Key To Pain Free

Hello Your Fit Day Friends!

I have to admit, this warrior woman had been suffering pain for the past 3 months or so. It started back in June 2010 when I pulled my inner thigh muscles (called adductors in fitness speak) most likely doing dead lifts. After rolling it out using the foam roller, and taking it easy on the lifting for a couple weeks, I was soon back to running, as well as training hard for a figure competition I had penciled into my schedule for the June of 2011.

The show must go on you know!

But by the time August 2010 rolled around I was starting to feel tightness in my glutes (called the butt in plain speak) and I noticed that running stairs (a great plyometric and fat burning workout by the way) were becoming a little painful with the high – knee lifts. So, in September I decided to lay off the stair-running for a few weeks.

Trail running, however, didn’t seem to bother me. Thank the universe, since I live for those East Bay trails!

Then, when even long strides started to be uncomfortable, and my butt muscles andTensor Fasciae Latae ( no, this is not a cup of coffee) were burning when I walked, and Mr. Sandman wasn’t coming at night, I decided that it was time for a visit to my Muscle Activation Technique guru, Paul Ciske to relieve the pain.

Who Is Paul ?

Paul Ciske

I had known Paul back in the 90′s where he worked as a fitness trainer at the now defunct Courthouse Athletic Club, in Oakland CA. Even back then he was very innovative in the fitness movement, designing and teaching fitness classes and certifications.

What makes Paul different from most other practitioners and fitness trainers is that he knows body mechanics down to a ‘T’. Something I find that most fitness trainers and other ‘healers’ in our industry don’t have a good grasp of.

Paul applies his in-depth knowledge of joint and exercise mechanics – which, in a nutshell, is how the system of joints and muscles responds to both internal and external forces- as viewed through the lenses of Resistance Training Specialist (RST) and Muscle Activation Technique (MAT).

How I Discovered ‘Magic’ MAT

My first visit to Paul for some MAT work was in 2007. It was through a suggestion of a mutual friend of ours, the great Ultra Running Man Mike Palmer, who I literally ran into one day on Strawberry Canyon trail in Berkeley, CA. We trotted along for a while, catching up.

Strawberry Canyon Trail

I told Mike of a weird foot ache I was having. He told me about Paul and this MAT ‘magic’ that got him back to running after a major knee injury.

Now, Mike is an anomaly of his own. I don’t know how old Mike is, and I don’t want to ‘insert running shoe in mouth’, but if I had to guess I’d say that Mike is in his late fifties. And what’s not so normal about Mike is that a normal week of running for Mike is around 100 miles. Did I already mention Mike is an ultra marathon runner?!

Now, I love running as much as Mike. I live for the trails. And for a long time I have been fantasizing about completing an ultra (Note: it is still just a fantasy!).

But to be felled by pain and unable to run can be a hard knock to a runner. However, with MAT, Paul had literally saved Mikes career as an Ultra Runner. Check out his incredibletestimonial here. (Scroll down to bottom).

I knew MAT existed as a certification for trainers, and I knew Paul was highly respected in the industry among other trainers and wellness practitioners, so I finally decided to give Paul, and MAT, a try.

What Does MAT Do?

“MAT gets to the root of pain or injury by addressing muscle weakness rather than muscle tightness. This helps to restore normal body alignment, thereby, decreasing pain and reducing the risk of injury.”

I Do Believe… In Magic

Wow! All I can say is that first visit back in 2007 for MAT work with Paul blew my mind.

Deb falling asleep while Paul works his magic_Elton Lobas Photo

One of the best parts about visiting Paul is that you get to lie on this really comfortable, cushioned, heated massage table. In fact, one whiff of the sheets made me nuzzle right into them. (Make note to ask him what he uses on them!) I felt like asking for a down comforter to pull up over my shoulders, and going to bed instead of the session.

But I digress…

Doing His Craft

On that visit Paul identified weaknesses in specific muscles by positioning my legs and feet in all the different planes of the body. In each position he would apply a force, have me resist, and see if that muscle could hold that position.

Test for Glute_Elton Lobas Photo

Applying a force in each position allows Paul to identify a muscle, or group of muscles, that may not be firing (working to stabilize, in plain speak). Once he finds a weakness he stimulates those muscles fibers to fire again by applying pressure with his fingertips along the muscle fibers. (That part felt kind of like massage!)

Then came the retests; he would apply force in same positions; have me walk around; then retest once again. It was like this crazy giant loop of testing!

YUP! Paul is very thorough. And he has even created a system which basically double checks his work, making sure the correct muscles are doing their designated job.

And what was amazing is that Paul also found weaknesses in other parts of my body that had everything to do with the ache in my foot. He corrected for those, and I was back on the trail, even faster than before, lighter on my feet, with more pep in my step.

After about an hour and a quarter I left Paul’s office with a few isometrics to do on my own.

Sidebar: I was so impressed with MAT that I signed up for the Jump Start program for fitness trainers and completed the Lower Body portion (which by the way, was instructed by Paul).

Oh! Did I forget to mention that Paul is a Master Trainer for MAT?

Back To The Future

So now it’s September 2010 and I’m having a hard time walking without some pain and tightness in my front thigh, hip flexors and my butt. My thoughts are that it’s got to be from the pulled groin muscles. My intuition tells me that it’s time for a visit to Paul. So I hopped to it- almost quite literally on my good leg! – and after 1 1/2 hours of working his ‘magic’ I walked out of his office, again pain free, and feeling much better.

Pain free… that was in September. In fact I was feeling so great that I was able to lift heavier and really get into my training for a figure competition. So after about 6 weeks I backed off from doing my MAT isometrics…

And then they dwindled…

To a stop.

I was feeling great, so why continue the exercises?

Wasn’t I healed?

Well, sometimes maintenance is the key.

MAT helps keep the muscles around your joints stable. So, without continuing with the isometrics, by November the discomfort was getting to the point where I could not sleep. I was getting weaker in the gym, and I was feeling more discomfort within a day or two after my Sunday trail runs.

Physical Therapy: Beyond My Better Judgment ?

Apparently so in this instance. After three visits to PT at Kaiser in October, November, and December, I was actually worse. He couldn’t figure it out. But he did think the MAT exercises, which I had brought with me from September’s session with Paul, were helping. Yes they were!

So. since PT didn’t help I decided a visit to an Orthopedic surgeon was in order, to rule out anything more serious. However, with Kaiser I had to continue to suffer a few more weeks before I could get in to see the first doc in January.

Ouch!

But by late December the pain was getting so I couldn’t walk or sleep. My range of motion in my right hip had decreased considerably and I was having a hard time with squatting down evenly, so I decided to see Paul again to see if he could work his ninja magic. Check out Debby in wide squat. NOTE: Videos are sideways, sorry!!

When I revisited Paul that first time in January-the 18th to be exact- I strategically parked my car very close to Paul’s door so I wouldn’t have to walk very far. But even walking across the street was more akin to a hobble.

He spent almost 2 hours with me. I walked out 80% pain free. Six days later, to work more on my hip mobility and to address any lingering pain, I saw him again.

I made sure to capture what Paul does on video so you can see there is no sleight of hand!

Really, check out these videos NOTE: They are sideways, sorry!

The Takeaway

After Paul is all done (and it’s not about the clock, but more about when you are out of pain) the isometric exercises he gives you for the first time seem a bit strange. You will find yourself lying on the floor, rotating your feet and legs in or out; sometimes raised; pulling or pushing, using straps and bolsters; lightly pushing against a barriers for 6 seconds, resting a few, pushing for 6, and repeating 6 times with each exercise he gives you.

Like I said before, it seems crazy but it works.

The Economies of MAT

One of the great benefits of using MAT is that you only have to go once or twice to get to the root of the problem. And typically you should perform the isometrics to keep your body in check.

Some people back off from continuing the isometrics-like I did- once they are feeling less, or no pain at all. But if you do find yourself feeling tweaks of pain creeping back you can sometimes ‘Jump Start’ your muscles into a pain free state by going back to the isometric exercises.

But you know what?

MAT works. I mean I train hard; and I’ve been known to be called the ‘Super-Human Woman’ at the gym! So I’m bound to get out of whack once in a while. Yet every time I have visited Paul for pain or tightness in my muscles or joints I have walked away just about pain free.

My first orthopedic doctor’s solution was to pump me full of anti inflammatory drugs and stretch, stretch, stretch. Based on the principles of MAT both were the wrong approach.

Why?

Drugs cost money; are a band-aid approach; and don’t get to the root of the pain. Not to mention the countless times back and forth to PT that can drain your pocket book.

MAT…The New Motrin

MAT is great news for anyone who doesn’t like to take pain killers or spend their hard earned money on prescriptions and insurance co-pays month after month, or give in to the pharmaceutical companies and Western medicine.

With Paul’s help and with some new exercises I now have the pain in my hip at bay. I make sure to do them before I go to bed and sometimes before and even during my workouts. With less pain in my hip, I also sleep much better. And if I’ve been remiss in my isometric duties my body will tell me that I need to get down on the floor again!

The Key To Pain Free

I really urge anyone who is feeling tightness or pain to go see Paul Ciske; or seek out a MAT specialist in your area. Generally you’re given less than 10 minutes of exercises to do 2-3 X’s a day.

Not too much to ask of if you want to be pain free.

What About You?

Is pain cramping your lifestyle? (No pun intended)

Tell me your story…

Maybe MAT can help you, too.

Oh Ya, Forgot...

BTW: Did I mention I saw a second orthopedic surgeon?

Stay tuned…the story isn’t over just yet.

Make it Your Fit Day with DebbyK!

Checking in: Oakland Tribunal on Police Violence, Oakland Rising House Party and Organizing against Ranked Choice Voting

So many things to do in Oakland, so little time-you can check this report from Pamela Drake on some you may have missed:

If you’re active in the life of this city, there’s a plethora of ways to keep informed. I found both our special talents and serious shortcomings on display this recent winter week.
On Saturday and Sunday the East Side Arts Alliance, the National Lawyers’ Guild, the New Year’s Movement for Justice (for Oscar Grant), and a host of other civil rights and media groups sponsored A People's Hearing on Racism & Police Violence in a chilly auditorium in central Oakland.
On Saturday I heard heart wrenching testimony from parents’ who had lost their children to police violence, and on Sunday young people who have been stalked by the police bore witness to being singled out for their activist activities since the murder of Oscar Grant. More testimony was given describing the profiling of Muslims and other immigrant groups targeted by US officials and the groups that are resisting its effects.
A panel of legal and academic experts was set up on one side of the stage while the panel that gave testimony was set up on the other. After the witnesses and victims testified, the other panel could ask questions about the incidents or about the organizations many of the witnesses have founded in the fight to obtain rights for their communities.
Not only was the testimony moving in its horror but also in the hope that so many victims have become active in fighting for change. Some of the participants were also artists and poets who brilliantly shared their skills with us.
There was free, delicious food to help ward off the cold and bring people together and all of the involved organizations had tables at the event. The testimony was videotaped and may be given to the UN Commission on Human Rights. Refer to peopleshearing.wordpress.com for more information on this testimony.
My one quibble was that mainstream press was excluded. I understand the concerns about the usual anti-Oakland, anti-youth, and often racist coverage of these kinds of conferences and their participants; but since so many of the young folks who need this information get their news from local television, it made it more difficult for them to be aware of the proceedings. I believe it could have been done without being invasive.
From the chilly school auditorium (what’s with cold California anyway, other states have heat in public buildings!) to a warm home in North Oakland, I attended a house party (I was a co-host among many, including our new mayor) for the Oakland organization, Oakland Rising, a multilingual, multiracial collaborative with deep roots in East and West Oakland's neighborhoods, that encompasses the work of its member non-profits.
The house was packed with Oaklanders who either support the community and electoral empowerment work of Oakland Rising or folks who wanted to know more about what they do and how they do it.
I saw new friends and met again the now grown children of old friends. It was heartwarming on that cold, rainy day to know that young people are dedicated to making our town a better one. In fact, the theme of the event was The Possibility & Promise of Oakland in 2011.
It was also a fundraiser for this relatively young but mighty organization which includes the implementation and education of voters in our new Ranked Choice Voting system as among its recent successes. I urge you to read and then donate on their website towards their good work, oaklandrising.org.
Speaking of Ranked Choice Voting, RCV or IRV (instant runoff voting), I recently participated on a panel which purported to discuss the ins and outs of that system but was actually a precursor to preparing a group of young activists to assist in the repeal of the new voting system.
The panel at TOLA is part of a leadership academy set up by Larry Tramutola’s campaign consultants’ shop. Mr. Tramutola has run lots of successful electoral campaigns, but his most recent campaign, Don Perata’s run for mayor, was less successful than expected by local pundits.
I was told that they wanted to talk about the pros and cons of RCV, ranked choice voting or IRV, instant runoff voting. I thought it was a bit odd that a group set up to train young activists would be focusing on whether RCV was a good idea. After all, it was voted in in Oakland in 2006 and is now in use in Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro, and San Francisco. Why discuss what is already decided public policy?
I arrived and found out that there were 3 RCV antagonists prepared to argue against our chosen method of voting and me as the sole protagonist. I was told that the details of what happened in Oakland were not really relevant as we were discussing RCV in the abstract while the rest of the panel repeatedly referred to Oakland’s election, particularly David Manson, who had worked closely with the Perata campaign.
Manson asserted that the African-American voters in East Oakland had essentially lost their votes since many of them specified Perata as their number one choice (Quan or Kaplan as number 2). Manson also implied that this type of voting was too complex for flatland voters and disenfranchised them.
David Latterman told us how shocked (almost dismayed)he was that his candidate in the SF Supervisorial race, Malia Cohen, won despite initially coming in way behind. He is the guy who told the Chronicle before the final count in our mayoral election, that it was statistically impossible for Jean or Rebecca to overcome Perata. When it turned out that Perata got so few second and third place votes, he was quoted by Chronicle reporter Mathai Kuruvila as saying, "I underestimated that there are so many people who do not like Perata." Duh.
They didn’t buy that RCV may reduce mudslinging given the existence of the “Anybody but Perata” movement even though most of the remaining candidates were severely restrained in their criticisms of one another.
I had to point out that 72% of the voters managed to chose and rank 3 candidates and that 40,000 more people voted in this mayoral campaign than the June primary in which Ron Dellums was elected. I also thought it was worth noting that Perata outspent Quan by more than four times while only garnering a little less than 35% of the voters’ first choices.
Terry Riley, anti-RCV statistician, told the activists that RCV had resulted in a “topsy-turvy” election result in Oakland. In response to the fact that so many more people go to the polls in November he said, “there are no barriers to voting”, meaning, I guess, that he does not know or care why so many fewer people vote in primaries than in November elections.
His anti-RCV cohort, David Latterman told the group that if RCV was a good idea, “so was asbestos,” but I don’t recall anyone getting cancer from voting in a ranked choice election. I did agree with them that Oakland’s election was probably an aberration, in that the first choice candidate usually does win, despite the method of voting. However, I noted that they had a polarizing candidate who ran a poor campaign. Once again, I had to be reminded that we weren’t really talking about Oakland after all.
Despite of the hypothetical nature of the discussion, later that day I saw two of the very real interns on Lakeshore taking a survey to discover whether people had liked their RCV experience. Look for another ballot measure coming to a city you know soon.