag Lunges are another event where I would pull up my knee pads to avoid unnecessary pain on the knee cap with a thin but very welcome neoprene pad. Try to stay as upright as possible and avoid leaning forward because of tight hip flexors.

WALL BALLS

The Wall Balls are the final event and this is a real test of endurance and co-ordination. Here the rest strategy becomes important as you don’t want to run out of energy so close to the finish.

You are not going to manage 100 Wall Balls in one go right at the end of the race so here is what I advise. 10 x 10 reps is a very simple but effective way to break this event down into manageable chunks.

Making every rep count by hitting the target and being as accurate as possible despite the fatigue. Catching the ball on the way down as you squat will also save time and keep you in a rhythm.

Hyrox is a great race and is gaining popularity among Runners and CrossFitters alike.

The next UK event is Birmingham in October.

If you are training for Hyrox then come and see us at Marylebone Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine for injury management or Race day preparation.

By admin January 30, 2024 0 Comments Uncategorized

New Year’s Resolutions 2024

It’s January and the new year brings about the reflection of new year’s resolutions.
This will no doubt involve some sort of new fitness regime
We all know the benefits of regular exercise, but what are the 5 most common mistakes that new comers and those returning to the gym make?

The correct dose of exercise – The Goldilocks principle
Consistency is key – You can’t get fit in one workout
Dynamic Warm up – Save static stretching until the end
Train Movements NOT Muscles – Train the brain
Having a plan to your training – Let your plan be your guide

The correct dose of exercise – The Goldilocks principle

Exercise Prescribers here at Marylebone Physiotherapy, we are experts at getting the dosage of exercise correct for each client. Not too easy as to be ineffective and not too hard as to not be able to walk the next day. Not too cold, not too hot, but just right, is also known as the Goldilocks principle. Exercise can be defined as physical movement that is:

Repeated,

Planned,

Purposeful and

Structured.

We can use the acronym RePPS to help us remember this

Repeating a movement is the very definition of exercise. You learn to master a particular movement, then you load it up with heavier weights or speed up the movement. You can also perform the movement under fatigue.

Planning your exercise is covered later on in this Blog.

Purposeful relates to your specific fitness goals. Remember that weight loss is a side effect of fitness training and not the desired goal.

Structured refers to the way your training session is broken down into its component parts

Below is an example of a typical gym session:

Dynamic Warm up
Strength
Metabolic conditioning
Cool Down
Stretch
Use the RePPS principle for your next session.

Consistency is key – You can’t get fit in one workout

“You can’t drink the Ocean in one gulp!”

It is the same with exercise, you can’t get fit in one workout, just like you can’t live your life in one day.

The first six weeks of training you are unlikely to see any results. However, you are likely to feel better and have more energy. The best things come to those who wait, but in a society that wants instant gratification the wait can be frustrating.

Around 8 weeks the physical transformation becomes visible. We tend to lose body fat and gain lean muscle. Look forward to 12 weeks and things are looking even better

However, you will eventually plateau with your fitness gains and this is where you need to maintain it. Make time for exercise and be consistent.

Dynamic Warm up – save static stretching to the end

If you have not trained since your School, College or University days then things have changed. Wear warm layers and slowly strip them off as your body warms naturally with the heat generated from the movement.

We tend to favour a dynamic warm up in preference to static stretching. We can save that until the end of the workout. Because performing static stretches slows down your heart rate, lowers injury risk and helps reduce DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) we tend to leave it for after the workout. The other reason for this relates to studies where over stretching muscles in the warm up loses the protective effect of the tendon reflex that is designed to stop over stretching.

Dynamic as the name suggests means we are moving through a movement rather than holding a static posture. This could look like Squats and lunges or Press ups and toe touches. Starting with partial movements and building into full range, listening to the body and not pushing into pain or restriction.

Movement sequences that open the hips and rotate the body and examples of dynamic stretching.

Train Movements NOT Muscles – Train the Brain

Unless you are body building or focusing on particular muscles, then we at Marylebone Physiotherapy would encourage you to train movements not muscles. That’s why we have our own Movement Specialist, Katia.

Movement is a skill, and as such it needs to be practiced and challenged in order to not just make it better, but optimise the movement. The brain knows nothing of individual muscles, it knows only movement.

There are seven level 1 functional movements that you should be familiar with, these are:
Push
Pull
Twist
Hinge or bend
Squat
Lunge
Walking (Gait)

These seven movements form the basis of all functional movements the body has to perform.

Examples of Level 2 functional movements are running jumping and throwing.

Level 3 functional movements are the highest level and these require proficiency at levels 1 and 2 before attempting. Level 3 includes multi-directional movements or combinations of movements linked together.

An example of this is a Burpee.
This is a hip hinge into a press up, back into standing and then performing a jump at the top of the movement. The Burpee is normally completed at speed to add to the challenge of the movement.

Having a plan to your training – Let your plan be your guide

How do you get there if you don’t know where you’re going?

The answer is to have a plan. This will be based on your Fitness goals.

Are you doing a Couch to 5 km or Running a Marathon? Are you starting your first Boot-camp or competing at CrossFit?

Most Gym goers start with a “Push, Pull, Legs” Plan of three times a week

You could train one of the functional movements every day of the week. Or you could break the functional movements up into training each once during the week.

An example might be:

Monday – Push, Twist

Tuesday – Walk

Wednesday – Pull, Lunge

Thursday – Walk

Friday – Hinge, Squat

So, there you have it. The five most common Gym mistakes and how to avoid them happening to you.

Now it’s your turn to implement this new knowledge and have an injury free return to training.

This is your year to get fit, stay injury free and enjoy being healthy.

By admin August 7, 2023 0 Comments Uncategorized

What is Electrical Muscle Stimulation?

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is used at Marylebone Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine and this is a Blog about why and how we use it to help optimise your recovery after an injury.

EMS is a type of Electro-therapy which stimulates a muscle contraction using electrical impulses in order strengthen weak muscles, reduce swelling, relieve pain and help optimise tissue heal wound healing.

The impulses are generated by our COMPEX 8.0 device and are delivered through electrodes (pads that adhere to the skin) over the middle of the muscles that require stimulating.

The impulses from EMS mimic the action potential (stimulus required to make the muscle contract) coming from the central nervous system. This  causes the muscle to contract and bypasses the brain’s conscious control of muscle activation. This can feel a little unnerving the first time you have muscle stimulation.

EMS therapy creates steady electric impulses that stimulate muscle contractions–many of them over a sustained therapy session.

This repetitive contracting and relaxing of the muscle has the beneficial effects of:

  • Increasing circulation (blood flow) to the affected tissue area, which aids in repair.
  • improving strength by flexing and working weakened muscles.
  • slowing the process of muscle atrophy by strengthening weakened or unused muscles.
  • adapting, training and “educating” the mind-muscle connection and muscle fibers to certain patterns of response (e.g., contracts the fibers that are responsible for force, which results in building strength).

There are several uses for EMS which include:

Pain relief.
EMS can be used at low levels to reduce the amount of pain you experience. This can be done by modulating the amount of pain signals to the brain or releasing natural pain-killers called endorphins.

Muscle contraction.
EMS can be used at different intensities to stimulate a muscle or help maintain muscle tone. Examples of this type of therapy include:
Following a stroke, EMS can be used to maintain some muscle tone in the shoulder to improve function and reduce pain.
To treat urinary incontinence, EMS may be used to contract the pelvic floor muscles.


Following surgery

EMS can be used to stimulate the muscles in the thigh to increase strength.

Benefits of EMS include:

  • Decreasing pain
  • Promote tissue healing
  • Increase muscle strength
  • Maintaining and regaining muscle activity – particularly post surgerical or post injury

Here are some examples of this

If you’ve torn an Achilles tendon, the muscles in your calf and foot may become atrophied from wearing a boot to immobilize the ankle, or from changing your gait to favor the injured ankle.

If you have a shoulder injury (e.g., a rotator cuff tear or impingement), resting, immobilizing, or favoring the shoulder may cause the muscles in and around that shoulder to weaken.

If you have neuromuscular dysfunction or a neuromuscular disorder (such as muscular dystrophy), muscles throughout the body may weaken progressively; EMS can help to slow this progression and improve motor control.

 

If you have never had EMS before what can you expect?

The first time you have EMS you will be surprised at how bizarre the experience is, as your muscles will start to tingle, then shake without your conscious control it can be a little bit daunting.

The first time EMS contracts your muscles using the Resistance or Strength Protocol this is even stranger as the Physio in charge of your care slowly gets you used to having your muscles contracted externally. It begins with a low buzzing sensation followed by the muscle actually contracting, then cycling with a tapping sensation. As you get more used to the experience, the muscle activation can be slowly increased and the cramping sensation is avoided 

The next phase is to perform movement with the Muscle Contraction. This could be a knee extension in sitting to stimulate the Quadriceps. Or, this might be a Squat where you have to overcome the resistance of the muscle contraction.

Your Physio can use the EMS in any number of ways depending on your unique treatment goals.

So, there you have it. Marylebone Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine remains up to date with the latest technology and cutting edge devices to take you from pain to performance.

Book YOUR appointment today.

By admin July 3, 2023 0 Comments Uncategorized

How to survive a festival

The Festival season is upon us and the team have just got back from a few Festivals already!

It got us thinking that Festivals can by dangerous places, particularly if you are going in the mosh pit!

But just standing around and watching bands can give you back pain, leg pain, calf problems, knee pain and neck pain, all these can be due to a number of different factors, from sleeping positions to lifting heavy people who want to crowd surf.

The good news is that there are ways you can improve your chances of having an injury and pain free Festival.

1. Prepare to move or Mosh!

If you have a desk based job or live a sedentary lifestyle, being at a festival for four days can be a sudden, huge increase in activity and shock for your body. Out of interest I checked the health app on my phone after Download this year and I totalled around 90k or 56 miles by the end of the weekend. You wouldn’t go on a three day 56 mile hike without any training, preparation or proper footwear, so it’s crazy when you think that we just turn up in wellies and shorts and do that for a full weekend. I’m not suggesting that you start training for a festival, but obviously being as active, strong and healthy as you can beforehand is going to work in your favour.You also need to be realistic and prepare if you have an injury or pre-existing condition.

2. Wear sensible footwear

Wellies are heavy and clumpy, which can cause you to move around differently and affect the biomechanics of how your body functions as a whole.Hiking boots (if it’s wet) or a good pair of trainers (if it’s sunny) are better options as they’re much more supportive and are going to help to take the impact of all that walking. Obviously, if it’s torrential downpour then you may want to switch between wellies and hiking boots to give them a chance to dry off.

3. Invest in sleeping equipment

It’s not always easy to sleep at festivals, but sleep gives your muscles a much needed chance to relax whilst your body works to repair and heal itself.
If you’re on a really hard surface, you’re going to be waking up throughout the night and moving into uncomfortable positions. Invest in making your sleeping area more comfortable if you can. This could be something like a decent inflatable roll-matt or a more expensive option like an airbed.

4. Stay hydrated

Drink some water with your alcohol!
If you become dehydrated your body’s tissues are more susceptible to injury. Make sure that you drink enough WATER throughout the festival and especially if you are in the sun all day and drinking alcohol.

5. Find the Massage Tent ASAP

Many festivals offer massage. If you can find the time or wake up early enough, then taking part in these can be a great way to rest and recuperate after a night of partying.

6. Lift carefully

Transporting heavy equipment, carrying a rucksack and even lifting others onto your shoulders can easily leave you injured or in discomfort.Be mindful of how you are lifting and carrying things, and don’t overload yourself. Think about how you’re going to shift your equipment to and from your car and campsite. If it feels like too much, then two trips are going to be better than one. Trollies can also be helpful.

7. Prepare if you have an existing issue or injury

If you’re recovering from an old injury or know that you have a pre-existing issue, for example a weakness in your ankle, then think about how you are going to manage this beforehand.If you see a physiotherapist in advance they will be able to offer you advice about building strength in the area where you will need it and how to manage your issue once there.It can also help to plan for a flare-up, for example by packing compression bandages and pain medication with the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.

8. Stretch to relieve tension

These are great stretches that can help to relieve common areas of tension either while you are at the festival or once you get home.

9. Rest after the festival

Once you get home make time to rest and get a good night’s sleep.Putting your feet up can help to relieve tension in your legs and feet.Many people also use ice and heat to relieve aches and pains, for example in the neck and back.

10. Plan for disaster

Drunk people tend to fall over and tents don’t offer a lot of support so when the 2 meet poles tend to get broken so take some Gaffa tape with you to try and patch up any broken poles.

11. Enjoy yourself

Lets remember your there to enjoy yourself so do just that, drink lots, meet new friends and party like a Rock Star!

12. Don’t ignore an injury or pain that doesn’t subside.

All festivals will have paramedics on hand and a medical tent.
If you are concerned that you have sustained an injury or if you are struggling to move, you should rest the area and seek help from them.
The majority of what we call acute soft-tissue injuries, which includes sprains and strains, will feel better within a few days and recover within 4 weeks with the right care and rest.

If it has been more than a week since the festival and you are still experiencing pain or the problem isn’t getting better, then see a Physiotherapist. They will be able to identify the underlying cause, accelerate your recovery and provide you with relief from pain by using manual therapies such as soft-tissue massage.

By admin May 31, 2023 0 Comments Uncategorized

George is Back!

George is back!

George is our clinical specialist here at Marylebone Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine and he has just returned from travelling in Central America.

We often struggle to maintain good health practices when travelling, particularly in planes, trains and automobiles. We might be in hotels or bed & breakfast places that do not have a Gym or an open space in which to exercise.

So how did George maintain his Fitness whilst travelling?

George’s top 5 tips for travelling and staying healthy:

  1. Get up and move! – whether on planes, trains or automobiles the key is movement to avoid becoming chair-shaped
  2. Strength Exercises (when on the go) – Maintain your gains
  3. Movement practice – Think Movement NOT Muscles
  4. Plan & Prepare For Your Activity – From Sedentary to Athletic 
  5. Fitness Testing on the Move – If you’re not assessing you’re guessing

Get up and move!:

The body is not meant to be in static positrons for longer than 30 minutes, so armed with this knowledge, George made sure to get up and move every 30 minutes in order to break the sitting habit and avoid tired, achy muscles.

Strength Exercises (when on the go) – Maintain your gains

In order to maintain his strength whilst travelling George used a series of simple but effective “Muscle Maintainers”

  • Pyramid Press Ups 

George performed this by Doing 1 Press up, then holding at the top of the movement for 1 second, (in order to challenge his stability) and this progressed to 2 press ups with a 2 second hold and so on. George normally gets up to 10 reps before he finds it challenging.

Movement Practice 

When you’re on holiday you can go from lying on the beach to doing athletic activities like Surfing in a short space of time.

If you know you are going to do an activity later in the day then its worth practicing the movement a couple of times so you don’t have to go from zero to hero too quickly.

George would practice, “Popping up” on his Surf board on the beach before going into the water. This can also be performed as an exercise that is suitably named, “Surfers”

To perform a Surfer, you do a burpee, but rather than come up into the Squat position, you jump up as if on a Surfboard at a side angle, make sure to do both left and right sides.

Plan & Prepare For Your Activity 

When George would go Surfing he made sure that he warmed up his body before the event. He analysed the task of Surfing and broke the movements down into their component parts.

The swimming, Popping up on the board and riding the waves.

Swimming requires upper body strength and endurance, especially of the shoulders, so, some simple arm circles and activation of the rotator cuff are a good idea before you hit the water and paddle like mad to catch that wave.

Fitness Testing on the Move

The Static Wall Sit is not only a great way of maintaining Quadriceps Strength/Endurance, but it is also a great physical test.

George would test himself by simply sitting against a wall with his knees at 90 degrees. He always aimed for 2 minutes which is quite the Quads burn!

The Plank is always a favourite for mid-line stabilisation. George would normally hold the Plank for 2 minutes.

How many Press Ups can you do in a minute?

This is a great test of upper body endurance.

About George

George is our resident expert for using objective markers to demonstrate success in his treatments. He is a results-driven Physiotherapist

His three tenants are Communication, Manual Therapy & Exercise.

George’s favourite is the VALD suite of measures. These consist of Force Platforms, Blood-Flow Restriction and Pressure Dyno-monitory.

If you would like to know more about how the VALD Products work book in with George at Marylebone or East London Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine

By admin April 25, 2023 0 Comments Exercises, Gym, Physio, Running, Sporting , , , , , , , ,

HYROX Vs London Marathon – Which is more challenging?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April is about Running – London Marathon and London HYROX.

The month of April sees London host not one but TWO Running events.

Obviously, we have the London Marathon but we also have HYROX London the week after.

London Marathon is Sunday 23rd of April

London HYROX is at Olympia 30th April and 1st of May

At Marylebone Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine we have been treating Athletes doing both of these amazing events.

We also know some amazing people doing BOTH!

 

So, we all have a good grasp of what the Marathon en tales. It’s 26.2 miles and it’s as fast as you can but more to do with a life-time achievement goal for most people and raising money for their favorite charity.

Last Month our resident Marathon Runner Julio gave us his tips on Marathon Running (See March 2023 BLOG).

But what about HYROX?

What even is it?

HYROX is a global fitness race for Every Body.

Participants from all around the world compete in the exact same format.

The race starts with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional movement, which repeats 8 times, taking place in large indoor venues, creating a unique stadium like atmosphere for all participants.

52% of gym members now cite fitness as their primary sport.

Fitness is the largest sport in the world and HYROX is the first mass participation event that gives everyday gym-goers their own race to train for.  

HYROX bridges the gap between traditional endurance events with functional fitness, to create a race format for Every Body.

Hyrox is truly accessible: with 4 different racing categories to choose from, HYROX is for everyone no matter the fitness level:

Open – take on the standard HYROX for a challenging but achievable race for everyone.

Pro – for the experienced racer, heavier weights make for a more challenging experience.

Doubles – find a partner and take on the challenge as a pair, running together but splitting the workload of the exercises.

Relay – come together with your friends or family and race the relay where each member of the team does 2 times 1 km and 2 workouts.

Well, HYROX is less running, only 8 km to be precise.

However, HYROX throws in events after each 1 km run.

HYROX 2023 

This year’s event in 2023 consists of:

1 km Run

The first HYROX workout is 1000 metres on the Ski Erg.

1 km Run

Workout number two is the Sled Push for 50 m

1 km Run

Workout 3 is 50 metres on The Sled Pull.

1 km Run

Workout 4 is 80m of Burpee Broad Jumps

1 km Run

Workout number 5 is the second Ergometer in the competition. 1000 metres on the Concept 2 Row Erg marks the beginning of the second half of the HYROX workouts.

1 km Run

Workout 6 is a 200m Farmer’s Carry

1 km Run

Workout 7 is 100m of Sandbag Lunges

1 km Run

The event finishes with 75 or 100 Wall Balls.

 

Dale is our Resident HYROX advisor and he achieved a GOLD standard at HYROX this year.

Here are Dale’s tips for HYROX:

RUNNING

If you view the 1 km run as actually your recovery after each event then this is a great place to start. Rather than pumping your arms as you would normally, let them relax and dangle. This may look a bit strange but your upper body will thank you for this.

SKI ERG

The Ski Erg is a very individual event where your technique determines everything. I like to use a forward arm circling motion rather than the classic pulling down motion that is going to over work your Triceps.

SLED PUSH

The Sled Push requires you to get your whole body behind it. The muscle of the calf working most is the Soleus. This calf muscle works when the knee is bent. Try doing some bent knee calf raises to build endurance in these muscles.

SLED PULL

The Sled Pull is a whole body movement, not just a test for the arms. Lean back into each pull and use your body weight. Try strengthening your grip by simply hanging from a bar for as long as possible.

BURPEE BROAD JUMPS 

Burpee Broad Jumps are the first event where I would pull up my knee sleeves. Make sure your technique is exact and you use the plyometric rebound from the Burpee into the jump. This is a complex movement requiring multiple planes of direction. The only way to practice this is to do the movement itself.

ROWER

Rowing for 1,000 m is the next event. Rowing is quite technical and needs to be practiced before hand. This event does benefit the taller athlete and those who are technically better at Rowing. Practice Pulling slower and hard not faster is the first place to start. Remember to use your back, leaning forward to scoop the handles and leaning back to maximise your pull. Once your technique is cleaner, so can add the speed later.

FARMER’S CARRY

The Farmer’s carry is the ultimate in grip strength and endurance. This is easy to train for as 200 m can seem along way. The better athletes will be able to do this in one or two goes because they have specifically trained their grip. It is also worth practicing fast walking with weight as this itself is also a skill to avoid constantly bashing the weights into your thighs. At Marylebone Physio we use grip dynonometry from VALD to precision measure your grip strength and training improvement.

SAND-BAG LUNGES 

The Sandbag Lunges are another event where I would pull up my knee pads to avoid unnecessary pain on the knee cap with a thin but very welcome neoprene pad. Try to stay as upright as possible and avoid leaning forward because of tight hip flexors.

WALL BALLS

The Wall Balls are the final event and this is a real test of endurance and co-ordination. Here the rest strategy becomes important as you don’t want to run out of energy so close to the finish.

You are not going to manage 100 Wall Balls in one go right at the end of the race so here is what I advise. 10 x 10 reps is a very simple but effective way to break this event down into manageable chunks. 

Making every rep count by hitting the target and being as accurate as possible despite the fatigue. Catching the ball on the way down as you squat will also save time and keep you in a rhythm. 

 

So, there you have it.

The two events are both equally epic and may require you to get some bodywork done to keep you going and stay injury free.

So whether you are doing the London Marathon or London HYROX, we at MARYLEBONE PHYSIO & SPORTS MEDICINE  have got you covered.

So which one is more challenging? 

It depends on how fast you are going and how much training you have done before hand.

Whatever you are training for, don’t train in pain, see a Physio.

Book your appointment TODAY!

 

By admin March 31, 2023 0 Comments Exercises, Physio, Running, Sporting , , , , ,

Running the London Marathon?

Next Month is the London Marathon and we have been treating lots of clients in their preparation for Race Day.

Julio one of our Physio’s at Marylebone and East London Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine can his first Marathon last month.

In this Month’s Blog Julio shares his experience, how he prepared and what he did in terms of training.

“On the 5th of March I completed my first Marathon ever.

What I would like to share is the journey that lead to be one of the finishers.

The decision to complete a Marathon was double fold:
First to set a personal goal for the winter months in order to keep motivated; long dark winter days can be tough for people who likes outdoors;
Second I wanted to experience first-hand what some of our patients go through in order to be able to give as much as relevant advice as possible.

This is what we like to do at Marylebone Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine, practice what we preach!

PREPARATION
The preparation started in November when I spoke with my running coach and asked if he would guide me through the journey. Even if I could potentially follow a plan or guide myself I felt that having a coach had significantly helped. And here my first advice. No matter who is. Local running club, a more expert friend, professional Coach I would discourage to follow just and solely a written plan that often you receive when signing up for such events. Pro: you interface your difficulties with a human being that can put into context and adapt plans accordingly. Cons: this can involve costs.

TRAINING
After 3 weeks of training (Started with increasing my running load) I started to accuse lateral knee pain. Really common among runners. Frustration and hanger immediately started to be part of my day. I never had an injury before as a gymnast, as a swimmer, runner or triathlon athlete. I felt mental impact of not being able to exercise. I was upset as I always exercise thinking I should not impact badly in any way my body but furthermore enhance by the sport activity. Thanks to my coach and colleagues we focused on the causes that may have contributed to my injury and made the appropriate training changes. Such as resting, cross training, strengthening muscles. I found really helpful cross training such as swimming or cycling to continue to improve my overall fitness. An essential part of my training was Strength and Conditioning. Spending time working on body weights exercises was essential to get confidence towards my body back.

THE MARATHON
The Race Day was really exciting and everything went well.
I knew what to have for breakfast and my gear was ready and all prepared the day before in order to not to have any surprises. This is the most important thing for race day. Planning ahead. So in case things go wrong, you have probably already a plan.

REFLECTION
Running my first Marathon was a success and it could have not been done without the support of friends, family, and colleagues.
Remember you are going to collect so many memories during your training journey that will be vital to get you going on your Race Day.
Running is about feeling your body step after step to reach the destination.
It has been described as ‘type B fun’ which is enjoyable after the event.
I feel a huge sens of achievement and was pleased with my time despite being only minutes away from my goal.
However, there is always next time!”

Marylebone Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine wish all our clients and everyone else a safe and enjoyable London Marathon.

By admin February 28, 2023 0 Comments Exercises, Physio, Studies, Therapy, Work Injury , , , , , ,

Love of Exercise

Love of Exercise?

It is February and this month is dominated by Valentines day and so this is the month of love and we want to share the love of exercise with you.

If you have started a new fitness regime in January, then by February hopefully you have fallen in love with exercise. Meaning that you should now find some sort of joy for performing this type of physical activity. Whether it is the feeling of achievement afterwards or the physical challenge of completion there should be some enjoyment for participation in this type of behaviour.

The love of exercise can be polarising. Say “Exercise” to people and there are two common responses:

Great! I love exercise

Oh NO! I hate exercise

If you remember from out last post, exercise is Physical activity that is repeated, planned, purposeful and structured.

Exercise is a relatively new concept in terms of biology, because we are now performing physical activity for health reasons rather than working the land or hunting.

Love of our physical form comes from understanding our bodies from an evolutionary point of view. Because exercise is actually not a natural phenomena and is relatively new in terms of the human experience on Earth.

So, why do most people hate exercise when it is so good for us?

The key is in our biology and more particular viewed through the lens of evolutionary biology.

Where saving energy when we were hunter gatherers was the name of the game. This is also why we have evolved to be so energy efficient at walking and why you can’t walk your way to weight loss.

Here we would have been active most of the day with physical tasks. This is the same with the agricultural revolution, physical tasks were required for the farming of crops and livestock.

The use of Technology has been a game changer in terms of human physical exertion. We now work by sitting down all day which is a direct paradox to how our physical biology has evolved.

The other concept is the abundance of food, particularly very tasty high calorie food that we don’t have to hunt or forage for.

These days in order to be healthy we have to choose to move. However, this goes directly against your primeval drive to rest, relax and conserve energy. Or indeed take the route of least resistance. Increasing your Physical Activity might look like taking the lift/escalator rather than the stairs in a modern day environment.

To counter our natural instincts to conserve energy, “Smart” new buildings have deliberately changed their layouts so that stairs are at the front of a building and the lifts are at the back. Thus encouraging stair use and physical activity by making our environment more “physically friendly”

Moreover, we need to apply this logic to our entire lives in order to simply get more activity into our lives. Strategies such as active transport, which means walking or cycling to work, or at least getting off one stop earlier on the bus for example.

Most health advisors agree that 150 mins of moderate physical activity per week is the minimum investment of time for health purposes. Despite this recommendation, most adults struggle to achieve this, bearing in mind this is only 22 minutes per day.

Strangely, we have known about this in the UK since the 1950’s. But 80 years later we continue to repeat our learning of the old information.

Physical activity for health benefits is best explained by the London Buses study by Morris et al in the 1950’s. In this revolutionary study comparing the health of Bus Drivers against Bus conductors clear evidence can be seen that walking around the bus and climbing stairs is better for your health than sitting down for the same hours of work (See reference).

Physical activity has multiple benefits to both physical and mental health. It’s so good for you it should be prescribed to everyone. However, the medicine is not necessarily to everyone’ s taste.

So, this concept that we should “love exercise” perhaps needs a rethink.

We should be encouraged to exercise, but ultimately, this should be our decision based on what is good for our health, the health of our families, our nations and our world.

At Marylebone Physio and Sports Medicine we understand the importance of exercise. Whether you love it or not we can prescribe you the right exercise at the right time to get you back to loving whatever exercise is your preference.

Because, the best exercise for you is the one you love doing.

Thanks to Daniel Lieberman and his book “Exercised” as the inspiration behind this post.

Exercised: Why something We never evolved to do is healthy and rewarding By Daniel E. Lieberman, New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2021. ISBN-13: 9781524746995

MORRIS JN, CRAWFORD MD. Coronary heart disease and physical activity of work; evidence of a national necropsy survey. Br Med J. 1958 Dec 20;2(5111):1485-96. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5111.1485. PMID: 13608027; PMCID: PMC2027542.

By Nina Juricova June 27, 2019 3 Comments Exercises, Physio

Pilates, a Lifestyle Change

Pilates is an exercise method that aims to strengthen the body with an emphasis on the core and control.

It is almost unique in its suitability for all ages and abilities and research has demonstrated its positive impact on patients with non specific chronic low back pain, for which numerous treatments have been unsuccessful.

In our clinic at Marylebone we offer Pilates lead by qualified instructors and physiotherapists who are able to tailor an exercise programme to any individual need. For our beginners or those aiming for a more personalised experience we offer one to one sessions, where the therapist is able to listen to any concerns and make sure that every exercise is completed optimally.

Pilates was initially a mat based exercise programme and I spent time teaching this technique in NHS hospitals to those suffering from MSk conditions as well as post surgically and pre/post natal. Here at Marylebone we teach traditional mat based Pilates but also use the more modern reformers. Whilst daunting to look at, the reformers can provide a more challenging workout whilst focusing on those principals of core control central to the Pilates technique.

If you are unsure whether Pilates is right for you, then you can always come along and try one of our free 30 min taster sessions with a qualified therapist. The team and I have worked with a range of conditions and have seen people progress from acute pain to enjoying physical activity again; we would love to hear from you and hope to see you here at Marylebone soon!

by Ashleigh Ellis CSP HSPC

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy