Muscle cramps can be a debilitating ailment for any athlete. For obstacle racing competitors it can be race-ending because around every corner is another obstacle that requires your full muscular strength to complete.
Recovery is a key component of any training program. There are a large variety of recovery techniques that prove to restore the human body both psychologically and physiologically. These techniques are crucial in decreasing tissue trauma and inflammation and correcting the muscular imbalance.
If are you at all interested in nutrition and exercise, you have come across the term "carb cycling". Essentially, carb cycling incorporates low carb days with carb loading days throughout the week. With the popularity of low to no carb diets, carb cycling is a healthy alternative that still supplies your muscles with the glycogen they need to perform and helps you to stay away from the side effects of no or low carb diets.
As a mother of two, a personal trainer and a competitive racer, I am fiercely passionate about encouraging the next generation of obstacle course racers. So when an opportunity came up at Phoenix Evolution (an OCR gym located in Chandler, Arizona) to coach 25 kids, ages 5-13, I could not have been more excited.
75 degrees, rolling, sandy, mountainous, desert terrain and a whole lot of Spartans made for one epic weekend at Fort McDowell. This venue did not disappoint.
Macronutrients consist of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These three nutrients are essential and play vital roles in our body's ability to perform. You may have heard of the "macro diet" or "flexible eating". Both of these plans are based on the foundation of tracking your nutrition and hitting your individualized macronutrient goals each day.
This past weekend, I raced the SoCal Spartan in Chino, California. Prado Regional Park was a beautiful venue, the weather was great, and everyone was so excited to kick off the U.S. 2018 racing season for the Spartan Series.
Core Strength and obstacle course racing go hand in hand. A strong core is necessary to complete many of the obstacles we encounter during a race and it even plays a role in our running form. By improving our core strength we can improve our race day performance and decrease our risk of injury.
Athlete burnout is very common in the world of obstacle course racing. With events taking place year round, there is often not enough time to step away from the sport to decompress and refocus. As we begin the new year and a new race season, let's take a moment to look at the risk factors for burnout and develop a plan of action in the event you experience any of these symptoms.
Hill training is one of the most important components of a solid OCR routine. Learn the basics of hill training in this OCR 101 article.
