In this episode, Nikki and Janet chat with licensed massage therapists and educators Richard Polishuk and Lauren Christman about the roles of bodywork and movement when helping people decrease pain and improve performance.

They cover:

• What makes good posture and how to integrate the idea of posture into movement where it becomes more fluid
• How our experiences in life can be reflected in how we move and feel or if we have pain
• How often you should get a massage or bodywork
• How to identify the difference between a muscular and a fascial restriction and how to address it through bodywork
• When going deeper isn’t always better and why no pain no gain won’t necessarily get you the best result or lasting change
• How to use assessments to maximize a bodywork session
• The difference between moving to notice how we feel and moving for the sake of performance
• When symmetry in the body isn’t necessarily for function
• A brief discussion of how to use self-care techniques (foam rolling, stretching, ect) to maintain that changes that you get in a massage and what structures you’re actually changing in your structure when you foam roll

Links Mentioned:

Lauren and Richard's website (craftedtouch.com)
Crafted Touch Facebook Page
Integrative Pain Management Book

About Lauren M. Christman, LMP, CBSI/KMI, CCST

After 21 years in practice, Lauren's work focuses on methods based on osteopathic principles, including structural integration, craniosacral, and visceral manipulation. Taken together, these methods aim to balance the alignment and mobility of the muscles, bones and organs, and create greater client awareness of health and well-being. Depending on the needs of each client, Lauren adapt the methods she uses to create lasting changes; her work is more oriented to problem-solving and client education than to on-going maintenance or relaxation massage.

Current Certifications/Professional Associations

• Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP), Washington State, since 1994.
• KMI-Structural Integration, with Tom Myers, Kinesis, 2004.
• Certified Craniosacral Therapist, with Ursula Popp, Natural Health Resources Center, 2005.
• Certified Teacher of Kinesis, teaching short courses and within KMI certification program in the U.S. and Europe, 2005-2013.
• National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), certified continuing education providers, since 2005.
• International Association of Structural Integrators (IASI), member, 2003; continuing education provider, since 2009.
• American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), member since 1994.
• Certification Board of Structural Integrators (CBSI), certified practitioner, since 2009.

About Richard M. Polishuk, LMP, Aston-Patterner

Richard has been practicing since receiving his massage license in 1986. His initial interests were in orthopedic and structural work, and he pursued those interests in depth with Ben Benjamin, Joseph Heller, Paul St. John, Rich Phaigh and others. Working with Judith Aston and certifying in Aston-Patterning in the 90's was the icing on the cake. Richard has been teaching since the late 80's.

Current Certifications/Professional Associations

• • Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP), Washington State, 1986.
  • Intraoral Endorsement, Washington State, 2007.
  • Aston-Patterning Practitioner, 1998.
  • National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), certified continuing education providers, 2005.
  • American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), member since 1986.

Previously certified in Hellerwork, Onsen/MET, Cyriax-style Injury Treatment/Ben Benjamin and Trager.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki talk with Medical Exercise Specialist Brian Richey about program design and best exercise practices for the obese and overweight client.

They cover:

• Brian's personal experience with weight loss
• Why thermogenics (calories in, calories out) doesn't work as a weight loss strategy
• How small, achievable changes like drinking more water can have the greatest results
• The unique biomechanical challenges that come with being overweight
• The benefits of starting with the basics (stability training, sleep, walking) even when weight loss is the goal
• How traditional fitness marketing sets us up to fail and how we can create a physical and emotionally safe environment for our clients in a fitness facility
• How to set realistic expectations when starting a new fitness program and setting goals

 

About Brian Richey

Brian, the owner/operator of Fit 4 Life DC, was born in Kailua, Hawai‘i, and graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a B.S. in Exercise Science/Kinesiology.

While Brian is a personal trainer, he isn’t your typical one. Brian is a Medical Exercise Specialist and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, meaning that his level of understanding and working with and managing medical conditions with exercise is far beyond that of your typical trainer.

“My goal is to bridge the gap between the medicine and movement.”

While Brian might have been born in paradise, his childhood wasn’t all fun in the sun. He was an obese child, tipping the scales at over 420lbs by his 18 th birthday. His journey of weight loss ultimately led him to pursuit a career in personal training and help people not only in losing weight but also regaining and improving their quality of life.

To connect with Brian, you can visit his website fit4lifeDC.com, follow him on Facebook or send him an email at [email protected].

In this episode, Janet and Nikki talk with Jules Mitchell, yoga teacher, manual therapist and educator, about how to apply biomechanics to yoga and movement.

They cover:

• How to define biomechanics
• The benefits of cuing less and exploring more in your yoga and movement practice
• Why it's not always bad to break alignment "rules"
• The role of load in yoga and movement
• A brief synopsis on the science of stretching and how it relates to yoga and flexibility

 

Jules Mitchell MS, CMT, RYT

Jules is a Los Angeles based yoga educator. She combines the tradition of yoga with her background in biomechanics to help people move better and achieve individually defined physical success. Her approach to asana is multi-modal and skill based, balancing the somatic (moving from within) aspects of yoga with exercise science.

Jules writes on yoga biomechanics and references the exercise science literature on topics (such as stretching) where the yoga research is lacking. She is a regular contributor to yoga teacher training programs worldwide, providing yoga schools with the most current research in biomechanics, even when it invokes a discerning analysis of tradition.

Her most influential teachers include Leeann Carey (Yapana Yoga), Gil Hedley (Integral Anatomy), John Casey (yoga philosophy and Sanskrit), and the many dedicated scientists who collect, analyze, and publish data so we may continue to ask more questions. As adjunct faculty at Arizona State University, she serves as the yoga consultant on research studies to quantify the effects of yoga therapy on special populations.

Jules is currently writing her book, Yoga Biomechanics: Redefining Stretching, which is expected to become available in 2017 through Handspring Publishing. You can find her leading workshops at your favorite local studio or check out her classes online.

To connect with Jules on social media, you can find her on Twitter and Facebook. 

In this episode Nikki and Janet talk with Balanced Body educator and BOSU Master Trainer Erika Quest about balance training and functional fitness using the BOSU Balance Trainer.

They cover:

• How to create effective regressions and progressions with the BOSU and other balance tools
• Why your should train in multiple planes of motion and body positions
• Why balance training is important especially as we age
• How to incorporate BOSU and balance training into a client session
• Different ways to use the BOSU to improve stability, mobility and proprioception

 

About Erika Quest

Erika Quest, PMA-CPT, Owner of Studio Q Pilates Conditioning in Laguna Beach, CA is a Balanced Body® Master Instructor, part of the BOSU® & Hedstrom Elite Team and is also a Body Arts & Science International® Graduate. She is also a regular instructor for the prestigious Pilates Anytime, Inc., a premier presenter and international educator at many fitness and wellness conventions including IDEA®, SCW, Pilates In Asia & Pilates On Tour.

In this episode Nikki and Janet talk with science based yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings about the current model of pain science and how it relates to yoga and fitness.

They cover:

• An updated model of pain science and why pain might not actually relate to tissue damage
• Potential causes of chronic pain
• The role of the brain and nervous system in interpreting pain
• Strategies to address pain through movement
• The importance of novel movement for increasing function and decreasing pain
• The relationship between load and the need for more precise alignment
• The application of yoga under the current pain science model

About Jenni Rawlings   Jenni is a yoga teacher with an emphasis on anatomy, physiology, and movement science. She is a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist, a Restorative Exercise Specialist, and a body and anatomy geek writer and blogger. She writes regularly for Yoga International and for her own blog. She is also the owner of Drishti, the nation's first stand-alone yoga clothing store, which she opened in Santa Barbara, California in 2002.   Find Jenni and her online yoga classes on her website (www.jennirawlings.com), or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can also visit her yoga clothing store Drishti at www.drishtiyoga.com.

In this episode, Janet and Nikki talk with Kevin C. Moore, biomechanist and founder of Reembody, about how to troubleshoot foot pain.

They cover:

• The role of side-dominance in performance and pain
• The problems with using an over simplified model for addressing foot pain
• How dysfunction in the foot can contribute to problems with the knees and hips
• Common causes of foot dysfunction
• The biomechanics of over pronation, high arches and the big toe
• Why high arches aren’t always better than flat feet
• Simple strategies to improve foot health  

Links mentioned:

Reembody article on over pronation: Preparing the Foot, Ankle and Knee to Absorb Shock

Finding the medial edge of the foot during squats: Read This Before You Do Another Squat

Upcoming Reembody Workshops:

Fearless Feet: Turning Pressure into Power

March 25th 2017 in Portland, Oregon

In this 5-hour workshop, we’ll explore common inefficiencies in the lower body and provide effective, sustainable measures to eliminate them. Participants will learn the theory behind proprioception, balance and power transmission while putting it all into action in real time.

Price: $138.

Registration link: http://reembody.me/upcoming/foot-ankle-and-knee-health/

Engaging the Glutes: The Strongest Muscle You’re Not Using.

April 22nd 2017 in Portland Oregon

This 5-hour workshop examines the multiple functions of the glute muscles as they relate to cycling. We’ll examine fast- and slow-twitch muscle behavior, laterality and side-dominance, proprioceptive gaps and the benefits of isolated stretching (it’s not what you’re picturing). Although this class is tailored for people with an interest in cycling, it is designed for all levels and every type of sports enthusiast.

Price: Early Bird: $118 (Before April 7th) Regular Price: $148.

Registration link: http://reembody.me/upcoming/engaging-the-glutes-the-strongest-muscle-youre-not-using/

About Kevin C. Moore

Kevin is a biomechanist, human-movement specialist and founder of the Reembody Method™. He is a veteran Pilates instructor, BTS master trainer, and a frequent presenter on the EBFA medical webinar series. Kevin’s writing and work has been featured on CNN, the Huffington Post, the Daily HIIT and the South China Morning Post. He has worked with Dr. Emily Splichal, Dr. Perry Nicholson and the US Women’s Fencing Team, among others. He is also a co-founder of New Body Ethic, an American-based non-profit aimed at creating a culture of responsible fitness.

Kevin differentiates himself from other health-and-wellness experts in one striking way: he is all about building up, not tearing down. Shame is a powerful engine for profit, particularly in the fitness industry;Kevin will never pander to people’s basest fears in this way. His philosophy is simple: every body is astonishing, just as it is, and true health stems from first understanding how your body works. 

 

 

In this bonus episode, Nikki interviews Janet about how she got her start in fitness.

They cover:

• Her fitness philosophy
• Her experiences as a initially unwilling group fitness instructor, Pilates teacher and fitness educator
• How she'd like the see the fitness industry evolve 
• The differences in fitness in Canada vs the US

 

In this bonus episode, Janet interviews Nikki about how she got her start in fitness.

They cover:

• Her fitness philosophy
• Her experiences as a personal trainer, Pilates teacher and massage therapist
• How she tricked herself into starting a business
• How they started the podcast

In this two-part interview, Janet and Nikki talk with Joe Hook, CSCS and Director of Human Performance, about barefoot training, choosing proper footwear and using recovery as a tool to get more out of your workouts.

They cover:

• How to safely transition to barefoot training for weight lifting and more challenging activities
• Simple strategies for healthier, more adaptive feet
• Different types of minimalist shoes and how to pick the right shoe for your activity
• How foot health impacts overall function and performance
• The health and performance benefits of lifting mindfully rather than for time
• Why recovery is important for an effective fitness program and how often you should lift heavy

About Joe Hook, CSCS, USAW

Joe is the Director of Human Performance for Real Human Performance (Cincinnati, Ohio). His background is in sports performance training, and he works with clients ranging from professional athletes to the average person. His training philosophy is rooted in improving movement patterns and stress resiliency.

For more information, visit his website at realhumanperformance.com or connect with him on Facebook or Instagram.

In this two-part interview, Janet and Nikki talk with Joe Hook, CSCS and Director of Human Performance, about how to start and sustain a lifting program that will get you results, but also minimizes the risk of injury.

In this episode, they cover:

• What to look for in a resistance training coach
• The importance of good movement patterning, mobility, posture and breath for heavy lifting
• Using different forms of exercise for a well rounded fitness program
• Why different body types (stiff vs hypermobile) will have different form considerations and programming needs
• When to use a bony lock vs neutral alignment
• Ideal foot and hip mechanics during squatting (and the common cause of butt winking)
• How bodyweight training can help you lift heavy while reducing your risk of injury

About Joe Hook, CSCS, USAW

Joe is the Director of Human Performance for Real Human Performance (Cincinnati, Ohio). His background is in sports performance training, and he works with clients ranging from professional athletes to the average person. His training philosophy is rooted in improving movement patterns and stress resiliency.

For more information, visit his website at realhumanperformance.com or connect with him on Facebook or Instagram.