LOCATION
Our courses will take place in Summersville Lake, in Mt. Nebo, West Virginia. We will train by the lake and in the woods and hills around the lake. We will camp at Summersville Lake Retreat. The campsite is around 20 minutes walking distance from the lake.
TRANSPORTATION
Arrival
If you drive, please make sure you arrive on Friday no earlier than 5:00pm and no later than 9:00pm. Find directions here.
If you fly, you must book a flight to Yeager International airport in Charleston, WV. For more information on Yeager Airport go here.
Yeager airport is served by AirTran, American, Delta, Continental, Northwest, United and US Airways.
We ask that people flying to West Virginia book a flight with an arrival on Friday before 6:00pm. Our shuttle departs on Friday at 7:00 pm from Yeager Airport and arrives at Summersville Lake Retreat around 8:30pm. We expect you to have had dinner already or to bring a snack with you. No large dinner will be served that evening.
Please let us know if you are flying, so we make arrangements for you to have transportation from the airport to the campsite. The airport is very small, the meeting point will be by the benches just outside the airport.
Also, please provide us with your cell phone number so we will be able to reach you if necessary.
Please note: We do not accept early arrivals on the site.
DEPARTURE
The course will end on Wednesday at noon. A lunch will be served before departure. Our shuttle departs at 1:00 pm and arrive at the airport around 2:30pm. Participants flying back are invited to book a flight that departs after 4pm to make sure they can be there on time.
Please note: We do not accept late departures from the site.
WORKSHOP TRAINING
If you are unable to participate in any training session, MovNat will make the best effort to scale the training to your abilities or you will have the option to not participate.
These workshops will contain water training and some underwater drills. If you are unable to be in the water for prolonged times, or if you have any condition that prohibits you from swimming or exerting energy underwater, please notify MovNat staff to scale the training to your abilities.
Please note: You must have basic swimming skills to be able to attend the course. The swimming coaching is minimal because of the outdoors does not allow for full scalability. Proper beginning swim instruction requires a swimming pool.
The course ends with a final course on Wednesday performed in a state of fasting. It means we will skip breakfast that morning.
Our multi-day workshops are physically challenging experiences, but they do not involve any form of competition or testing. It is not necessary or even desirable that you engage in additional or more intense training to prepare yourself. We will provide appropriate training options for all fitness levels. If you do decide to increase your training prior to the workshop for any reason, please be sure to do so safely, as we would regret if you had to miss any part of the workshop due to injury.
For more on the MovNat training experience click here.
ACCOMMODATION
We will be camping at Summersville Lake Retreat in a wooded area to keep it simple and close to nature. You will sleep in spacious, individual tents so you can rest well at night and wake up fresh and ready for the next training day. We will provide mats, pillows, sleeping bags and cotton sheets so you don’t have to bring anything unless you need extra comfort.
Full-service showers and toilets are centrally located on the campground.
Laundry – there is no on-site laundry facility. If you need something laundered, you have the possibility to hand-wash it.
FOOD
We will serve you 3 copious buffet meals per day.
Our meals follow the “Paleo” diet principles, meaning they are made entirely of fresh natural products like vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, meat, fish or seafood and contain a high proportion of raw ingredients. This diet excludes grains, dairy, sugar, salt and any processed food or alcohol It is the type of food that best fits our evolutionary metabolism and will make you feel re-energized and also help you to become substantially leaner.
We expect participants to participate in the cooking of the meals and washing the dishes (we use real plates, glasses and silverware). We require that you not bring snacks with you (especially those items containing sugar, flour, grains, legumes or processed foods). Part of the training is to learn how not to eat all the time and to train your metabolism to rely on your body reserves for fuel instead of relying on constantly feeding it. Plus there are wild bears in the surrounding and they tear the tent apart to grab that food (true story!)
No customized meals will be made. If vegetarian/vegan you will simply not be served the prepared animal products. If you have any known severe or life-threatening food allergies, please let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate you.
INTERNET AND CELLULAR PHONE
There is WiFi access and cell phone reception. However, we see this course as a great opportunity for you to disconnect from both the phone and the internet and to help create an environment for others to do the same. Please do not bring laptops, and only turn on phones only when urgent. For the same reasons, we also request that you do not bring Mp3 players. Please take this workshop as an opportunity for you to disconnect with the zoo and connect with like-minded individuals.
PACKING TIPS
You don’t need to buy any special or expensive gear for this event. However, we do have some required items.
Required Items:
• 2 pair of old training shorts you feel comfortable with when you move (MMA style shorts are best). Bear in mind you are training in nature so they might get spoiled, so don’t use your favorite
trunks in training sessions. You also need to be able to swim in them.
• Swimming trunks are a good option if you don’t feel comfortable swimming in the other shorts.
• Women may prefer tankinis or the like for training and swimming.
• 2 old shirts with a fine fabrics so you don’t feel too hot training in them. They will protect your skin from scratches or from the sun if your skin is sensitive. One tight T-shirt, cycling top or rash-vest for swimming (this is important for sun protection – make sure it covers your shoulders).
• 2 pairs of training shoes: we will train barefoot, but you are allowed to wear shoes whenever you want. If you are buying new shoes, you may consider buying lightweight flat-soled shoes that are suitable for “bare-foot style” running and movement (which you will be taught on the course). We recommend Vibram FiveFingers.
• A water bottle(s) to make sure you hydrate yourself enough during training.
• Towels
• 2 pair of old (long) training pants if you want to avoid scratching your legs.
• One pair of good quality goggles
• A light backpack to carry a few things.
• Flashlight or headlamp
• A few warm clothes in case the evening gets cool.
• A rain coat or something lighter in case it rains.
• Hat, cap or bandana
• Sun block (organic/natural product is highly recommended. You can find these items at natural health food stores). We will not train during the hottest time of the day, but the sun in summertime may be problematic for those with sensitive skin.
• Insect repellent, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo or soap (organic/natural products are highly recommended. You can find these items at natural health food stores).
Special notes: If you are taking any medication, please contact MovNat prior to your arrival. MovNat will ensure proper handling and care is taken during your stay. Also, cigarettes are strictly prohibited on the campgrounds.
Helpful to Have Items:
• Alarm clock
• Books – 1 big or 2 thin, unless you are an incredibly fast reader.
• Valuables: we recommend that you do not bring any.
TRAINING BEFORE THE WORKSHOP
The way you will train with the MovNat Team might be completely different than how you are used to training. MovNat is very different from any conventional fitness program, and also differs from military training or Crossfit.
You will safely be challenged a lot during the course, so we recommend that you do not physically push yourself hard before the workshop. We will emphasize technical instruction and optimizing techniques before challenging you. We advise that you simply go on with your usual fitness regimen leading up to the workshop, as you will learn a totally new way to train once there.
READING RECOMMENDATIONS
If you are not familiar with them, we recommend that you read more about the evolutionarily natural, original human diet from which our MovNat nutrition principles stem.
The Paleo Solution, the Original Human Diet
Still Have Questions?
Email Rachel at rachel@movnat.com
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