CategoriesMotivational psychology

Ready. Mindset. Lift: Mindfulness For Optimal Workouts

Today’s post comes courtesy of reader’s favorite, and my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis. Both Lisa and Artemis Scantalides will be presenting their I Am Not Afraid To Lift (the Power of Mindset Edition) at Dauntless Fitness & Health in Severna Park, Maryland on April 2, 2016.

For more information and to register go HERE.

Ready. Mindset. Lift

Your day is chock full of tasks, distractions, and to-do’s. Between family and friends, your work, and your workouts, all those texts, emails, television, and other technology-based diversions force you to focus on one thing while doing another.

Multi-tasking is currently the norm in our busy western lifestyles, and although many of us feel that we’re highly skilled at attending to multiple chores and responsibilities at one time, research has demonstrated were actually not very good at it (Medina, 2014).

While attention deficits are higher and multi-talking is standard, the most popular intervention in psychology today is mindfulness.

Applied to many medical and mental health concerns, Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI’s) have been used to treat anxiety, depression, insomnia, disordered eating, stress management, (Dimidjian & Segal, 2015) and problems with attention (Zylowska, 2012).

Universally, it seems that regardless of how we struggle, one of the current ways to help ourselves is to get mindful.

But what does being mindful even mean? Good question:

“Mindfulness is about being fully aware of whatever is happening in the present moment… mindfulness consists of cultivating awareness of the mind and body and living in the here and now… while mindfulness as a practice is historically rooted in ancient Buddhist meditative disciplines, it’s also a universal practice that anyone can benefit from… some of the greatest benefits of mindfulness come from examining your mental processes in this way, observing them dispassionately, as a scientist would (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).”

Now, keeping the idea of mindfulness in mind, let’s take a look at your workouts.

Consider the time just before, during, and immediately after your training sessions.

1) What are you doing on the way to your workout? Singing in the car to the 90’s on 9 XM radio (my personal favorite)? Making a to-do list of things to handle tomorrow at work that you forgot about today? Listening to voicemails or catching up on texts? Worrying? Resenting? Inhaling your lunch?

2) When you arrive at the gym, what your the pre-workout routine? Makeup off, hair up, workout clothes on? Is there a special playlist? Magic lifting shoes? A sexy Zoolander look and pec flex all by yourself in the locker room mirrors?

3) And how about during your warm up? Are you focused on the present, noticing how your body responds to stretches, mobility drills, and foam rolling? Are you using positive self-talk to get excited about your deadlifts, or are you still in your inbox, mentally reviewing tasks and to-do’s?

Are you visualizing a perfect RDL, or the content of your refrigerator back at home?

4) Most importantly, how do you feel while all this is going on?

If you are half-awake, hungry, frustrated, or just downright not-feelin’-it, the quality of your workout suffers. More importantly, you miss the opportunity to be ready and present for a highly valued part of your life!

If you’re reading this article and making it to the gym to train regularly, you care. You’re into it. The point is, your values and goals should be on your mind and WITH YOU before, during, and just after your training sessions.

Mentally prepare yourself for your workouts by getting mindful, and practice staying that way before, during, and after your time at the gym.

Let’s review these four phases of your training, and how mindfulness can apply:

Mental Preparation

On your drive, walk, or subway ride to wherever you workout, begin to think about what you’ll be doing, and what you want out of that time and effort. As one of my private clients once taught me, create a space for the workout, with your thoughts.

If you love music, select a song or playlist that will boost your motivation and energy level. Tailor your playlist to your preferred energy level or “vibe” for the best workout for you (this may include Rage against the Machine or Nora Jones).

Remember your fitness or training goals, and connect with whatever affect you have about that (pumped, fired-up, ambitious, and so on). While you drive, change clothes, and otherwise get ready to being training, tune in to the content of your thoughts and feelings. “Weed out” anything unrelated to training, if you can. Make a conscious decision to be present during your workout, and focused on the processes and sensations of your time in the gym, as opposed to people, places, and things outside of the present moment.

Mental Rehearsal During Your Warm-up

Whatever your warm-up routine includes, consider adding a warm-up for your mind. Mental rehearsal, or visualization, enhances performance (Wilson, Peper & Schmid, 2006).

Used by professional athletes and Zen masters alike, rehearsing in your mind can be just as useful as in-the-flesh deliberate practice.

While your mobilizing and foam rolling, create an image in your mind of your “big movement” for the day. Recall an optimal experience you’ve had with this lift, or mentally rehearse all of the technical components of that lift. In my private practice, I routinely create a “script” with my clients so that they have a written narrative for these rehearsals.

Maintain Mindfulness – Be Ready and Present During Your Workout

As you move through your reps and sets, what’s going on up in that noodle of yours?

If you drift away from your pull-ups and into your upcoming work presentation for the finance team, just notice it, recognize that your PowerPoint slides about the TPS report have nothing to contribute to your goal, and return to the present moment.

If this feels difficult, mentally rehearse the exercise, and use self-talk to consciously think your way through the movement.

For example, you could use one of my favorite coaching cues from Arteims, “Get tight to Get light!, and focus on those words during the execution of your pull up. Remember that mindfulness is a practice – not a perfect state at which to arrive and never leave.

Review the Data

Upon finishing your workout, you may quickly move on to the next task, begin to think about a pressing errand, or free fall into worries and stressors outside of the gym.

As you grab your bag, jump in your car or on the train, and move on with your day, try to take at least 60 seconds to evaluate what just happened.

How did it go? Just like a scientist reviewing the data, you have a fresh set of experiences to observe.

Anything ouchie or awesome today?

Did you increase your weight or reps on an exercise?

If it was a tougher workout than usual, or just no fun, what could have been contributing factors?

These observations can help to acknowledge elements that help and harm your workout quality, and to identify new goals for future performances.

Many of us go elsewhere during our day.

Focusing on the future and worrying about what may happen brings anxiety; reciprocally, thoughts stuck in the past bring us regret, disappointment, and feelings of depression. The present moment is where it’s at!

When you are at work – be at work. When you are with your loved ones – be in the room and tuned into the conversation. When you are at the gym, keep your mind in your body, on your weights, and aligned with your goals and the process of achieving them.

You may be reading this and thinking, “easier said than done!!”

Remember that we are what we practice doing, and so your mind is currently automated to go and do wherever it is going, and whatever it is doing; to change that pattern requires deliberate practice and conscious effort on your part – just like changing a hip hinge pattern.

If you decide to practice mindfulness before, during and/or after your workouts, remember that you are developing your mental muscles. It will take time.

On stressful days, or days when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT), you may return to your automated thoughts and foci. Try not to judge that. It’s just data. You can notice it, let it go, and come back to your present moment and the task-at-hand.

Remember that your workout belongs to you – not your boss, your significant other, your kids, or the other important relationships that often hijack our thoughts. Compartmentalize your thoughts so that you can think about your body, your health, and your fitness while you are actively working on that part of your life. And always, always, remember to enjoy!

Dimidjian, S. & Segal, Z (2015). Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist, 70, 7, 593-620.

Medina, J. (2014). Brain Rules. Pear Press, Seattle.

Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction workbook. New Harbinger Publications, Inc. Oakland, CA.

Wilson, V., Peper, E., & Schmid, A. (2006). Strategies for training concentration. Book Chapter from Applied Sport Psychology, Williams, J. ED. McGraw-Hill, NY.

Zylowska, L. (2012). The mindfulness prescription for adult ADHD: an 8-step program for strengthening attention, managing emotions, and achieving your goals. Trumpeter Books, Boston.

CategoriesExercise Technique Exercises You Should Be Doing Rehab/Prehab

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Stationary Bear Crawl

Hope everyone enjoyed the game last night.

Congrats to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos on the win.

But screw the game. Did everyone see that new Jason Bourne teaser trailer?????

 

It took all the will power I could muster not to start dry humping the television screen. I knew a Bourne movie has been in the works for a while now – because I’m a nerd and read Entertainment Weekly and hang out on IMDB – and had been anticipating something epic in the coming months now that both (Matt) Damon and (Paul) Greengrass are back on board with the franchise.

But I was NOT expecting to see a sneak peak teaser last night. I caught me completely off-guard.

The only thing more manly would have been if it showed Bourne bare knuckle fighting a grizzly bear.

On an aside – and serving as the worst segue in history – I recently recorded a video “chat” with Ryan Ketchum for the Elite Training Mentorship titled Behind the Scenes: Tony Gentilcore on Program Design Made Simple.

As a whole, the Elite Training Mentorship gives you access to monthly “inner circle” content from the likes of Eric Cressey (and the entire coaching staff of Cressey Sports Performance), Mike Robertson (and the entire coaching staff of IFAST), in addition to Tyler English, Dave “the Band Man” Schmitz, and Steve Long and Jared Woolever of Smart Group Training.

For a very fair price ($29.95/month, $299.95/year) you gain access – past and current content – to the entire library.

HOWEVER, because this is my first solo addition to the service, you go HERE you can take advantage of a special trail rate of $4.95 for the first 30 days.

That’s pretty sick if you ask me.

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Stationary Bear Crawl

 

Who Did I Steal It From: I got this bad boy from Dr. Mark Cheng when I watched his excellent DVD, Prehab=Rehab 101. In particular the exercise stems from when he covered the topic of ground based training, transitioning from primitive patterns – rolling, sphinx pose, etc – to crawling patterns.

What Does It Do: crawling (and bear crawls especially) have grown in popularity in recent years…mostly in group training environments such as boot camps and/or CrossFit classes.

However I don’t think most people understand what advantages or uses the exercise provides other than “making people tired” and provoking a cacophony of groans whenever they’re placed into a WOD.

The “making people tired” approach makes me cringe because, well, that’s when bad shit starts to happen.

The real reason(s) bear crawls carry weight in a program are as follows:

1) When performed correctly – hips level with shoulders (no excessive arching or rounding of the spine) – they’re an excellent way to train lumbo-pelvic stability/control. More importantly, they help the trainee dissociate hip movement from lumbar movement.

I like to tell people to pretend as if a glass of water or wine is lying their back upright and the objective is to not allow one drop to spill.

2) There’s extensive motor learning (or motor remembering) involved here. I’ll purposely go out of my way to not coach someone on these at the start.

I’ll demonstrate and then point to the floor and say, “your turn.” I feel like a big a-hole in saying it, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a smidgeon of entertainment and comedic relief when watching some people try to perform a bear crawl.

It’s as if some are cemented to the floor. They don’t move.

But after awhile it’s just a matter of them figuring things out and reacquainting themselves with some simple motor patterning.

If you really want to be mean have people reverse the action, or go sideways.

2) Bear crawls are also an excellent anterior core exercise (due to the aforementioned focus on lumbo-pelvic control). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a client contact me the day after saying something to the effect of “WTF, Tony, my abs are on fire today.”

Weird how when you perform something right it becomes more challenging and “stuff” is engaged to a higher degree or turned on.

3) There’s also a fair amount of serratus activity involved, which is a great fit for those with excessively adducted and/or downwardly rotated scapulae. Another BIG mistake many people make with their bear crawls is “hanging” on their shoulder blades and allowing them to touch the entire time. This causes a lot of ramifications with glenohumeral issues. The scaps should more or less move around the rib cage.

4) And, too, I can’t deny the conditioning component to the exercise. There are innumerable ways to make people hate life here. Performing them for time, for distance, dragging a bulldozer behind, it’s endless.

All that being said, oftentimes people don’t have the luxury of having turf or open space to perform traditional bear crawls.

So why not do them in place?

Key Coaching Cues: Hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Depending on one’s ability and comfort level, how wide someone has to go – base of support – will vary.

Brace abs, chin tucked. From there I’ll say “lift opposite limbs a few inches off the ground, but prevent any teeter-tottering of the torso/hips.”

Of Note: the water/wine analogy from above works well here.

Another crucial cue is to make sure the trainee pushes him or herself AWAY from the floor. Basically, make sure those bad boys are moving AROUND the rib cage.

I’ll have someone perform these for “x” number of repetitions (usually 5-8/side) or for time (15-30s).

This is a great exercise for many populations. I’ve used it with clients/athletes with chronic low back issues, as well as with clients/athletes who need to be humbled….;O)

You can always regress the exercise and have someone focus on ONE limb at a time too. Also, I’ve had people perform this in clockwise/counter-clockwise fashion, lifting/lowering each limb in both directions.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 2/5/16

Going to keep this quick today because I am the master of procrastination and have a boatload1 of catching up to do on programs, writing, probably watching Netflix (who am I kidding?).

But as my good friend, Ben Bruno, always states:

“If you wait till the last minute, it only takes a minute.”

I swear, I should just write programs that go like this:

A1. Squat.
A2. For an hour.
A3. You’re welcome.

That’ll save me so much time.

Oh, before I get into this week’s list, two things:

1) Be sure to check my upcoming speaking/workshop schedule HERE. Things start to ramp up in a few weeks highlighted by the Mark Fisher Fitness Motivation & Movement Lab in NYC at the end of the month and then Dean Somerset and I begin the 2016 tour of our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop in Toronto in March, Seattle in April, and two stops in Europe in May.

2) I’m excited to announce I’ve partnered with the company that makes my favorite supplement in the whole wide world (seriously, I can’t live without it), Athletic Greens. Click on THIS link to receive 50% off and an all-expenses paid trip to a hug, from me

You’re Not a “Hardgainer.” You Just Don’t Like To Listen – Lee Boyce

Lee hits the nail on the head with this one.

Listen, “hardgainers” do exist. Like unicorns. But more often than not it comes down to taking a little bit of accountability and admitting 1) you’re (probably) not training/eating enough and/or 2) no, really, you’re (probably) not training/eating enough.

NOTE: the hardgainer-unicorn comment was a joke, Relax.

Exercise Spotlight: Kettlebell Windmill – Karen Smith

I see this exercise being butchered ALL. THE. TIME….interpreted – falsely – as something where you just “bend over and reach towards the floor. Weeeeeeeeeeeee.”

When I see the kettlebell windmill performed in this manner – especially by personal trainers or coaches –  it makes me want to take the kettlebell they’re holding in their hand and punch them in the face with it.

Excellent, excellent article from Karen Smith on the topic.

3 Ways to Get Out of Shoulder Pain – Andrew Millett

Andrew has been a long-time client at Cressey Sports Performance, and he’s also a well-respected physical therapist within the Boston area.

It’s amazing to see that he’s now doing more writing and putting out some awesome content.

Categoriescoaching Exercise Technique

Strive For Progress Not Perfection: Squat Edition

My dream as a kid was to be He-Man play professional baseball. Growing up in Middle-of-Nowhere, NY2 made this dream a bit more of challenge because 1) I often had to resort to doing things alone and 2) I didn’t have a ton of access to watching baseball.

My parent’s house was outside of town lines, which meant we didn’t have access to cable television. I had five channels to choose from (<– borderline child abuse nowadays), and the only way I could watch a MLB game was to wait for the “Game of the Week” broadcast every Saturday afternoon on one of the major network channels.

Although, sometimes, if I used enough tin foil on my small black and white television in my bedroom, and angled my antenna juuuuust right, I could snake a regional broadcast out of Elmira, NY of the Yankee games.

I’d stand there in the middle of my bedroom with my bat and emulate the swings of Don Mattingly, Jesse Barfield, or Steve Sax pitch by pitch.

Anyways, I’d record the weekly broadcast on Saturdays on our VHS player and play back the game over and over and over again throughout the week.

The real treat was the annual All-Star Game. I’d record that game too, and play it back ALL year…oftentimes watching an inning or two and then heading outside to my backyard to pretend I was Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, or Greg Maddux.

I’d tried so hard to perfect their mechanics and their way of doing things, that I’d get frustrated whenever things didn’t click or make sense. Things would get even more frustrating when I didn’t throw 95 MPH.

I mean, WTF!?!

Suffice it to say, in looking back (hindsight is always 20/20), it was the mentality I took in striving for PERFECTION and not focusing on PROGRESS that was the issue.

Not coincidentally it’s a mantra I feel holds a lot of weight in many facets of day-to-day lift…especially in the weight room.

Your Squats Aren’t Perfect (And That’s Okay)

I started working with a new female client a few months ago and knew within the first 15 minutes of coaching her squat that she was a perfectionist.

She’d get easily frustrated and discouraged whenever she performed a “bad” repetition and would seemingly respond like a reprimanded puppy whenever I coached her or offered some advice.

Mind you, I like it when people take a more proactive approach to their training and want to get better. What I don’t like is when people set the bar so high for themselves that it becomes more of a detriment than anything else.

I started repeating the above mantra to her…noting that small, incremental “wins” in technique (progress) trumps the perceived need for perfection, every day of the week.

Except for every other Saturday. Just because.

To put things into perspective: I’m pretty good at deadlifting (best pull of 570 lbs at a bodyweight of 190), and would consider myself an “advance lifter” in that realm.

I still tinker and tweak my technique, and understand (and accept) the notion that I’ll never be perfect.

What’s more I’m often dumbfounded by my client’s dumbfoundedness when they realize that I, too, their coach, am still trying to “figure things out” when it comes to lifting stuff.

I should know all there is to know by now, right?

And here they are giving themselves a hard time for not understanding a concept after reading one T-Nation article and/or training seriously for only six months.

Sheesh, relax.

But lets get back to the squats.

Look at a guy like Chad Wesley Smith, one of the best squatters in the world.

 

He’s pretty locked in with his technique, but you can peruse any number of his articles and videos and he’ll reiterate the same sentiment: He’s still tinkering.

I am no where near Chad’s level when it comes to performing – let alone coaching – the squat. However, I know a thing or two.

Sometimes.

And, having done some major finagling myself for the past year or so with my squat I wanted to share some of my own thoughts and experiences with how I’m striving for progress and not perfection.

1) There’s No ONE Right Way to Squat

This is by no means a new revelation on my end. I mean:

  • Meryl Streep is kind of a good actress.
  • Richard Dawkins is kind of smart.
  • Bacon is kind of delicious.

No new news there.

I’ve always taken the stance that everyone is going to be a little different when it comes to squatting. I never quite understand the steadfastness of some coaches who are adamant that everyone needs to squat “x” way, and if they don’t they might as well jump into a live volcano, cause they’re stupid and suck.

It’s a very standoffish, ornery – borderline childish – approach to take.

I mean, sure, we could make an argument for this way or that approach with regards to lifting as much weight as humanly possible but:

1. Not every cares about max strength.

2. Even with strong dudes (and women), if you watched 20 different videos of them squatting, you’d see 20 different approaches.

And that more or less feeds into the dilemma at hand.

Someone watches a video of Dan Green squatting:

 

Then tries to emulate his squat stance, his bar position, his hand width, his whatever (training program, volume, etc) and is left wondering why they end up hurt all the time or never make any progress.

[NOTE: I recall Chad Wesley Smith saying something to the effect of “you shouldn’t emulate what elite level lifters are doing NOW in their training. You should do what they did 10, 15, or 20 years ago to get to that level.”]

Some people will squat better with a narrow(er) stance (maybe even an asymmetrical stance), some with a high(er) bar position, and some with their feet pointing out more.

More to the point, as Dean Somerset notes in THIS excellent article, no two hips are the same and variances in things like anteversion, retroversion, degree of APT, and angle of inclination will dictate what type of squat (and depth) will be the best fit.

To put my word vomit into a short sentence: We need to respect everyone’s individual anatomy and anthropometry.

It’s hard to pound a square peg into a round hole. I feel that’s what many trainees end up doing when they fall into the trap of holding themselves accountable to copying a specific individual or book/article 100% of the time.

Speaking for myself I prefer a narrow stance when I squat with a high(er) bar position. It just feels better to me. I finally accepted this a few months ago and have seen much better progress overall.

Which serves as a nice segue to…..

2) “Feel” of a Set Matters

Too, since we’re on the topic of falling into traps, I feel many trainees think the only way to gauge progress is to lift more weight.

It’s actually an excellent way to gauge progress. I should shut up here and move on.

But it’s not the only way.

“Feel” of a set matters too. And this is something I’ve latched onto more and more with my own squatting.

3) Upper Back Tightness Is Crucial

This is a concept lost on some trainees. Nothing saddens me more than poor attention to detail during the set-up.

Well, that and a well done steak.

You want to see something that will have an instantaneous effect on someone’s squat? Have him or her actually take the time work on their upper back tightness.

Hand position will vary person to person, and mostly be a slave to one’s shoulder mobility. That being said, a closer grip will generally lead to better upper back stiffness compared to a wider grip.

Moreover it’s important to note that the elbows should not only point towards the floor but be INSIDE the hands. If the elbows are outside the hands and then you crank them forward it will lead to some, well, cranky elbows.

Additionally, two cues I like to use to get people to turn on their lats to improve upper back tightness other than saying “turn on your lats:”

“Place your shoulder blades in your back pocket.”

And

“Try to get your triceps to touch your lats.”

 

Progress over perfection can mean different things to different people. With squats it can mean something as simple as not holding yourself to some unrealistic expectation (that you HAVE to do it one way) or staying more cognizant of “feel” of a set.

But the mantra as whole can be applied to anything: whether you’re following a nutritional plan to lose fat, learning how to salsa dance, or playing a piano. It works. Life’s easier that way.

Categoriescoaching

New and Improved Group Training Membership

I’m excited to announce the re-branding of my previously referred to Premium Workout Group.

It’s a group I’ve been running on Exercise.com for a little more than a year now. It allows people who otherwise wouldn’t have “access” to me to be able to follow monthly, canned programming in a structured, periodized, and properly progressed fashion.

I wouldn’t say it trumps in-person coaching…but it’s a nice alternative. And the participants seem to enjoy it.3

From Ali, 61, Personal Trainer:

“Tony’s workouts via Exercise.com are well thought out and easy to follow with video instruction. Every month there is a new program so I am never bored. Not only have I gotten stronger with Tony’s programs, I have eliminated a couple of nagging aches and pains.”

From some dude named Han Solo:

“I’m not as young as I used to be. And if I’m going to be galavanting all across the galaxy in 12 parsecs or less, I have to be in tip-top shape. Tony’s Group Training Membership is exactly what I needed, and has allowed me to not only help defeat the Empire, but arm wrestle Wookies to boot. Tony’s the man!”

In the spirit of full-transparency I haven’t utilized the group to it’s fullest potential, maybe even taking a complacent attitude here and there. I suck sometimes.

I had a nice pow-wow with the guys over at Exercise.com last week to help “right the ship,” and they were able to walk me through some cosmetic changes I could easily perform to make the group (and experience) more aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow.

Introducing Group Training Membership

What’s in it for you?

Well, it’s cost effective. Again, I’ll always recommend in-person coaching whenever you can receive it. But lets be honest: many personal trainers don’t know their ass from their acetabulum. People will spend upwards of $60-$120 per hour to be shown how to put a pin into a machine and rarely ever get significant instruction on how to perform exercises correctly. Let alone receive a structured program.

With my Group Training Membership you’ll pay $49 per month….for full programming, detailed coaching cues, and unique video content.

Group:

  • Discussion: Interact with fellow members on the group discussion board.
  • Messaging: Click “Ask” on the web or “Ask a Trainer” on the mobile apps to private message me.
  • Leaderboard: See how you compare to the fellow members in your group.
  • Videos: View exclusive videos that give tips and insights.

App:

  • Schedule: Schedule your workouts to automatically have your scheduled workouts come up in your web or mobile workout log.
  • Logger: Easily log your scheduled workout on the web or mobile workout logs.

  • Workout Plans: Follow detailed workout plans on the web, mobile apps, or printable PDFs.
  • Exercise Demos & Info: View exercise demo videos and get performance notes for all of your scheduled workouts on the web and mobile apps.
  • Profile: View logged activity, records, & progress photos on your own profile.
  • Performance: View graphs analyzing your performance of exercises you have completed
  • Tracking: View your web dashboard to view your progress from logged workouts.

What Else You Get

  • Less Stress: Lets be honest: You’re busy, stressed, and straight up going to stab someone with a pen at work. The last thing you need to think about is what you’re doing at the gym. Let me do the thinking for you.
  • Empowerment: You’ll learn! Not only how I write programs, but you’ll have access to “inner circle” like content that will only be available through this group (video tutorials, exercise technique, shadow puppet presentations).4
  • A Hug: If or when you and I ever meet face-to-face. I promise I won’t make it weird.

For more information and to register you can go HERE.