A Day With "Mark Cibrario"

I spent this past weekend back in Kenosha catching up with my friends who I haven't seen in awhile. Let's just say that we did not get much accomplished as I spent most of the weekend on my friend's couch (Muddog Portilia) playing Tiger Woods golf and playing ping pong. Prior to sitting around and not moving I did get the opportunity to go down and see an old friend of mine Mark Cibrario. Mark and I played baseball together for many years with the Kenosha Kings. During my high school and college days we knew Mark as the "old trainer" on our team and not really understanding what he does. Turns out that Mark is one of the most respected trainers in the country. For many years now he has been listed from Men's Health magazine as one of the countries top 55 best trainers. He is the owner of the "Trainers Club" in Northbrook, IL and a consultant for many other fitness products/companies. His new product that he is advertising is the "ultra-slide" (slide board). Mark has also launched his new website fivetoolpt.com.

With all that being said, you can probably understand why I was going to hang out with him for the day. I wanted to just see how he operates his gym, clients, and learn more about training. His gym is really unique. It is about 5,000 sq ft of all open space. There are also about 25 other trainers that work out of his gym. They pay Mark $15 a session for them to use his space. ( Easy stream of money coming in for him) Anyway, I get there and there are about 8 other training sessions going on while Mark was working with his clients. It is totally a different atmosphere than what everyone is used to seeing. This is not your ordinary gym. This strictly for people who want to accomplish something. Nothing but training. All good training.

Why is Mark so good at what he does? Well, there are a number of reasons why he is good. This is what I saw. Mark had about 5 different sessions during the time I was there. Every person had some issue or limitation. Something needed to be fixed. Or someone needed to be activated a different way. Mark knows every little thing that is wrong with his clients. He knows why something isn't working, He knows why something isn't activating. He knows why someone is having a hard time completing a movement. Not only does he know what is wrong with his clients, but his clients know what is wrong with them. They understand what he is trying to do them and why they are doing everything that they are doing. More often than not most trainers try to throw something against the wall and see if it sticks with their clients...that doesn't work. You need know what is wrong with people and how to fix it.

All the sessions began with his clients doing some soft tissue work/ activation and some movement prep. His flow of a session was alternating between an strength move and then a mobility work.Ex-Deadlift paired with a resisted leg raise. The corrective strategy is in place to get the movement (deadlift) perfected. He then has a core stability exercise at the end of each circuit. He likes firing the core in short active/dynamic movements. Ex-side plank w/ knee tuck.

Mark also has a huge wall that is covered with boards for medicine ball and power training. Mark believes as well as myself that the stimulation of the central nervous is what keeps us getting stronger, faster, and leaner. The medicine ball and power training he incorporates in each session is what keeps your body young and powerful. When it comes to fat loss training, which is mainly the type of clients I that I deal with, I have found that to be the missing link in a lot of people's programming. The majority of the med ball training he did with his clients was to do movement in the opposite direction of what they usually do on a daily basis. Ex- Mary Claire is a tennis player. Tennis players strike the ball by swinging the racket forward(Overhand). He had her do reverse underhand and overhand med ball slams to counteract that movement. While doing these slams she was either standing on one leg, hopping on one leg, moving side to side, or reversing in the transverse plan. The activation of the nervous system and good dynamic/power movements is what will prep her to perform.So awesome to watch.

Every single person was dripping wet at the end of their session and they did not step foot a treadmill, elliptical, and they did not even pick up a weight.(I was instantly sweating myself when I did some core activation when we worked out together) Mark is on a whole different level than anyone I can think of. He literally puts everyone to shame because there is so much more to this fitness thing. It's so much more than lifting weights, running, walking, or zumba classes. I would be confident in saying that it has to be embarrassing for Mark to know that he is associated in the same industry with fat ass memberships salesmen, zumba instructors, the same boot camp on every corner, and every other jamoke person that thinks they are a trainer.

Anyway, I walked out of Mark's place feeling stupid. Which is a good thing because you realize again that there is so much more information that needs to be gathered, learned, and implemented. For me it is such an awesome feeling to be confused about information. The confusion is made clear by guys likes Mark. He will continue to be a resource for me in years to come. So if you think you know it all and if you think you are in shape, I dare you to go train with Cibby! You'll be shut up real quick.

Cheers,

JP