Do you really want to get better?

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Abe

Often what we express verbally is in contradiction with our behavior. Don’t mean to be hard on Ron Artest. I love basketball, the lakers and i understand Ron is a really good guy who has done much for the community. But a pic is worth a thousand words.

Anyway, a few years ago, an elderly woman approached me, asking for my help. She seemed so earnest, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I just can’t take the pain anymore”, “please you have got to help me”. I was so moved by her plea, I responded.” Well, let’s see what we can do to take that pain away?” She recoiled as if I was about to steal her purse. She was so unaware of her attachment to her pain. She walked off without making an appointment, her tears all dried up, and a look of real apprehension across her face.

A well- respected Massage Therapist, Art Riggs, wrote about deep tissue massage, near the end of the book, he suggested asking the client some questions before beginning the session. One question was, do you have some secondary gain from not getting better? He said that, of course, you can’t ask the client that directly, as the client would not want to hear such a question.

Well too bad, maybe we ought to think about it? I mean, how many times do you promise yourself that you are going to make changes? Somehow, those changes never really happen, and you never really get better. Wouldn’t it be great to have a good friend call you on it? That would be truly useful to help you change.

Let’s face facts, it is a whole lot easier giving up when you can tell yourself, “What can I do anyway?” So have a twinkie since everything else is bad for you, right? Wrong

Perhaps you console yourself with some claptrap about it being all in the genes, and therefore, out of your control, or my favorite, I’m just getting older. As per the genes excuse, you might want to watch this Bruce Lipton video . As far as getting older, you will age much faster if you don’t take care of yourself.

Now, if you’re getting depressed, you are getting the wrong message, really, see the video. You are not destined to be sickly and can even reverse the aging process. So, do you really want to get better? Massage can, among other things, change your outlook on life, which makes it possible to make and sustain other healthy choices.

My first massage, I have a few questions…

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Abe

I know that there are many people out there who would like to try massage, but they are just not sure about what to expect that first time. Maybe, I can provide a few answers to those unspoken massage questions.

Do I have to strip down completely naked? Well, no, the golden rule for massage therapists to follow is to create a safe, friendly environment for their clients. I will massage you fully clothed, if you like; that has happened several times over my career and it’s not a problem. Many folks want to wear underwear, some like to go bare. Along those lines, trained therapists always “drape” their clients, so that the only areas exposed are the ones being worked on. This protects your modesty, as well as keeping you comfortably warm. When it is time for you to disrobe, your therapist will leave the room, and will knock on the door before re-entering.

Am I supposed to tip? Generally, it is up to you. If your therapist did a great job and you feel wonderful and would like to tip, go ahead. When you’re at a medical office and receiving massage for an injury or condition, usually no tip is anticipated. If you go to one of those Massage Envious- type places where the therapists are new, under-trained, overworked and underpaid, you may feel a subtle pressure to tip whoever provided your rub. That kind of defeats the purpose of getting a low price, discounted massage, right?

What about talking to the therapist while he or she is working? Before the massage is a good time to talk. Tell your therapist of any health conditions you have. Also, ask any questions regarding concerns about the massage. After the massage begins you can talk or remain silent, whatever is more relaxing for you. Talking may help dissipate any nervousness you might be feeling. If you’re feeling any pain during your massage session, you must speak up and inform your therapist so that he or she can make pressure adjustments. Don’t worry about offending the therapist. Good therapists always want feedback so they can improve their massage skills.

I will add more ?’s to the list, shortly. In the meantime, if you have a burning massage question, hopefully, I’ll provide a good answer. Sincerely, Abe Alpert CMT

What massage question do you have?

Deep tissue massage- the matrix (red or blue pill?)

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Abe

Man up, okay? Women, too. Do you really want deep tissue massage? It’s not a challenge. Most people just want immediate relief of pain. Nothing wrong with that, but if you want optimum performance, or to resolve long standing issues, we are going to have to dig down deeper. Now, that does not mean that I believe in no pain, no gain,only that nothing comes without effort and dedication. Take Kobe Bryant, for example. Love him or hate him, no one would say he did not fully commit himself to the highest levels of achievement. If you work with me, you can be assured I will deliver. Perhaps you would prefer the busty blond Swedish girl or hunky beef cake. Sure, I understand, but, to me, sports injury or medical massage is not about that. The difference is, one indulges, temporarily, some fantasy; the other can make a meaningful Improvement in your health, both in terms of quantity and quality of your life.

Over the years, I have literally given thousands of massages. When I’m working with a new client, being experienced, I will quickly zoom in to locate a problem. Maybe, It’s a sore tendon near the elbow, or a spasm in the calf, or a small tear on the trapezius. It could be anything. The client will say, “can you feel that?” Yes, sure I felt it. New clients are often surprised by the pains they “feel” with just a bit of prompting from a proficient therapist, we both then agree there is a problem. Massage is, at it’s best, an interactive therapy, it is not something I do to you, like paint your house.

Here is the typical situation. Most of these body problems can be found near the surface, but the kicker is this, often, I feel other abnormalities deeper into fascia, of which the client is unaware . At times, if I add some pressure to the spot, they might say “Whats that?” Other times, the person may sense something is off, but they don’t know what it is, or they are entirely unaware. So, now, I may perceive a situation that my client does not realize exists. So, is there a problem? Moreover, how do I go about working on it?

Have you ever seen the Matrix movie; the part about the red and blue pill? Well, it’s a metaphor for being conscious. Do you want to wake up,to your dream? The red pill is real, deep tissue massage; the blue is the blond babe or handsome hunk surface, simply fantasy fluff, The Matrix scene.

Over the years, I have observed that the deeper the problem, literally, the more internalized it becomes, and the less the patient or client is aware of a problem ever existing in the first place.Essentially, the problem and the person merge together, now it becomes difficult to separate the person from their “problem”.The original problem, left unresolved, creates new problems, which are just adaptations that come about to resolve the original problem. Each new adaptation creates another imbalance, which your body will try, yet again, to resolve by adaptation. Eventually, you run out of adaptations, now you’re a hurting pup and you want some help with the pain.

So, you’re just getting older?Yeah, I hear that bull all the time. Work on this stuff now and reap the benefits of a fully functional body, or wait, until you can’t take the pain any more. Get real….massage.

Passion for Massage

Posted on June 15, 2009 by admin

To really be good at something, anything really, requires a level of excitement, enthusiasm, in a word, passion. Without passion, your work, though acceptable, will never demonstrate excellence. I had a crazy drive to become a Massage Therapist. Massage itself was not my passion, it was the desire to help people heal: massage became the vehicle to achieve that goal.

Of course, 18 year ago, when I began my career, the profession was much misunderstood, many viewed massage as fluff, a luxury for the wealthy, a palliative, or, at worst, a cover for prostitution. Today, the profession has advanced and made some inroads. People are beginning to hear good things about the benefits of this old healing practice. At the same time, the popularity that many of us massage pioneers helped create is being lost in a flood of new under- trained, under- qualified recruits who through no fault of their own cannot meet the higher expectations of today’s informed client. The pressure to make big money has led to a decline in the quality of service provided. Substance and performance have given way to slick promos and empty promises.

Massage is more than what meets the eye. For Instance, each human body has it’s own unique topography. Each person has a quality of depth, composition, and complexity which is like no other, and presents a different challenge. Nowadays, the average massage therapist delivers a massage much the same way a house painter applies a coat of paint, uniformly, superficially, and repetitively, with no regard to the unique qualities of the individual. Witness the birth of “fast food” massage.

Midlife comebacks and the weekend warrior

Posted on June 6, 2009 by Abe

Time to get real. If you have been a couch potato for a while, some things have changed. If you’re planning on making a comeback, there are a few things that you will probably want to know.

You can lose up to 80% of your conditioning by taking just two weeks off of your regular exercise routine. That is, if you have a regular routine. You are going to want to take a gradual approach, and, in doing so,` you will get back up to speed in no time.

Chances are, if you have been off for a while, several changes have occurred in your body.Your muscle mass will be considerably smaller. Your muscles may have shortened and lost flexibility. Muscles, tendons, and other structures will have begun to adhere together, restricting your body movements. Your posture is not as upright. Maybe, you have gained a few pounds. Because you have not used your muscles vigorously, they have accumulated waste products and are not as efficient. Your wind is less, which you notice once you start to push yourself.

Now for the plug. This is a perfect time for you to start getting regular Massage. Massage will get you back up and running faster, and with less discomfort. In fact, many individuals try to make a comeback and fail, because the transition back to fitness is just too much of a struggle. Massage can make this a much easier route. You want back, don’t you? I want you feeling good again.

However, you have some folks who are betting against you. Every gym that signs up new members knows that most of them won’t be taking advantage of their membership benefits. They know you will probably make a good two- week effort, if that much, and give up.That works fine for the gym, because they know they can oversell memberships and make a fortune while you sit at home. You see, the idea of being healthy is not the same as actually being healthy. I want you to succeed. We can do it!

So, do you agree?

Stretching Basics… bend don’t break!

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Abe

Nobody enjoys stretching; we’d rather just compete. However, that’s one big reason athletes get hurt. Afterward, the rehab can take a long time, and any athlete will tell you it is frustrating not being out there competing. So, a few pointers on stretching.

Before you stretch, warm your muscles up…..If you’re at home, take a warm shower. If you’re at the gym, do the activity you planned, only do it at 1/2 to 3/4 speed. Do this without any contact. So take a few layups, short jumpers if you’re hooping for example. The key is to do the activity slowly; this allows for blood to get into those muscles. When they are warm, they are less likely to tear or perform poorly, which might lead to an injury.
Once the muscles are warmed up, it is time to stretch. Be sure to “hold” your stretch for a minute or so. Count to Sixty, otherwise you probably won’t stretch the muscle long enough. Do this for each muscle group involved. Also, no bouncing, hold the muscle in a sustained stretch. Focus on how the muscle feels and on your breath. This will help the stretch and get you focused and ready to play.
Stretch the muscles used in the activity, focus on the ones that give you trouble.
Whatever your game, go out and perform.

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