This fascinating course is aimed at anyone who wants to use Trigger Point Therapy in their professional capacity. You might be a Physiotherapist, Osteopath, Chiropractor, Sports Therapist, Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, Sports Coach or even an Athlete. If you work with people who want to perform better, recover faster and prevent injuries from occuring then this course should be on your radar.

It is being taken by Jonathan Lewis (above) who is not only the Uk’s sole Trigger Point Therapy Master Trainer but also a formidable knowledge on rehabilitation and training methods to ensure that individuals develop not only agility, speed or strength but resilience which is key to the concept of Trigger Point Therapy, so you are guaranteed an afternoon of the highest quality teaching

It comprises of 4.5 hours of CPD and runs from 1pm-6pm on Friday the 17th of June. Places are obviously limited so book soon to avoid disappointment, course fees are £145. To book and reserve your place call Balance on 020 76272308

Just want to make you all aware of a very exciting course coming up at Balance Performance Physiotherapy and presented by CJS Fitness on Sunday the 13th of March 10am – 5pm.

The course will be presented by Naeem Akram the “Running Engineer”, click on the link below to read more and book online.

There is an exceptionally good early bird special offer of £75.00 if booked before the 26th February, there is a further 10% off that price available to the Balance network by entering the discount code 2011BALANCEPOSE when booking, places are obviously limited so move quickly to guarantee your place.

After that date the price rises to £129, the 10% discount code offer will still apply.

http://poserunningworkshop.eventbrite.com/

See you there

Chris Chirsalys - professional circus/sideshow performer

This article was written by J.P. Brice. Co-inventor of the War Machine Suspended Pulley Trainer by CrossCore, Inc.

Bodyweight training. It’s been around forever. But as the sports of bodybuilding and powerlifting really started to evolve in the 50’s and 60’s, we became fascinated with big, shiny, “muscle specific” machines and training with massive amounts of weight. Bigger was better, especially in the 80’s when I began lifting. Well, I will always have a deep passion for bodybuilding and heavy weights. It’s just who I am. But, now that I am almost 40 with three bulging discs caused by all the years of heavy squats and shrugs, I now tend to put longevity first when I train. After all, big muscles are really only temporary, but your tendons, joints and skeletal system are forever and you’ve got to take care of them.

Nowadays there is a growing focus on getting back to the basics. By basics I mean bodyweight training, tire flipping, kettlebells etc. I personally think the recession the past few years has had a lot to do with this. Lets face it, lifting your own bodyweight is pretty affordable compared to a rack of dumbbells. But at the same time I also think that we are all realizing after sixty years of huge leaps in fitness equipment technology, that good old fashioned basics can often give you the same desired end result, if not better.

Today some of the most popular bodyweight training routines include suspended straps. Some are made from two separate straps and some are joined together in a Y configuration toward the top near the anchor point. There are many great attributes of these straps such as allowing us to workout at many different locations, giving us a wide range of exercises that can isolate each muscle or combine many in the same movement…including the beloved “core” we all hear about these days. Straps give us a variety of multi-planar, compound exercise movements that tend to be much easier on the joints because they compliment the body’s natural mechanics. I have to be honest, as a heavy weightlifter of over twenty five years, I first laughed at these straps. I thought, “These don’t weigh 500 lbs….what use could I possibly have for them”. After I was able to shove my ego to the side I soon realized the benefit bodyweight training could offer even me. I now incorporate bodyweight training into my workouts and all my shoulder pain has gone away and my back is much better than it used to be.

Now that I have covered why I personally think bodyweight training is making a comeback and what it has done for me, let me put a different “spin” on things. Imagine adding a 3rd dimension to bodyweight training with suspended straps and even gymnastics rings. An improvement of balance through imbalance. The 3rd dimension I speak of is by way of adding a pulley to these straps that now gives your presses, pulls and everything else you did before, “rotational movement”! Because rotational movement now allows you to train one side of the body at a time or both together, any limitations your bodyweight training routine had before are now totally gone. The balance this improvement creates and the mind-muscle awareness you gain in your form and overall functionality is incredible. Rotation is also great for telling your weak side it had better quickly catch up with the dominant side. I know, my fellow weightlifters out there are still skeptical. But hold on, I’m getting to the icing on the cake for you. The implementation of the suspended pulley also allows you to attach counterweights to one side. These counterweights can range from kettlebells to weight plates. I like kettlebells because they balance perfectly when being hoisted on a pulley. The isolation exercise capability via freeweights (curls, tricep extensions, lat rows, etc.) is now just like being at the gym and the single pulley transfers all the actual weight to the handle so not much weight is needed. If that wasn’t enough, resistance bands can be used in place of the counterweights to give the user even more resistance versatility, not to mention a whole slew of different cable attachments that can be used.

This new “hybrid” concept in bodyweight training equipment is sure to please the beginner all the way up to the elite athlete and I’m convinced it is the future of many exciting things to come in our industry. Now get out there and do the “iron cross” on those rings…but this time with rotational movement!

J.P. Brice
“Life’s A Battle…Prepare For War”
www.crosscore-usa.com

The WarMachine is available in the UK and throughout Europe from Balance Performance shop. Click on this link and take a look: WarMachine

A few examples of the versatility in bodyweight training that the Pulley suspension system of the WarMachine offers personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, bootcamp providers and anyone else who likes to take their physical training outdoors. Free flowing, fluid strength, conditioning, speed, power and endurance.

interested in future education workshops in pulley suspension training across Europe? go to http://www.warmachine-europe.com

want to buy and your from UK/Ireland? you can go direct to the product page: War Machine http://bit.ly/ijyJKr

Outside of Europe and want to know where you can find the WarMachine near you? go to http://www.crosscore-usa.com

Balance Performance is once again extremely proud that Steve Cotter, world class teacher of kettlebells, athletic movement and all aspects of strength, conditioning, movement and wellbeing, will be teaching a 3 hour Masterclass at our London facility.

Friday, October 8th, 6pm – 9.15pm
Balance Performance
113 Gauden Road
London SW4 6LE

call 020-7627-2308 to book a spot: £65

Content of the Masterclass is split between the use of the Animal Moves for bodyweight strength and conditioning followed by 90 minutes of kettlebell technique work. For those who do not know Steve Cotter, he is a teacher who not only has an indepth understanding of the subjects he teaches but as an athlete also he is incredible. Poise, touch, balance, power, strength and grace in movement are very obvious.

Animal Movements:

The original Martial Arts originators observed the animals in nature for inspiration in how they would develop such force and ferocity to defend their habits. Certain animals in particular were revered for their fighting prowess. Out of these studies were develop Animal movements, which recreated the power, grace and agility of the natural kingdom. In this course, full contact champion Steve Cotter shares some of the secrets of Animal Movements to teach you how to use your whole body in a powerful, graceful and integrated manner. Not only are these tremendously challenging, but also unique and a lot of fun.

Kettlebell swing, jerk, snatch and variations:

For those new to kettlebell training, we start from the ground up essentials. For those who have been training for years, you have the benefit of Steve’s experience and the constant improvements and refinements he makes in his own training through his study with the Russian and Ukranian World Champions Lifters. If you think you know how to do these lifts, you will still learn some new tweaks and modification to take your current level to the next level. If this is your first taste of KB training, you will learn the essential movements to get you started on a safe and effective fitness program.

Call soon as previously these Masterclasses have sold out rapidly – because of this i have held off sending text messages to my own personal network to give others a fare go at getting on theMasterclass before it sells out.

Hope to see you there.

Not only does the team at Balance deliver trigger point therapy but we also educate our clients about TrP therapy and how they can do it themselves using Trigger Point Performance kits and individual products.

The more we do it the better the results our clients can achieve for themselves and gain independence with the tools we recommend.

Here is just one comment directed at the TPT page on Facebook:

“Your Ultimate 6 kit helped get me through Boston [Marathon]. Sciatic pains for 2 weeks before. Ran pain free. Thank you!”

Having been at the TPT HQ in Austin Texas a couple of weeks back I have been able to pass on some additional teaching points to Kellie and Trevor (the Balance sports massage team) and Jason Progl (movement, strength and conditioning coach) so they can educate even more effectively the benefits to be had by their clients inducing trigger point release on themselves.

Trigger Point Performance HQ, Austin, Texas

To see the Trigger Point Performance Products online CLICK this underlined link TPT Kits.

for more info contact Jonathan Lewis via our contact page, Twitter, or feel free to look me up on facebook.

Balance Performance #Running Clinic info: http://bit.ly/cp1Oe5 our expertise goes beyond high quality rehab and the Alter-G, we do PBs too!

We have long catered for runners – from novice marathoners to elite and professional runners – but we have refocussed some of our existing services and changed the structure some to better cater for a runners requirements. Early feedback is very positive.

We hope London’s runners, triathletes and recreational marathoners will see that Balance is a place to get expert advice on getting personal bests not just high quality rehabilitation.

Click here for the Running Clinic page

BBC Science Reporter Victoria Gill’s article is linked to below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8483401.stm

It describes research that came to the obvious conclusion that if you give a human the chance to take the path of least resistance they will take it, even if the consequences are a down turn in long term efficiency. Well thats my interpretation, but to be true to the article here is the opening paragraph:

Wearing cushioned running shoes may have changed the way in which many of us run, new research suggests.

Using slow-motion footage, scientists have discovered that experienced barefoot runners land very differently from runners who wear shoes.

The researchers showed that runners who have trained barefoot tend to strike the ground with their forefoot or mid-foot, rather than their heel.

At Balance we often talk about taking a long term perspective and discourage our clients from looking for the short term quick fix  (whether to be pain free without concern for recurrence, getting fit, getting strong, losing weight, making money etc) but as with all aspects of life its a lot more complicated when you think it through. So once you have read this article dont throw your trainers in the bin and hit Battersea Park for a barefoot 10k using the pose running technique – at least not straight away. There are several more possibilities avaialable to you.

Have a read and if you’d like to share your opinion or ask ours  get in contact with one of the team Paula (author of Running Repairs ), Mick Habgood (podiatrist and running orthotic specialist), Raph (an experienced physio in international athletics and many a “minimal shoe” runner), Frances (triathlon specialist and G-trainer expert) or Sian (currently researching MBT footwear at clinics across London). You can also contact Jonathan (the blog writer) who will happily discuss evolution, sociology, the weakening of human kind and how to prevent it! Send an email by clicking this highlighted link: Contact Page

Mick and Paula will be adding their comments here soon.

Just read a well balanced article from the New York Times on self-massage products. The journalist has consulted a number of sources including sports massage consumers, foam roller users, a triathlon coach, an Ironman triathlete and chiropractor, author of “Self-Massage for Athletes” Rich Poley, and the founder and creator of Trigger Point Performance Therapy products Cassidy Phillips.

The article is based around the following: “Devices for self-massage have become more common as more people compete in endurance sports and, more recently, as the recession has made professional rubdowns look prohibitively expensive. Trainers usually recommend a massage every week or every other week for people who are training for a marathon or triathlon, but the costs do add up: according to the American Massage Therapy Association, the average price of a massage is $63 an hour.”

The article’s quote from TPT founder Cassidy Phillips puts self massage and going to see a professional masseur in the context of oral hygiene. “You brush away some plaque yourself,” he said, “but you still go to the dentist for a thorough cleaning.”

Here’s the article:  http://bit.ly/8lUYu2
click for the Self-massage and Trigger Point range from Balance.

Ultimate 6 package - part of Balance's range of self-massage products

The G-trainer challenges everyone in different ways, whether:

• elite Olympic runner (3 of the Worlds Best Runners have run on our treadmill),
• professional sports men (2 of the UKs best Rugby Clubs use Balance’s G-trainer week in week out)
• top or recreational IronMan and Woman triathletes (including Pro-VO2 tri club athletes and Pro Tristan Shipsides)
• or the 100′s of multisports enthusiasts with injuries who have rehabilitated from sports injuries using the G-trainer at our SW4 facility.

In the World Record Club the idea is to run a mile as fast as possible at either 75% or 85% of your bodyweight – members also get 50% off and a half hour run only costs £12.50.

For many the thing preventing faster running speed is aerobic/anearobic ability (lungs exploding, nausea rising) but not everyone…this is how Cj described his attempt to run faster and beat his personal best over the mile on the G-trainer treadmill running at 85% of his bodyweight:

“I didn’t find this attempt cardio-vascularly challenging as you will see from the video clip. It felt more neurological. Being able to turn over my legs at that speed, sustaining that cadence for that length of time was not easy. I could feel the impulses dampening, at times it felt as if I was tripping over my feet.

One thing is for certain, 4 minute miles is a serious pace, I have a new found respect for Roger Bannister who did it at 100% of his body weight. It highlighted to me that up to a certain point, running is more about skill then fitness. Economy and efficiency of movement. But more about this in part 2 of this post, as I, Cj, turn Chi / pose runner.”

To read the full blog click the link…

http://cjs-fitness.blogspot.com/2009/12/4-minute-mile-g-trainer-challenge-part.html

See the video footage (excuse the camerman he’s an amateur!!):