Dainah Craft

Working for over 10 years in sports therapy, I have seen many workout trends come and go. In the last year, the hottest trend has been the grueling P90X workout followed quickly by the even more fierce INSANITY. The science behind these techniques is sound, and the results on the body vary. I have seen many of my clients lose inches and build muscle, but I’ve also seen them lose up to 40% of their range of motion in areas such as the rotator cuff (shoulder), neck and lower back.
 

The workouts are very intense and put an incredible strain on the muscles. Not only are you sore from constantly subjecting the muscles to micro tears, but the soreness leads to lack of movement throughout the rest of your daily routine which leads to more soreness, fatigue and less flexibility. Strength training by nature tightens the muscles, and if you are not consistently stretching after each workout, you are going to lose flexability as well.
 

Take Care of Yourself  During P90X Workouts

So, what is my verdict on P90X and INSANITY? Do it if you want, but have a care plan for your beat-up muscles.  Make sure you don’t skip the cool down after the workout. Yeah, I know you’re sweating profusely, probably can’t breathe and you feel like you are on the verge of collapse, but don’t skip it. Your body will thank you later. Be sure to stretch each muscle group that you focused on. Stretch until you feel a mild pull and hold the stretch for a minimum of 10 seconds.  Make sure when you are counting that you are counting 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi etc… Take a deep breath and relax deeper into the stretch for a total of three reps.
 

Drink water! Forgo the power aide drinks and reach for a plain glass of H2O. There’s no point subjecting yourself to torture on a daily basis if you are just going to dump a bunch of refined sugars into your body as soon as you are done. How much water should you drink? The formula is half your weight in ounces every day. And I would add an additional 8 ounces on top of that to aide your body in moving out the waste products your muscles are producing during your workout.
 

Massage Therapy Will Increase Your Workout Capacity

Because I like to save the best for last, I recommend that you get a massage one day a week while you are doing P90X or INSANITY. Have your therapist target the muscle attachments around the joints first, then in flushing toxins out of the entire length of the muscles with slow deep stripping strokes along the belly of the muscle. Then make sure they are incorporating facilitated stretches in each of your affected areas. The massage should be focused on moving out toxins, keeping your joints flexible and decreasing muscle soreness.  But, it should not be a bone crushing deep tissue massage! Your body is going through enough trauma (called P90X or INSANITY), and you need a massage therapist that knows how to treat your muscles effectively, but kindly. 
 

On a scale of 1-10 (1 is I can’t feel you touching me, and 10 is I am about to pass out because this is so painful). You should stay at a consistent 6-7 (feels great and almost hurts, but not quite) and should never get above an 8. The only exception is when your massage therapist is working a trigger point which should be for a short period of time proceeded with a warning that they are going to push on this really painful knot in your muscle. Don’t worry, while trigger point therapy is painful for a few moments, you will feel much better afterward, and your muscle function will improve as well.
 

So go ahead and do P90X or INSANITY if you feel up to the challenge, but have a self care plan for your muscles to maximize your chances of success. Not only will you come out of it with less fat, more muscle tone and higher self-esteem, but if done in conjunction with proper massage therapy, your body will feel as great as it looks. You’ll have a body that not only looks great, but feels great and is structurally sound!
 

Be Well,

Dainah Craft
Owner and Lead Therapist
Health Yourself Massage, LLC
 

** DISCOUNT MASSAGE PACKAGE for P90X/INSANITY users. **  View details…

Dainah Craft

Shiatsu is an ancient healing modality which originated in Japan. It focuses on balances vital to the body, or Ki (energy). Shiatsu is performed with the client fully clothed in comfortable apparel – sweats for example. It can be performed on either a table, or on a soft mat on the floor. Massage focuses on the pressure points along the 12 meridians of the body (or energy lines) and helps to break up congestion and stiffness in the body and restore the body’s flow of vital KI.

Why I am offering Shiatsu at Health Yourself Massage

I’m already incorporating Shiatsu into almost all of my deep tissue and sports sessions. Not only does it work-out muscles, but it also incorporates many creative stretching techniques that help to balance the joints and increase flexibility. Shiatsu can be used not only to improve muscle function and flexibility; a session can also be targeted to improve other dysfunction in the body such as irritable bowel syndrome, or asthma. It is a more active form of massage, and clients leave my office feeling invigorated and ready to take on the world.

My Qualifications for Shiatsu Massage

I completed a courses in both acupressure and Shiatsu massage in my training at the Utah College of Massage Therapy. I loved the courses and style of body work so much that I sought out a position at the prestigious Kura Door Holistic Japanese Spa in Salt Lake City, Utah where I was provided many opportunities to utilize my Shiatsu training on a wide variety of clientele. I furthered my studies while at the Kura Door, taking a course in Thai Yoga Massage. Out of all the techniques I use with my clients, Shiatsu and Thai yoga techniques are the gentlest and the most effective for restoring movement to distressed joints and muscles. This is the perfect therapy for serious athletes, and for those who are not comfortable undressing for a traditional Swedish-style massage.

If you want to make an appointment for a Shiatsu Massage, please check out my special offer where you can try it for one hour for only $65.

Be Well!

Dainah Craft

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Dainah Craft

Here in Indianapolis it’s almost time to take the golf clubs out of our cars and store them in the garage for the winter, unless you’re fortunate enough to go somewhere warm and play all year-round. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop thinking about golf. This little break gives you a great opportunity to start strength training into the next season, which is only a few months away.

Off-Season Strength Training

Professional golfers are like most other athletes in that they spend their off season strengthening specific muscles that are used in the mechanics of their sport. So, if you want to improve your golf swing during those off-winter months, there are several exercises you can do either at the gym or in your own home or garage. All of these great exercises coupled with massage therapy will ensure that you are ready to be back “on your game” as soon as the new season starts. Here are a couple of videos to get you started:

Strength Training for Golfers – An Upper Body Strength and Balance Exercise

Click here if you have trouble viewing this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF4lHlt7YWE.

This is a fun one to watch and to pick out some great exercises targeted for golfers.

Vijay Singh’s Training Video

Click here if you have trouble viewing this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nq8QDEoFMw.

Golf Swing Training

If you have some flaws in your golf swing that resulted in bad hits, now is a great time to diagnose the root cause and to apply golf swing training drills to correct it. This video shows a common mistake made by golfers; raising up before or after your swing. This exercise will help you quickly correct the problem.

Golf Posture Strength Exercise

Click here if you have trouble viewing this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCPKs6v2nk4.

Remember, it’s very important to use both strength training and professional massage techniques from Health Yourself Massage to help your body prepare for a better golf game. Strength training gives your muscles the strength and endurance it needs for swing, stance and repetitive motion. And massage helps elongate your muscles, repair sore and/or damaged tissues, and really help with your overall flexibility.

Be Well!

Dainah

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