Episode 69: Season Prep with Neil MacKenzie, DPT

In this week’s episode, we’re bringing back a fan-favorite repeat guest: physical therapist and athlete extraordinaire, Neil MacKenzie! Neil talks us through common training and recovery mistakes athletes make in the late winter and early spring, how to tell if a rehab plan is working, how to use pain as a useful indicator, how to support injured athletes from a psychological and emotional perspective, best practices for bone stress injuries and REDs treatment, run warmups, strength training, mobility, home assessments for imbalances and other issues, PT goodness of fit, and a lot more. This episode is jam-packed full of actionable advice for all athletes! 

Coaching and Training Insights:

Katie: 

  • Love seeing athletes taking initiative and listening to their bodies! A learnable skill that will serve you well in the long run 

  • Broader discussion of when to push through, when to back off  

    • Avoid all or nothing thinking – if you don’t want to do your speed workout, you could do a short easy run (exercise snack); if you don’t want to do your Z2 run, consider a walk or consider if you might prefer to run or bike instead; if you don’t want to go to the gym, consider 20-30 min body weight at home

    • When should you say absolutely not and lean into taking the red box? 

      • Baseline LSS or LSS event of 9+ out of 10

      • If getting the workout done means getting < 6.5 hours of sleep 

      • If you are injured or sick 

      • If it will cause a major disturbance in your family life

  • Altitude is hard 

    • Awareness of effects on appetite and risk of dehydration – need to be so much more intentional about fueling/hydration. This goes for all you skiers!

    • Also hard – honoring the intention of the workout even when it’s your catchphrase! Anecdote about my run at altitude 

Jim:

  • Start working on OWS sighting in pool

    • Choose at least one set where you practice sighting every 7 - 9 strokes, or 2X per length. 

    • A good video:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6r3M4GGgIY

    • Key points:

      • It should feel very natural. If it feels strained you are probably not leaving your lead arm out long enough and/or you are lifting your head up too late. Start to lift your head at the beginning of your pull. In other words, as soon as your fingertips are pointed to the bottom of the pool and you start to pull (slow to fast) , initiate lifting your head.

      • Pro tip: try to sight two times in a row. This can imprint the flow of the movement and provide some self correction. Also, it is very realistic as you often don’t see what you are looking for on the first sighting and you don’t want to wait another 7 - 9 strokes before you look again.

  • Consider doing some Strava or TrainingPeaks Virtual racing

    • Virtual racing is a great way to get a big stimulus while learning and/or refreshing your racing skills.

    • I already feel a huge difference in HR and watts output. 2nd race way easier than first. And 3rd was easier than the 2nd. I’m getting re-acquanted with racing.

    • Considerations: 25-50% field has mis calibrated equipment so don’t worry about your placing

    • You can 2-3X your normal TSS / workout and time goes by way faster. 

    • When you want to quit, everyone else probably does too. 

    • Stick with it. The pace will slow. 

    • Be prepared to go out HOT ie VO2 max efforts for 3’-5’. Do it so you get a strong and appropriate group. 

    • It feels like racing. Racing is a skill. 

    • There is camaraderie even though it’s virtual. 

  • Consider following up your virtual racing with an EASY spin the next day.

    • Use 2X resting HR

    • As HR cap for active recovery on bike

    • For example, if your rest HR is around 60, cap your Easy sessions at 120, or plus or minus 5 beats but try to default to the lower reading.  This is a simple way to keep your easy sessions, easy.

    • Easy - you are recovering from your endurance / interval work, not trying to gain fitness. 

    • Endurance - you are working on gaining fitness.

Interview with Neil MacKenzie:

For background on Neil, see Episode 12: A PT’s perspective on Endurance Athletes.

To reach Neil, see Cioffredi & Associates website

Challenge of the Week

  • Katie: Improve your bedtime/ wind down routine. (For me: screens off, reading, breath work)

  • Jim: Improve your run warmup routine.

  • Neil:  Define your active recovery routine - walk, swim, spin, yoga, foam rolling.

Gear Pick of the Week