MELT Method vs The BioMechanics Method

I love to study and to learn. Recently, I have focused more and more on corrective exercises in the quest to restore ideal alignment and posture and to help people get out of chronic pain as a result of those misalignments.

The MELT Method is a great tool to accomplish this. I love the fact that it based on the concept of self-treatment thus empowering people to do something for themselves and not having to depend on others to administer treatment to them. I also like the concept of self-assessment in MELT because people can learn about imbalances in their bodies because they can feel them.

I have recently studied another method, called The BioMechanics Method by Justin Price who is also a well-known name in the fitness industry. He also starts with an assessment which initially is conducted by the specialist in his method but is almost immediately taught to the client with the goal that they client can understand their imbalances and can feel the changes of the program. The corrective exercises in his method are a systematic approach of myofascial release, followed by stretching and then strengthening.

As an advanced MELT practitioner of 5 years and a newly-minted BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist, I will be able to use them both in the shared goal of helping people get out of the chronic pain which is caused by muscle imbalances.

They both have their strong suits. I love the foam roller length techniques in MELT but I also like the myofascial release approach with tennis balls which makes this more portable when people travel. I find the TBMM process more systematic and love the stretching components. The strength components of both methods are great. Some of the individual techniques are better in one, some in the other method.

Bottom line: two great methods with equal value in both of them.

Added bonus: one person (me J) who knows them both.

I’ve been ‘SPARK’ed

Lately, I have been using my treadmill and elliptical trainer with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. The reason? I just finished reading the book “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John J. Ratey, MD

I had seen enough statistics over the years that demonstrate how helpful exercise is for just about any condition known to man, be it hypertension, diabetes, heart disease ….. you name it. I had also seen data on the effects of exercise on some mental disorders such as depression and ADHD. But I have never seen all the evidence combined in one place on the profound positive effects that exercise, mainly aerobic exercise, has on brain function.

I grew up with the belief that every cell on our body renews itself except for the brain cells. You are born with so many, and it only goes downhill from there. This has been soundly disproven. The brain can grow new cells and make new connections but it needs some MIRACLE GRO fertilizer, and that fertilizer is EXERCISE.

I cannot recommend this book more. There are some on the Amazon book review who consider this book “really, really boring” since it reads like a textbook. Well …. I could not put it down. There is a line in this book that just struck me:

“If you are not busy living, your body is busy dying.”

Fascinating Fascia

As a MELT instructor for almost 5 years, the subject of ‘fascia’ (sometimes also referred to as connective tissue) has been of great interest to me. I have witnessed firsthand the effects the MELT techniques have on my students, whether they are in my classes as one of many or get instructions from me one-on-one. Yes, I had very few people over those years that I could not reach with MELT but I would put this number no higher that 1 out of 100.

I also like to educate my participants about the properties of fascia, what it is, what it does and why it is so important to keep it healthy. I have come up with analogies ranging from body stocking to orange to panty hose, and I am still searching.

I recently got some unexpected help. Europe, and Germany in particular, is way ahead of the curve in research of fascia, and I was made aware of a broadcast from a German television station on that very subject. Not only does this video (with English subtitles) explain in very simple ways what fascia is, it also shows the possibilities that are opening up for the treatment of many chronic pain conditions.

If you have 30 minutes, please do yourself the favor to watch it. And then just get on your roller or get out those little balls and just make your fascia happy. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikx-0s8y480.

A Common Sense Approach to Shoulder Pain

A few days ago I attended a short seminar at Duke Raleigh Hospital by the shoulder specialist Dr. Kevin Speer who talked about the aging shoulder.

I had observed that many people are suffering from shoulder problem as they are getting older, often for no apparent reason, and I was looking forward to the talk in hopes of an explanation. I was not disappointed.

Dr. Speer stated that the shoulder will develop bone spurs and a degradation of the muscles and connective tissues as an inevitable results of getting older. That does not necessarily mean that this leads to pain but it often does. Shoulder pain is typically referred pain, meaning that the place where it hurts is not necessarily where the problem is. With shoulder issues, the pain is often down the upper arm or in the front of the shoulder.

He had a number of suggestions for maintaining healthy shoulders to the degree possible. Good nutrition was his first recommendation.  The following list is taken from the www.webmd.com for an anti-inflammatory diet.

·         Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

·         Minimize saturated and trans fats.

·         Eat a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish or fish oil supplements and walnuts.

·         Watch your intake of refined carbohydrates such as pasta and white rice.

·         Eat plenty of whole grains such as brown rice and bulgur wheat.

·         Eat lean protein sources such as chicken; cut back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods.

·         Avoid refined foods and processed foods.

·         Spice it up. Ginger, curry, and other spices can have an anti-inflammatory effect.

On the supplement list, his recommendation was for fish oil. He also suggested a heat (before exercise) and cold (after exercise) therapy when some pain has already crept in. As an exercise maintenance routine, rotator cuff exercises to strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder should become part of the workout.

When shoulders are beginning to hurt, he looked at it from two perspectives: the first is whether the pain goes away with rest and avoidance of triggers, the second whether pain starts interfering with a good night’s rest.

In the first case, it can be managed with ice, maybe some anti-inflammatory medication and rest. Some exercises may have to be avoided for good such as overhead presses or push-ups. Downward dogs should be left to the dogs as well. The elbows should always be in the field of vision.

However, when shoulder pain interferes with sleep, a visit to the doctor becomes necessary. Even then, physical therapy may help, and Dr. Speer stated that he was a great fan of it. Only when all else fails, there is surgery which he views as the last option.

Sports Performance for Non-Athletes?

So here I am, a newly minted Sports Performance Professional. I have studied the excellent NASM material to enhance sports performance and am eager to apply my knowledge.

As I read and studied and thought about it, it struck me how applicable and modifiable those concepts are to every client. We all need to generate power in our lives at one point or other. The challenge in training is to stay on the right side of the line where the benefits of the exercises justify possible risks.

I had applied ‘controlled unstable’ environments throughout all my training. I saw it work, and now I see the underlying rationale why that is so. As with training for power, I try to apply the same concept.

My latest and dearest toys are sandbells which I have in ranges from 4 to 12 lbs. in 2 pound increments. Those are now happily flying across the studio. We slam, and we catch, and we bounce them off the Bosu. We work on grip strength by catching with one hand. Some of my clients are standing right in front of a massage table for a security blanket as they are catching a 4 lbs. sandbell. Others have the 10 lbs. one hurled towards them.

And the best part? It’s fun, it’s challenging, and it gives a great deal of satisfaction (after everybody has caught their breath including the trainer who gets thrown back to).

Staying Cool – Signs of Heat Exhaustion

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and we will soon experience the triple H days of summer: hazy, hot and humid.

While a little warm is good, too much of it can be deadly. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke which claims lives every year.

Here is how you can recognize the warning signs of heat exhaustion (taken from the CDC website):

• Heavy sweating
• Weakness
• Cold, pale, and clammy skin
• Fast, weak pulse
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting

And this is what you should do immediately:

• Move to a cooler location.
• Lie down and loosen your clothing.
• Apply cool, wet cloths to as much of your body as possible.
• Sip water.
• If you have vomited and it continues, seek medical attention immediately.

If in doubt, call for emergency help.

AND NEVER LEAVE ANYBODY, PET, CHILD OR ADULT, IN A LOCKED CAN FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.

Facelift? Really?

I am Karin Singleton, and I am a MELT instructor; but I am also a skeptic.

 

I have taught MELT long enough to know that MELT can bring on physical changes in people. I can see it every time when I look over my room of regular students and do not observe those gross deviations that just jumped out at me when I first started teaching. I also hear from people all the time how much regular MELT has become part of their lives and has helped with nagging problems. 

 

But when I heard about an announcement about a 50 second facelift …. It was a “wait and see” for me.

 

I watched the show and tried it myself. Truth be told, I felt more of a difference than I saw one but there was a little more fullness around the cheeks.  I decided to teach it in a class today, and it received a warm reception and a confirmation of my own experience. 

 

Here is a link to more information and the two videos, the 50 second and the 5 minute facelifthttp://www.meltmethod.com/blog/more-about-50-second-face-0. You may need to copy and paste into your browser.

 

The underlying principle makes perfect sense. Gliding and shearing of connective tissue improves the cellular structure by rehydrating it. The locations of the mastoid process (that little bump behind the ear), the temporomandibular joint (after which the painful condition TMS is named) and the temples are locations often associated with stress. How often do we not rub them when we have a headache?

 

I think that this new MELT technique will serve two purposes: it does improve the appearance of the face, but - more importantly – it will help relieve stress in those facial muscles.

 

And that will be twice the reason for a happy smile.