Health and Fitness 101

Although strange in name, Fartlek training is a Swedish term meaning ‘speed play’! Typically integrated into running, Fartlek training consists of fast, medium, and slow running over a variety of distances. More recently, Fartlek training has been integrated into swimming, cycling, and hiking/walking. We also have a few creative twists to the traditional Fartlek workout to make it even more fun!

The basic Fartlek (Speed): After a steady warm-up, simply pick a landmark –for example a tree, lamp-post, or phone box — and run to it hard, then jog/peddle/speed-walk until you’ve recovered. Then pick another landmark, run hard to that, recover and so on.

Fartlek with a twist (Play): Instead of just changing speed, if you are running or hiking, change your footwork. For example, do a karaoke, side step, or run backwards to a landmark. You can try some high knees or some heel kicks, just get creative. If you are cycling, push with just one leg for a short time or hop off your bike and run it uphill for a stretch. Fartlek intervals can be even more fun with a partner as you take turns calling out the next task and endpoint.

By changing your pace, you change your stride and the muscles you use. You are able to get away from the monotony of a workout that can quickly cause overuse injuries. Varying footwork drills in the midst of your workout also helps add extra muscle activation to your workout, thus building more balanced strength which can help minimize injury.

The best part of a Fartlek is that you get to call the shots, and you don’t need any fancy equipment. There doesn’t need to be a set structure to the workout and it is entirely up to you how hard or easy you make the session. Unlike track intervals, Fartlek doesn’t require you to set a distance to run or a time to recover. A watch isn’t necessary. So get out there and have some Fartlek fun!

For more information on Running and other sports tips, visit our sports performance section of our website by clicking here.

At least forty of you have walked a marathon. On Saturday mornings 40-60 full and half marathon walkers in training meet at Community Hospital as part of the training program provided by Run Wild Missoula. On April 27th Alpine Physical Therapist Angela Listug-Vap had the pleasure of meeting with them prior to their long walk to discuss Injury Prevention and Core Stability. Here is a taste of what was discussed.

In order to complete a task like walking our body has to accomplish several things. We can call these biomechanical requirements. If we are lacking some of these requirements, our amazing bodies can still get the job done and complete the task but with compensations. These compensations may lead to pain and injury.

One example of a biomechanical requirement for walking is thoracic rotation.  The body needs to be able to rotate in the middle of the trunk in both directions to help drive the next step and the swing your arms. If you stand or sit and rotate your trunk you can self assess by asking: “Am I tighter in one direction?”. To practice and gain trunk rotation you can do some simple stretches, and you  can play with not allowing trunk rotation while you swing your arms . . . and then allow yourself to rotate all the way and swing the arm all the way across your body slowly alternating directions. You can view more examples of what we discussed by clicking here to access the handout.

Alpine Physical Therapy offers free 10-minute injury consults to all RWM members and Marathon participants. So give us a call at 541-2606 if you have a question and would like a chance to bounce it off one of our knowledgable physical therapists.

Happy Walking!

Thanks to Alpine’s running specialist, Kristi Moore, MSPT, for this informative article. Runner’s take note! Drills can take your running to new levels.

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If you want to improve as a runner and prevent injury, you need to do more than just run.  Running drills can be a great way to help you do both.  Running drills provide dynamic flexibility, strength training specific to running, and will help to improve your running form.  What does this mean?  You become a more efficient runner with less risk of injury.  As a Physical Therapist I use drills as a way to assess how a runner moves, to see imbalances within movement, and as a way to rehabilitate runners from injury.

Dynamic flexibility is moving joints and muscles to gain active mobility, which helps you to loosen up effectively before running.  Drills often take you through a larger range of the motions you would normally do in running.  Using bigger range of motion for repetitions warms up your muscles to get ready for running.

Drills work specific muscle groups utilized in running by exaggerating motions used in running.  This leads to improved recruitment of these muscles when we need them during running.  Drills are often quick and/or powerful movements, which will train muscles to respond quickly when running and may even help to push you quicker to a finish line.

Many of the drills highlight one or more aspect of proper running form and are accentuated  through repetitive motions, thus helping you to insert it into your typical running mechanics.  A runner needs to have proper form as well as the appropriate strength and flexibility to allow their body to run without risking injury. Each individual has specific areas to work on with strengthening  and stretching exercises, but drills take it to the next level.

One example of how a drill can address these three areas is high knee skipping.  This drill is a dynamic stretch for hip extensors, a strengthening exercise for calf muscles and quadriceps, and it improves your form by having you push off your foot closer to the mid/fore foot instead of striking with your heel.  There are similar benefits to the majority of running drills.

To learn more about drills come to Alpine Physical Therapy’s Free Drills session on Saturday May 18^th at 8:30 am at the dirt track off the Kim Williams trail.  We will demonstrate correct form with drills, explain their purpose and have you go through some beneficial drills that will improve your running.   The first 25 people to arrive will also get a free stainless steel water bottle.  If you have any questions please call our north clinic at (406) 541-2606.

What is Pilates Day?

Pilates Day is an annual, international, community event celebrated on the first Saturday of May every year. The Pilates Day mission is to foster the public’s appreciation and awareness of the Pilates Method through a network of varied, innovative, and high quality grassroots Pilates events accessible and affordable for all. Pilates Day is a program of the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), and Pilates Day events are produced and hosted by PMA members.

Why Does Alpine Physical Therapy Participate?

Alpine Physical Therapy is sought after for its leadership in Pilates-based rehabilitation. Our treatment philosophy is reflected in our extensive certification and use of the Pilates Method. Both of our clinics are fully equipped with Balance Body reformers and accessories.

We work with area doctors and other referral sources in designing rehabilitation programs that successfully incorporate Pilates-based approaches. Our clients comment on how much they enjoy this form of care, particularly because they often find that they can get a good workout without flaring their symptoms.

Many of our patients have responded favorably to our interventions that include the use of clinical Pilates. It’s common for many patients who are completing their rehab with Pilates to go on to do this form of exercise on an ongoing basis. Learn more about Pilates-based exercise by visiting the website of our sister company, The Core Studio at Alpine, by clicking here.

CrossFit Emergence and Tamarack Brewing Company have teamed together to host a CrossFit competition called the “Downtown Throwdown” to be held in downtown Missoula, under the Pavilion at Caras Park on April 27, 2013. All proceeds from the athlete entry-fee’s will be donated to X-Sports For Vets, a local non-profit in Missoula that uses extreme sports to help recent conflict veterans make a successful transition back to civilian life. Entry into the competition is $50.

There are three divisions: Experienced, Scaled, and Beginner, so that all levels can compete. Additionally, there will be three heats, all of which will tax our athletes to the hilt.  Alpine will be onsite offering free pain and injury consultations to all CrossFit athletes. Over 100 athletes are slated to compete.

Alpine’s owner, Brent Dodge, will represent Alpine in the advanced division. Brutal is an understatement. Come and check out the “fun.” Did I say fun? Okay, maybe it won’t be fun, but what a fantastic opportunity to be a part of this meaningful event on behalf of our Vets. We proudly salute all of our Vets for all they’ve done on our behalf!