James Speer,
Injury Rehab Therapist,
Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais

Thank you for coming here. This is where I continue to create articles regarding my work in Movement Re-Education Therapy, and orthopedic rehabilitation. If you experience back, neck, shoulder, or wrist pain, or have balance issues, I can help you. If you’re new here, a good place to start is to read my post below titled “What I Do as a Functional Movement Education Therapist.” The best to you in great health! James, 1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suite #208,Santa Monica, CA, tel. 310-395-1952

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Try exercising in 2-dimensions (circular movements), rather than always exercising in 1-dimension (linear movements)

Wow! That's a lot of words for a title. What do I mean by this?

Please reference the following link to see an informative video made by Movement Specialist Jackie Mason, posted to Google. Former classmates together, Jackie was actually in my particular Training Program with me in New York City back in 1991 through 1994, when we both graduated together. Click below to see how Jackie's extensive knowledge of Movement Education comes through in the following video.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3005418105570551332

Movement Matters with Jackie - Part 8 - Relieve Back Pain with Rotation
58 minutes 5 seconds in length.

I did not intend for you guys to watch the complete video, it being over 58 minutes long. Although if you decide to do so, you may find it very helpful. I just wanted you all to see the first 3 minutes of Jackie's video, where she makes a good point to say how we, as people, when it comes to working out, treat our joints as "hinges". Rather, to put it in my own words, we usually only move our limbs and the rest of our body parts in "1-dimensional" kinds of movements. That is, we move "straight up and down", or, "straight back and forth". These are how most conventional workouts are designed. To give one example, take the popular weightlifting exercise, the "Military Press". You "press" or lift a weight directly above your head (in a straight line), and then you gradually lower the weight (in a straight line) back to "neutral" (the starting point) to then be able to repeat the same trajectory many more times. This is moving in one dimension. This is OK to work out like this some of the time, that is, to move "linearly". However, as Jackie infers, we should probably also work out our limbs and other body parts in "2-dimensional" kinds of movements, rather, in rotational kinds of movements as well.

Thinking in these terms, check out the following video uploaded by Jack Cascio onto youtube.com back on December 14, 2011.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qcXPg_2aYo

Intense "Pull-Up Workout" Get Faster!, 1 minute 54 seconds in length.

Jack Cascio is a revered fitness trainer, nationally renown for his knowledge and skill in improving athlete's sprinting speed and jumping ability. I like how within this video, Jack demonstrates some great upper body, pull-up exercises, which, believe it or not, can ultimately influence your running speed. [Remember, "Everything is connected to everything." Thus, if your upper body is primed, it ultimately influences the finesse of your lower body (your legs).]

Note the second exercise that Jack demonstrates in this video, the "Around the Clock" pull-ups. These are good in that they are not the conventional linear, or 1-dimensional pull up. Rather, they are a 2-dimensional, or circular, kind of movement.

Circular movements are great for developing athleticism. Speaking of which …

The “Push-Up”

We are all familiar with the classic exercise, the push-up. This is a wonderful exercise. However, keeping in mind what we have been discussing, it would perhaps also be beneficial for you if you modified the movement from time to time. After all, muscles like to be exercised with variety, at all different angles and perspective. This is why it is sometimes helpful to change up your routine from time to time.

As you know, the starting position of the standard push-up requires you to position yourself on your hands and the toes of your feet, with your head, torso, and legs above the ground, with your arms pushed-out or extended. Thus, your arms are relatively “unbent”. From here, you begin to allow yourself to come toward the ground. Rather, you “go down” toward the ground. That is, you allow your elbows to bend in order that you be able to, for instance, touch either your nose, chin, or chest to the ground. Then, you immediately push out or extend your arms in order to push your body away from the ground in order to return to the starting position once again.

Note that this is a “straight up and down”, or linear, motion.

Here’s a fun modification to the push-up, which incorporates circular movements.:

I enjoy doing these.

From the starting position, the next time that you go down toward the ground, be different. Try to throw in a little “twist” or circle to the movement. That is, for instance, as you move downward toward the ground, have the intention of going downward as well as, at the same time, toward the right. That is, allow your face to simultaneously drop downward toward the ground as well as toward your right hand. When your face is about halfway toward the ground, then begin to allow your face to begin to move toward the left so that, after your face touches the ground, it continues to move toward the left so that when it is halfway up, it is over toward your left hand. Continue the upward movement as you begin to simultaneously move your head toward the right. Continue in this trajectory so that when you finally arrive up to the initial starting position, your head is once again in the center. You have now just completed a full circle! Bravo!

You may have just discovered how this modification to the standard push-up, this circular movement, seems fun, interesting, as well as maybe even empowering.

This circular movement may feel difficult at first. However, as you get stronger and more skilled, it becomes easier. You may even find that as you become more proficient with this movement, you’ll be able to increase the size of the circle, rather, the diameter of the circle.

Can you think of other movements or exercises that you can do to incorporate circular movements, instead of doing the conventional linear movement? Go ahead. Be creative. J

Hasta la vista,
James

Guan Yin Acupuncture & Movement-Education Center
Dr. Lin Cheng Speer, LAc, OMD, PhD
James Speer, Injury Rehab Therapist
Functional Movement-Education Therapist
Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais
1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suites #203, #208
Santa Monica, CA 90401
tel. 310-395-1952www.drlinspeer.com
www.feldenkraisjamesspeer.com
"Health Is All that Matters!"

"If you’re in pain, or your body aches, I give you the sensory motor experience to be able to move freely, effortlessly, pleasantly, without strain or discomfort. Say 'Hello' to relaxing, and 'Goodbye' to stiffness and pain!"
To see my popular YouTube video of me demonstrating the wonderful "'2-Minute Movement-Education Miracle' to Free Up Your Stiff Neck", Click Here

Monday, September 17, 2012

"Even a Mercedes Needs a Tune-Up"

Greetings everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful, enjoyable and active summer. If it was "too active", or more than you could handle, please feel free to come in and see me. Whether it's because of your tennis elbow, swimmer's shoulder, "computer user" carpal tunnel wrist pain, housemaid knee, runner's knee, or for your "office chair sitting" sore neck or back, I can provide you with hands-on Functional Movement Re-Education work for your body in order to learn a new pattern for movement. Or, more simply, for body pain relief and healing.

If it's been a while since you've been in, you might be interested for coming in for your "monthly maintenance session". As a long-standing client of mine likes to say, "Even a Mercedes needs a tune-up." :-)

I look forward to seeing you soon!

To great health!
James

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Medical Animation Video, "Heal"

To my dear health enthusiasts,

Greetings to you all! I thought that the following video, produced by Ghost Productions, was absolutely beautiful and fascinating.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=xMYjfb_M9wM&vq=large (5 minutes, 21 seconds in length)

This superbly done medical animation film wonderfully accentuates the process of "Heal". This inspiring film marvelously displays the human anatomy and its wonderful supporting systems, as well as the great technology and recuperative powers of modern orthopedic medicine. I especially enjoyed seeing a close up of the hero's spine and the wonderful advances that modern medicine has apparently made in the realm of very functional disk replacements.

At the conclusion of the video, there is the final screen display:

Ghost Productions.com … Celebrating 15 Years of Excellence in Medical Animation

I have absolutely no affiliation with "Ghost Productions". I just thought that they presented an extremely well done video. I hope that you enjoy this short film as much as I did!

The best to all,
James

Sunday, July 29, 2012

To Protect Yourself from the Sun's Rays, Remember the "Shadow Rule"

Greetings everyone!

This being the summer time, you may often wonder, when is it healthy or OK to be in the sun? Of course, we all hear the hype about the sun's "harmful rays". Some say to simply use sun tanning or sun screening products. However, I have my own reservations regarding applying these "chemical soups" to my skin, especially if you take the time to read some of the ingredients listed on the bottle that after application will be ultimately absorbed by your skin and into your body. Can you say "Oxybenzone"?

Thus, I will use the commercial sun screen that is immediately available on the market only sparingly when I have no other recourse, that is, when I have to be out in the sun during those high intensity times of blazing sun. Of course, applying sun tan lotion is probably the lesser evil as compared to getting a full, outright sunburn, which I have had plenty of in my life time as a result of venturing into the sun during those peak times, totally unprotected, when I should have been otherwise.

Thus, in order to be able to forego the use of sunscreen, some of us may be confused. That is, we might be thinking, should we stay out of the sun, let's see, is it between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m? ... Or, if it's the summer time, should it be between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.? ... But, what if it's Daylight Saving Time? Does this then mean between 10 to 4 p.m.? ... etc. ... It seems to be a lot of guessing and confusion.

To help untangle this bewilderment, there is a wonderful book I once read, titled "Doctor Morrison's Miracle Guide to Pain-Free Health and Longevity" by Dr. Marsh Morrison, D.C., 1977. In the book, amongst many different health topics, Dr. Marsh writes:

The best test for sunbathing safety is in the length of your shadow.

Dr. Marsh goes on to state that as long as your shadow that is cast on the ground is longer than you are, then it is OK for you to be in the sun. Or, another way to say this is ... If your shadow is shorter than you are, you should be out of the sun.

If you must be in the sun when your shadow is shorter than you are, I have heard some people advocate a natural, safe alternative to the commercial sun screens is, instead, using "unrefined coconut butter" on your skin. I will confess that if I have to be in the sun when my shadow is shorter than I am, I still reach for the Coppertone bottle. :-)

The best in health!
James

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

FREE Functional Movement Education, 15th Anniversary Celebration!

FREE MOVEMENT EDUCATION!!
15^th Year Celebration!!

Free Functional Movement Education sessions on May 21 & 22 for you!!

Do something wonderful for yourself. You deserve it!!

Since May 1997, this now marks the 15^th Anniversary of my office location in Santa Monica. To show my appreciation to you, in Celebration, I have chosen to offer free Functional Movement Education sessions to the public in my office at Guan Acupuncture & Movement Education Center in Santa Monica, California on both Monday, May 21, and Tuesday, May 22.
Reservations Required: tel. 310-395-1952

Functional Movement Education sessions:
By developing your own body awareness, these hands-on bodywork sessions have therapeutic effect in alleviating joint pain, such as back, neck, shoulder and wrist pain. By discovering your own pattern of how your body moves during these private sessions, you learn improved mobility, pain relief, and a healthy way for using your body. Sessions are 45 minutes.

Call tel. 310-395-1952, or cell 310-938-6595, to schedule an appointment, so you can say:

Goodbye! to Pain and Stiffness and Hello! to joy and comfort.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Functional Movement Education for Yoga

The core of my Functional Movement Education practice is helping people having acute or chronic pain of the back, neck, shoulder, and wrist. However, I also work with yoga students, or yogis, who are interested in improving their flexibility, ease and comfort, within their practice of yoga. Some of these people are currently in pain, some are already very healthy. These latter individuals are simply looking for a better way to improve their yoga.

During a session with a yogi, I use Functional Movement Education strategies to facilitate people's comfort in getting into the various beautiful yoga postures, or "asanas", as they are called. Adaptable to all levels of ability or experience, working hands-on with clients, I present a Functional Movement Education approach to "stretching" in order to improve their yoga practice.

We all know that Functional Movement Education is a wonderful body-centered self-discovery process. Yoga can be also. An obvious difference is that Functional Movement Education uses movement for self-exploration and awareness while yoga uses asanas, mudras, and intentional kinds of breathing. Therefore, I've found it sometimes to be a beautiful union between two different forms of self-exploration.

Complementing my primary passion of Functional Movement Education, I've discovered in recent years a strong fondness for yoga. It's interesting how my love for one ignites my passion and application for the other. Within my own personal time, each occasion in which I design a Functional Movement Education lesson around a certain yoga pose, I find that I enjoy the yoga even more so. I'm also discovering that the more I do yoga, that returns my interest to Functional Movement Education for more movement exploration. What a serene blend between process-oriented and goal-oriented kinds of work!

Functional Movement Education can dynamically help improve your flexibility and comfort within an asana. Some of the asanas I have worked with clients for improving have been, in their English name: Lotus, Cat, Camel, Hero, Plough, Spinal Twist, Head to Knee, Smiling Cow, Cobra, and the Bridge.

"Sensible Feet, rather than Sensitive Feet"

Each particular session with a client is unique with that particular person and on that particular day. However, to give a tangible to what I do, I'll give a physical example of when I work with a yoga student who approaches me for improvement in sitting cross-legged, or sitting in Lotus. Often times I am able to improve the yogi's flexibility by "working the client's feet". More accurately, I am working through the client's feet, sensing for connections to the rest of the Self (body). As I am working, I am asking within myself, "How does this (foot) connect to the rest of the Self?" I may never actually articulate an answer. However, it is this indulgement into this Inquiry Process that is the Functional Movement Education work. I may also begin to gently turn or "play" with the client's toes and foot, as I am "into the process" of being aware of the connections throughout this individual as I am "exploring" the feet. At some time during our "dance" together, I may find that I am even able to ultimately interlace the client's toes together, only if it is easy and comfortable to do so. However, this is not a direct goal of the session. As a practitioner, I am into the moment. ... I am into the process ... not the goal.

Clients, afterward, are often amazed at how much more comfortably and easily they can sit cross-legged, or even in some form of Lotus. What an improvement! It's wonderful how this strategy can open oneself up for sitting. One reason for this is because of the coherent connections between the toes/feet and the rest of the Self. The toes/feet are instrumental in balance, which influences the organization of the Self.

An especially enjoyable moment in my practice occurred when a yoga teacher in the area, Deanne Shower, age 56, came to see me out of curiosity. In the beginning of our session, she expressed that she was experiencing an intense tightness and pain in her right buttock when doing any Head-to-Knee pose. This was unfortunately affecting her practice and teaching of yoga. I guided her through a gentle “Head to Knee lesson". Instead of having the intention of bringing her head to her knee (while the legs are straight), I built our session together around having her first explore bringing her head toward her knee while her leg is comfortably bent. Then I would ask her to maintain the same relationship between her head and knee, namely that the two remain touching, while she slowly extend her leg in order to straighten it. Instead of the traditional “hamstring stretch” that is taught to almost every American in our school system, this Functional Movement Education strategy teaches the relationship between the hamstrings, back, neck, and the rest of the Self (body) for more efficient movement.

At the end of our session, Deanne was overjoyed. She told me that she no longer had ANY pain when performing the “hamstring stretch”. She then amazed herself by proudly showing me that she was actually able to wrap both legs behind her head, exclaiming “I’ve never been able to do this. This stuff really works!”

I love how my experiences with yoga people have always been positive. They have always been quite open to Functional Movement Re-Education work.

If you are just starting to develop an interest in learning yoga, I would advise you to first find an instructor that you feel comfortable with, and that you feel comfortable enough to be allowed to slowly go and learn at your own pace. It’s important that you do not feel compelled to have to be able to pre-maturely force yourself into a yoga pose. Be sure that you do not feel that you are, before you are ready for it, overly-stretching, in order to attain a, supposedly, certain level of fitness. Find a teacher that you feel is nicely pacing you, and you do not feel is rushing you beyond your immediate abilities.

The best to all,

James

Guan Yin Acupuncture & Movement-Education CenterDr. Lin Cheng Speer, LAc, OMD, PhD
James Speer, Injury Rehab Therapist
Functional Movement-Education Therapist
Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais
1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suites #203, #208
Santa Monica, CA 90401
tel. 310-395-1952www.drlinspeer.com
"Health Is All that Matters!"

"If you’re in pain, or your body aches, I give you the sensory motor experience to be able to move freely, effortlessly, pleasantly, without strain or discomfort. Say 'Hello' to relaxing, and 'Goodbye' to stiffness and pain!"
To see my popular YouTube video of me demonstrating the wonderful "'2-Minute Movement-Education Miracle' to Free Up Your Stiff Neck", Click Here

Monday, January 16, 2012

For Practitioners: "Two Tools for My Practice ... The Table (Folded) and Telephone Books"

[Please allow me to state up front that the following blog is for Functional Movement Education Therapists, rather than for others. I will soon be coming out with some more articles for the general public.]

Greetings Colleagues!

I observe that many different forms of healing therapies employ the use of tools within their work. For example, some "bodyworkers" sometimes use a tool in order to be able to do, for instance, deeper soft tissue work, while still being able to salvage their thumbs, hands, or arms from overuse. Since our profession, Functional Movement Education, an extremely powerful form of movement and somatic reeducation, also falls under the same protective umbrella with these other helpful modalities, vis-a-vis, the Healing Arts, it may be interesting to explore exactly some of the different "tools" that we frequently, or, occasionally, use within our own profession.

As Movement Educators, we are all familiar with the use of props, for the purpose of support, for a client when she is lying on our table. For example, supposing a client is lying supine (on her back), as practitioners, we may, or may not, choose to apply some sort of foam support behind her knees, as well as, possibly, under her ankles, if we see that it may be educationally useful.

Likewise, we may also apply padding, for instance, behind the lower back, the nape, the wrists, a shoulder, etc., if we see a large gap behind these areas. Thus, we may possibly consider the use of foam or pads as tools within our profession.

Evidently, the term, "tool", is not being conveyed in the traditional sense of the word, that is, "a device used to perform or facilitate manual or mechanical work". This use of the word, "tool", would convey a categorizing of a, for instance, "doing something", or, a "doing something onto". This would espouse the principle employed by a therapy, of a "working on". Whereas, we are familiar that this does not, at all, confer Functional Movement Education, which, instead, conveys the principle of a "working with". Utilizing this perspective, I am employing the term, "tool", to illustrate a device, which, as Practitioners, we encapsulate its use, in order to assist us within our exploratory process.

When working with our clients, we are familiar with the use of chairs, or, even the use of a vertical wall, which is wonderful for using for standing lessons. We often times employ the use of rollers. Frequently, we place a pad(s) behind the head. Sometimes we enjoy using a plastic or wood board to simulate the valuable "artificial floor" lesson. Analogously, the use of a board, applied to the hand, for an educational "artificial floor" lesson to the hand, can be helpful. This can be easily done with the client lying prone (on their stomach, or, front side), their arm hanging off the table, over the edge.

I propose two other tools which I relish within my work, (1) the Functional Movement Education table, itself, provided that it is a portable folding table (2) the use of telephone books.

I enjoy using the Functional Movement Education table, folded in half, and then securely latched up, as if for packing away. For instance, after positioning the folded, locked-up table, vertically (i.e., at an exact right angle with respect to the floor), I will then have the client straddle over it, so that her feet are just barely touching the floor. This set up provides a wonderful simulation for standing up in the vertical, while, at the same time, there is only a very minimal amount of force actually traveling through the client's feet. The client is "weightless" while in standing! The table is supporting the client in standing, through her groin area, as opposed to supporting her through her feet. This provides the sensory motor experience of standing, without, otherwise, efforting through her feet, thus, an excellent opportunity for exploration, without the client possibly holding onto her, otherwise, habitual patterns.

The practitioner can also ask the client to bend her legs, so that her inner thighs are straddling, lightly pressing into, the table, in order to emulate sitting, more accurately, sitting on a bicycle or motorcycle, or horseback riding.

Using the folded table to emulate standing or sitting gives the practitioner an abundant access to almost all of the different areas of the client's body. Thus, it creates a large opening for simultaneously working THROUGH many different classical landmarks, which might otherwise be sometimes untouchable, i.e., a unique access to both sit bones, as well as full access to all sides of the ribs, etc.

Sometimes, for additional support, rather than having the table free standing, which might sometimes require the client to be a little concerned for her balance while straddling over it, I may, instead, place the folded table in between two sturdy supports. For example, I will push together my desk and my filing cabinet, so that the folded table, which is positioned vertically in between them, is then securely locked into place. I position the table so that at least two feet, or so, is sticking out from in between my desk and filing cabinet, in order to allow enough room for the client to comfortably position herself over it.

Depending upon my level of comfort with the client, I may join her and also straddle the upright folded table, usually from behind, to position myself closer to her. This provides an ideal place for the practitioner to run his fingers and hands up and down the client's spine and sacrum for doing, for instance, extension, flexion, or lateral bending lessons. The table becomes a "two-person saddle". Practitioner and client are, both, "riding the horse together".

On some occasions, if the client's feet do not comfortably reach the floor, I will place another "tool" that I use, that being telephone books, under her feet.

The use of telephone books also applies to when the table is in its original position, where it is unfolded, that is, where it is set up in its horizontal position, expressly, its entire length being about 16 inches or so along the floor. In this instance, I will use simple, easily accessible, telephone books, when necessary, when doing a Kneeling Over the Table Lesson, and the client's knees will not, otherwise, comfortably reach the floor. Furthering the assurance of comfort, I will always place a kneeling pad between her knees and the telephone books.

Before using a telephone book, I will first wrap strong, packing tape around its entire perimeter, lengthwise, as well as, its entire width, in order to better maintain its solid rectangular shape. Otherwise, the depth (thickness) of the telephone book can sometimes buckle, slightly, under weight. If, sometimes, the material of the outer cover of the book is too glossy or slippery, I will wrap it completely in paper, taped to seal. This allows better solid footing for the client, as well as being more aesthetically appealing.

Getting back to discussing the utilization of telephone books pertaining to working with the client while the table is in its original position, unfolded, that is, the table is positioned horizontal along the floor, the entire length of the table being about 16 inches or so from the floor. ... We all know how important it is to lift a client's arm, leg, head, or any part of their body, with the conveyance of little effort on our part in order to give the sensory-motor experience to the client of what it is like to move easily or effortlessly. To give a practical application of how I use a telephone book to help me with this, let's suppose that the client is lying supine on my table. I will arrange for her to be lying so that there is about 1 1/2 feet between her head and the edge of the table. Within this 1 1/2 feet of space, I will sit on the table in order to bring my pelvis close as is comfortably possible (comfortable to both parties, the practitioner and client) to the client's head, in order to be able to gracefully and easily lift the client's head. It is necessary for me to straddle my legs over the table in this position. For shorter practitioners who have difficulty in straddling their legs over the table while it is in this horizontal position, simply place telephone books on either side of the table so that as your feet straddle over the side of the table, they don't need to go so far down as to be able to ultimately reach the floor. Instead, having a thick telephone book nicely resting on the floor, your feet only need to go so far as to be able to rest them on the telephone book, which is supported by the floor underneath it. Thus, a practitioner can feel very comfortable in this position of straddling a horizontal table.

As with any information ... Take what is useful to you. ... Discard the Rest. ... Invent what you still need.

Enjoy!

The best to all!
James

Guan Yin Acupuncture & Movement-Education Center
Dr. Lin Cheng Speer, LAc, OMD, PhD
James Speer, Injury Rehab Therapist
Functional Movement-Education Therapist
Practitioner of the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais
1003 Wilshire Blvd. Suites #203, #208
Santa Monica, CA 90401
tel. 310-395-1952www.drlinspeer.com
"Health Is All that Matters!"

"If you’re in pain, or your body aches, I give you the sensory motor experience to be able to move freely, effortlessly, pleasantly, without strain or discomfort. Say 'Hello' to relaxing, and 'Goodbye' to stiffness and pain!"
To see my popular YouTube video of me demonstrating the wonderful "'2-Minute Movement-Education Miracle' to Free Up Your Stiff Neck", Click Here

Pages