eric

Just reading the title makes you want to stretch your neck and rub your shoulders. Doesn’t it? The answer to “Do you need a massage?” is YES. You need a massage. Why? Because you’ve had injuries. Because you don’t stretch enough. Because you sit at a desk all day long. Because you have intense workouts. Because you woke up with a crick in your neck. Because you want to improve your exercise performance. Because it feels good. Because your spouse’s hands tire so quickly. Because you want to treat yourself. Any and all of these are good reasons to schedule a massage.

Yesterday I got a 1-hour massage by Robb Seal of Premier Bodywork LLC. How was it? Will I go back? Just keep reading.

Robb and I met at a High Tech Happy Hour in January. After a short conversation, I expressed interest not only for myself, but for my clients too. Being able to refer a skilled massage therapist is a value-add for my business. So I scheduled an appointment for March 1st.

Just walking into his office at 715 Hill Street #122, I started to feel relaxed. Was is the decor, the gentle music, the anticipation of healing hands? Probably all of the above. A health history form/questionnaire attached to a clipboard was waiting for me on a chair. After I filled it out, Robb and I talked about any immediate issues or concerns I had. Three hours later, I was on the table. Just kidding. It was a couple minutes. Unfortunately I have a laundry list of injuries due to car accidents, sports, overuse and my body just reminding me that I’m not all that and a bag of chips. My goal in getting a massage by Robb was two-fold: 1) help fix/repair any of my various muscular and fascia issues and 2) see how comfortable I would be referring him. Now, let me back up a second. Clearly, I was willing to get on his table after our initial meeting. Robb has thousands of hours of experience and uses the vocabulary of a healer. Not the typical rub and fluff massage you might get at a spa. That type of a massage has a place, but that’s not what I was looking for and that’s not what most of my clients are interested in either.

Okay, back to the story. After I got on the table, he started palpating (using his hands to examine and feel around). I noticed how intuitive he was as he let his experience and knowledge guide him. There were areas that I asked him to address and parts that I forgot to note on the questionnaire that he quickly discovered. A true professional. He used a combination of deep tissue, myofascial and trigger point work. How could I tell? Just a reminder, I did massage for eight years back in California. Had my table and chair and worked at both a physical therapy clinic and a hotel spa. Plus I have received many massages over the years. I could tell that Robb was not your typical massage therapist when he said that he could have his hands on my left shoulder for 30 minutes. Compare that to your fluff and buff massage technician. Robb is a healer.

In addition to being highly competent and intuitive, Robb tried to balance out the massage by touching on most parts of the body. If he worked on hamstrings and hips, for example, he spent at least a few minutes balancing it out by addressing the quads. While my face was in the face cradle I laughed that I could get a 100 hour massage since I had so much “stuff” going on. Robb didn’t disagree.

When we were done, I polished off the glass of water he had waiting for me. Very professional. We chatted briefly as he had another appointment showing up in a few minutes. I told him that I was very interested to see how I would feel that night and the next day. He reminded me that things would continue to release over the next 48 hours. When I got home, I was ravenous and devoured the chicken and vegetable stir fry that I had made earlier. In bed I did some light stretching and noticed significant improvement in my range of motion and reduced pain in my right hip/piriformis.

How about this morning? Great! A little sore where he spent more time and used more localized pressure. As an aside, I attended the Middleton Chamber Breakfast today, and my friend, AJ Sue, asked me how I was doing. A simple question. I answered him that I was processing yesterday’s massage and how I was feeling. Not in a concerned way, but more introspective. I consider myself to be very body aware and I wanted to pay attention to what my body was telling me about the massage. I forgot to mention that after I got home from my massage appointment, I felt lighter and could walk up the stairs easier. I also felt like I could breathe deeper. So Eric, it sounds like you had a good massage and can highly recommend him. Absolutely! Robb is extremely competent, professional, intuitive and sensitive. I will go back soon, and I hope you book an appointment with him too. Thanks again, Robb!

How was your sleep last night? Not so great? Maybe you were cold. Or your book was at the exciting part? Did you eat supper too late? Maybe the food was too spicy? Exercise later than usual? Work late? Have stuff on your mind? These are a handful of reasons why we may not get as much restful sleep as we’d like. Or it might be as simple as replacing your pillow. Yes, you heard me. It might be time to replace your flattened out ten year old pillow.

Over the last few months I have been hearing that MyPillow advertisement on the radio over and over again. So maybe it’s a bit of brainwashing. But I’ve also seen and heard many mattress ads too. Like most of us, I decided on the cheaper and simpler of the two. Keep reading.

For some time, I had been feeling a lot of pressure on my face when I woke up. My cheek was getting absolutely squished. Was I sleeping on a brick? I also noticed extra tightness in my low back. Just to back track, sleep has been absolutely crucial for me as long as I can remember. Not only have I had a few sports related injuries that required me to rest and get off my feet, but I’d been in a couple car accidents 26 and 22 years ago, respectively. These were good ol’ fender benders where I experienced whiplash. For both I dealt with sciatica issues and some peripheral neuropathy for many years. That is why I consider myself a bit of an expert on shoes, chairs and pillows. So back to present day. After listening to me complain, my thoughtful wife, Heather, suggested that I grab one of the new pillows she bought for our guest room. Ahh, she’s always looking after me. Drum roll please. Problem solved. The moment I laid my head down, I was like “this is how it’s suppose to feel.”

Laying my head on the new pillow was like trying on a new pair of athletic shoes. Can you relate? You slip your old shoes back on after trying new ones and you realize your old shoes offer zero support and are so compressed they feel more like bedroom slippers. You’ve heard me rant in previous posts about wearing comfortable shoes and replacing them sooner rather than later. Some running shoes, for example, say you should replace them after 300, 400 or 500 miles or between 3 to 6 months. I’m on my feet for long stretches, so that is more difficult to calculate. There is little noticeable wear on the outside of the shoes but lots of compression inside. The same is true with your pillow. I’ve read that you should replace your pillow every 2 to 3 years, if not sooner. Personally, I think it’s entirely up to you. If you are uncomfortable laying your head on your pillow, that’s a quick clue.

Remember to take holistic approach. If you are not getting restful sleep you should also look at your workout routine, diet, etc. to see if you’ve made any recent changes. I can tell you that sitting in front of my desktop computer for too long makes my neck and upper back hurt. That’s why I’m going to end this article soon.

Hindsight is 20/20 right? With my old pillow I noticed that I was less settled when I slept. I’d roll from side to side. Getting restful and uninterrupted sleep is a key ingredient to your health and well-being. So before you spend serious bucks on a new mattress or make an appointment with your chiropractor try a new pillow.

Not sure what to get your spouse, relative or friend this holiday season? Give a gift that will make a positive difference in their life. Buy a package of personal training for that special person. Don’t stress out standing in long lines at the store or throw money at another electronic device that will be obsolete in one year or wonder if your on-line order will be delivered in time. Personal training is an experience and not just another thing that you pull off a shelf. A personal training gift certificate shows that you care about a person’s health and well-being. It’s also a great way to help someone achieve their fitness goals faster, stay on track, and have fun along the way. I have four private training packages to choose from. If you are having difficulty choosing, here’s some motivation. From now through the end of the month, you can buy any training package (1, 5, 10 or 20 sessions) at my best session price of $65/session if paid by check or cash. That’s a $15 savings for a single session and a $50 savings for the 5 and 10 session packages. For your convenience, I can attach a gift certificate to print out or email. So don’t wait. The clock is ticking. Happy Holidays! ❄️

Contact me today (608)798-0081 or balancepersonaltraining@tds.net