Category: Blog

Posted on

Guess Who Just Became a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist …

How’s it going, everyone?  Happy Monday.  I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy (and sane) as we stay-in-place and patiently wait out the spread of COVID-19.

This last week I accomplished another professional milestone and officially passed (nailed) my Strength & Conditioning Specialist final with the International Sports Science Association (ISSA).  I’ve been studying strength and conditioning the last six months after passing my Fitness Trainer certification in October and it’s really rounded out my understanding of physical fitness and sport-specific training principles.

What is Strength & Conditioning? 
Essentially, strength and conditioning is the science-based practical application of training techniques (including weight lifting and plyometrics, to name two) to improve sports-specific skills and performance with focused workouts, proper periodization, and goal-based planning.

What differentiates Strength & Conditioning from Fitness Training?
While fitness training focuses on developing strength, aerobics, flexibility and balance through exercises and proper training techniques, strength and conditioning specifically focuses on developing power and performance through sport-specific workouts adjusted to each training cycle (offseason, preseason, season, postseason).

I’ve really learned a lot over the last six months studying and applying all I’ve learned in the gym, and am looking forward to working with clients looking to take their exercise game to the next level.  I also can’t wait to get back into the gym (when they reopen) and get some bench press and deadlifts in; anyone else?
Now that I’ve finished my strength and conditioning certification, I’m ready to learn all about nutrition as I begin to study for my Nutrition Coach Certification and Certified Yoga Instructor courses over the next six+ months (or sooner, depending on this time in isolation).

Have any questions about personal fitness?  I’ve got some extra time on my hands if you have any questions about getting a solid workout in at home during this time.  Let me know!

Hope everything cools down soon and everyone remains healthy so we can get our massages going again in the near future.  Until then, we wait patiently and keep our communities safe.  Be well.  

P.S. Getting a little stir crazy here at home … anyone else?
Just me hanging out with all my elastic resistance bands (20-100lbs!), making sure to stay active during these isolated times.

They’re a major part of my mobile training sessions and a colorful addition to any ensemble.

Posted on

What is ‘Thixotropy’ and How Does Slow & Steady Win the Massage Race?

Ever wonder why I can’t dive right into those muscles fast and furiously?  No, not just because it’s not relaxing to be poked, pulled, and prodded repeatedly; it’s because the body’s physiology won’t respond to fast pressure, period.

Thanks to a property called ‘thixotropy’, relaxing those tense muscles requires slow, steady application of pressure.  Thixotropy is a way of describing a gel-like substance acting as a solid when a fast force is applied to it, while also acting as a liquid when a slow force is applied.  This means that if you hit the surface of a thixotropic substance with, say, a hammer; it will bounce off the surface.  But, if you lay that hammer down on the surface, it will slowly sink into the substance, instead.

The thixotropic nature of our muscles means that to sink into those deeper areas of tension or to get through one muscle and into another, a therapist must apply slow, steady pressure to truly access those layers of your body.  If we simply bat at the body, it will bounce us back.

Here’s a fun video thanks to the educators at Lamar University showing that visually demonstrates the property of thixotropy using a large vat of corn starch and water.  As you can see, students can literally run across this gel pool with quick feet, but once they slow down, they sink down into the mixture.

So the next time a therapist tries to quickly dig into a knotted muscle, especially if they don’t warm it up, don’t be surprised if unconsciously your body pushes back.  Just another one of the many interesting wonders our bodies hold in store to keep us going on a daily basis.

Need some slow, steady pressure applied to those problem areas?  Let’s get some deep tissue and myofascial release into your life.  Contact me to schedule your next massage and stay tuned for more interesting information next Massage Monday.  Have a great week!

Until next time,

Jason Brain

Posted on

How ‘Primal’ Are Your Movements: The Seven Primal Movement Patterns

Every time you move, in a flash, your body receives innumerable impulses from the sensory neurons, deciphered by the brain, and relayed out to the motor neurons creating movement.  And while your body is an incredible machine, coordinating multiple movement patterns in a matter of split-seconds, there are a seven specific movement patterns that the body relies on most often.
These seven primal movement patterns include:
Push  Upper body pushing away from the body
Pull  Upper body pulling towards the body
Lunge  Linear stride, lowering a knee, with an upright torso
Squat  Hips move downward underneath body with straight back
Rotate  Twisting of the core (pelvis to ribcage)
Hinge  Bending at hips forward, butt moves back with neutral spine
Gait  Walking, jogging, running, sprinting

These seven “Primal Movement Patterns” are the most commonly undertaken by the body.  To speed up the processing for each movement, our body creates neural-shortcuts for each movement.  Imagine, using computer coding as an example, instead of 100s of pages of biologic HTML to activate each motor neuron crossing each joint in the movement, our brain creates a shortcode like [shortcode=action-squat] for ease with repetition.  Inside that “shortcode” is the hyper-quick recipe for how you repeat that action over and over, day in and day out.
Problems arise, though, when these movement patterns become inundated with faulty coding, such as imbalances, compensations, injuries, improper muscle tone, emotional trauma, inactivity, and more.  As you can see in the overhead squat image above, there are many ways to compensate when performing the action.  Good news!  You can reprogram that code with mindful, dynamic movement patterns through exercise, massage,  yoga, postural adjustments, and more.  It takes hard work and time, but well worth the investment in your body.

Properly performing these seven primal movements on a daily basis can be the difference when it comes to aches and pains in your daily life.  No need to battle your own body with incorrect movement patterns; let’s schedule your 1st training/massage session in the near future.  Contact me for availability and let’s schedule your next massage!  Have a great week, look forward to talking to you soon.

Until next Monday,
Jason Brain
Posted on

Happy New Year: 2019 in Review

Hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are ready for a joyous New Year.  I was reflecting on the past year and all the people and opportunities I’ve been blessed to share, and thought I’d share some of my favorite bodywork memories, experiences, and milestones.

Cheers to a new year and a wonderful 2020!
Earned Personal Training Certification In October, I officially completed my Personal Training Certification with the International Sport Sciences Association (ISSA).  I’m so fascinated by the body in all facets, I’m also taking a Strength & Conditioning and a Nutrition Coach certification course to continue rounding out my comprehensive bodywork practice.  Why not, right!?

Interested in taking your fitness to the next level?  Consider scheduling a training session in the new year!  Let’s define your goals and create a fitness plan towards success, whether it’s strength gain or weight loss or beyond; I’m here to help.  Contact me and let’s schedule your 1st training session in the new year!
Started @ Burke Williams, Mission Viejo in May I gotta say, I didn’t know what to expect.  Was worried it might be too-spa-like for me, but I’ve really come to enjoy the people I work with and the company.  I’m only there a few small shifts a week, but it’s going well and I certainly don’t mind the free massages for the therapists on staff.
New Events Around Southern California From Irvine to Carlsbad to Canoga Park, I was meeting new people all over the Southern California area.  Whether it was a Brain & Body setup at farmers markets or being brought on for corporate chair/appreciation days, had a blast delivering relief and relaxation with the ol’ massage chair.

Have an event, party, or fundraiser coming up?  Or ready to surprise your staff with a relaxing spa day at work?  Contact me for availability and pricing!  Always up for bringing massage to fun environments.
Celebrated 2 Years @ Encino StudioI can’t believe it’s been over two years at my space in Encino.  Time flies when you’re having fun at work.  Like they say, when you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.  Here’s to another many years, and many thanks to my massage-partner-in-crime, Josh King.
Proudly powered by WordPress