BODY TEMPERING

Body Tempering AKA Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) - A tool used to accelerate activity performance and recovery by combating soft tissue restrictions. This strength training preparation technique had been attributed to helping prevent hernias, muscle tears and sprains, tendonitis and to improve performance. This is an advanced method for mobilization that's been proven to break down adhesions more effectively than traditional methods like foam rolling. The Body Tempering technique was developed by Donnie Thompson in 2006. Donnie Thompson is an American Powerlifter who has set 8-all time World Records and was the first human ever to total 3000lbs in a regulated meet. He’s set 3 bench pressing records, 2 squat records and 3 total records. For those of you who don’t know much about powerlifting. Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three major lifts: Bench, Squat, Deadlift. Your “total” is the sum of weight of these three movements. In 2011, Donnie totaled 3000lbs with a 1265lb Squat, 950lb Bench, and a 785lb Deadlift. Intense performance comes with intense preparation and recovery. With traditional foam rolling, the client has to focus on maintaining the proper positioning and avoiding compensation, while simultaneously using several muscles for support to release another muscle group. With Body Tempering the client can be mostly passive and focus more on breathwork and the actual sensation of what we are trying to accomplish. Breathwork is especially important as our breath can guide our muscles through tension and relaxation. Breathing tempo is something clients can learn well with this recovery method. Which can easily be translated into strength training and learning how to breath and brace for resistance. For most people, just finding time to get to the gym and exercising can be difficult, let alone planning more time to roll and stretch regularly. Recovery is generally one of the most neglected pillars in someone's fitness regimen (at least from what I've experienced over the years with my clients). If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, etc… Body Tempering can also be good for the mental aspect of fitness. It can help the client distinguish the difference between pain and discomfort to build their physical tolerance. Body Tempering can be a fantastic way to condition one’s mental tolerance to discomfort through that physical distinction. Strength training isn’t for everyone, generally the fear of injury or the “tightness” from it is a deterrent to many. It’s also common for your body to get “tighter” the more you lift, whether it's in volume or in weight. Body Tempering is just one half of a whole. Body Tempering isn’t intended to be like massage. Body Tempering is intended to be a recovery tactic to aid strength performance. When someone builds a tolerance to external physical resistance, I've noticed they actually decrease their tolerance to internal physical resistance in a sense. By tapping into the mental drive it takes to push yourself, you have to turn off those internal signals your body sends you telling you “this is uncomfortable”. Growth is uncomfortable. With Body Tempering I hope to teach others that discomfort in recovery is worth the growth in performance. Mobility “work” is often less effective when it isn’t partnered with an appropriate and correlated strength movement to reinforce it. Hitting peak performance by optimizing effective preparation and recovery methods, and acquiring more strength through less movement restriction is the goal. Body Tempering programs will be custom to work with each individual client's personalized Strength Training program and special considerations. We’ve all heard, “too much of anything is bad”. I am a firm believer of this. Too much strength training and too little mobility can lead to too much tightness and faulty joint movement. Too much mobility and flexibility can lead to instability and injury. I plan to use Body Tempering as another tool to help my clients strike a balance between fitness and recovery to ultimately Function Better. With many years of experience as an athlete, many injuries and over ten years of weightlifting experience, I can confidently say Body Tempering is a game changer. Being able to look fit, and being able to live fit are two completely different things. Chasing the “look” over function and performance is setting yourself up for the short term. Making fitness a long-term lifestyle is a matter of balance and harmony in one's approach, decisions and habits and execution. Having trained clients of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. I’ve had the honor of being able to help many people reach their goals over the last four years as a personal trainer. A significant part of my job as a trainer is having the clients best interest in mind in helping them identify their goals in order to put an effective plan into place. The key to making a plan truly effective is finding ways to enjoy the process as much as the results. The biggest way I motivate clients is through function and feeling. If your body isn’t functioning efficiently, you’re most likely not gonna “feel” like doing the work. Which is why rest and recovery are so important. I thoroughly believe the “Function Better” approach is unparalleled. I never speak with confidence unless I have the experience so hear me out! I’d injured every limb by the time I was 21 years old. I was a State-Champion athlete and D1 scout by my sophomore year of high school in Track and Field. I identified myself with my athleticism, performance and athletic accomplishments. Not only that, but athletics was always my outlet through a very nontraditional upbringing. With the experience I have now as a trainer, I consistently catch myself thinking back on the coaching I received as a student athlete. I realized while my coaches had led me to many championships, they never really had the understanding of functional movement and body mechanics that could’ve prevented me from getting injured in the first place. For the longest time, I had an impingement in my right shoulder from shot-putting and discus. I tore my left Quad: Rectus Femoris (the strongest knee extensor). I ruptured my ACL long jumping my senior year of high school and had a reconstruction using my Patellar Tendon. Hell, I tore my left distal biceps tendon my first few months as a trainer! Over time I’ve understood that not only were these injuries a result of poor training… They were also a result of ego, high stress/restlessness and most importantly, neglecting rest and recovery. I always tell clients, “I learned the hard way so you don’t have to”. Meaning, my injuries have helped create my training “style”. Body Tempering is hands down the latest and greatest recovery tactic I’ve come across for strength training and performance training especially. When compared to traditional foam rolling it's at least 50% more effective. For those of you who don’t know the importance of Rest and recovery are equally as important as “work”. Because the muscles heal and gain strength. It also helps you learn to listen to your body which is an important skill to have when it comes to preventing injury or re-injury. By combining Body Tempering, Corrective exercise and Strength training, I believe I can help others obtain a more proactive and methodical approach to their performance. Help me encourage and educate others on how to Function Better through Fitness and Recovery! Programs include: •Personalized flexibility exercises •Personalized exercise programming •Nutritional guidance and education •Monthly measurements to track progress •Habit tracking •Programming for days you’re not exercising with me *Body tempering purchased separately