Are YOU Three Feet from Gold?

This is a great book from the folks over at the Napoleon Hill Foundation that I recently had the pleasure to read. The book is a story of a young business man who struggles to be successful and after a series of fateful challenges, he learns how to turn his obstacles into opportunities.

Last week, while walking along the beach looking for sea glass and other treasures, I started thinking about how many people had already sorted and scoured these exact sands for the same treasures and I started thinking about a story from this book.

The story goes that a gentleman, RJ Darby who knew nothing about mining gold but like other's during the gold rush got the fever and set out to make their fortune.  Along with his uncle, they began the hard toil each day of working their mine and on one glorious day they were rewarded by striking gold. For several weeks they continued to mine gold by the load and then one day the gold disappeared. As debts were mounting and the frustration of no new gold finds, RJ and his uncle decided to quit and sell the mine.

Dejected and discouraged, they sold the mine and equipment to a local junkman. Now this junkman had dreamed of being in the mining business for years and had studied mining for years and believed it was his destiny to be in the business. Once the deal was completed, the junkman contacted a mining engineer to inspect the the mine and together they discovered what is know as a fault line. The engineer explained that gold ran in long veins and that the previous owners had drilled through one side of a vein to the other side.  They decided that the junkman should go back and drill in other direction or perpendicular to where Darby and his uncle had drilled.

As the story goes...the junkman did exactly that and struck one of the largest pockets of gold ever discovered and made millions and it was just three feet from where Darby quit...so what's the moral to the the story you ask? Well...Never, ever quit!

The next time you run up against an obstacle that frustrates you, makes you want to give up or pass it off to someone else...just remember to dig in alittle deeper and think about what opportunities that might lie ahead for you, if you just push through or dig alittle deeper...Gold could be just three feet away from you.

Dynamic Warmup

My take on warming up for a specific sporting events is to use a dynamic warmup geared toward using those muscles which will be used during that specific event. 15-20 minutes to adequately warm up the specific muscles seems to prevent injuries.


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Health of America

Some of the latest statistics show that three quarters of Americans are over weight and one half of those are obese. It's time we take a stand against the food industry and the additives they add that contribute to over eating and food addictions. Let's make the health of all americans a priority. We have to demand better food choices for our children in the schools, exercise back in our school curriculm and improved guidelines by the FDA to improve quality and safety of our foods. Let's take back our health! Now!!!


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What is Restorative Performance Therapy

Restorative Performance Therapy(RPT) is an incredible blend of hands on techniques in combination with a powerful series of stretching movements created to release, lengthen and restore body alignment by positively affecting the fascial web (connective tissue) that plays a critical role in supporting our bodies. The fascial web, I believe is the most overlooked system in the human body by medical doctors when dealing with chronic pain.

This work (RPT) addresses the fascial restrictions while re-educating the body's neuromuscular patterns. The work is a blend of many modalities specifically designed to rid the body of these restrictions. It addresses the entire body to help soften, lengthen and re-align the body. Because of the interconnectedness, releasing tension is one area of the fascial system will have a positive effect on other parts of the body as well. We call this compensation in the body, when other areas support the area of restriction, in order for the body to continue to perform.

Restorative Performance Therapy (RPT) confirms the idea that physical injury, trauma, postural distortion, illness and emotional stress can effect the body's alignment, causing the fascial system to become contracted and painful.

The RPT techniques assist to release the constrictions by relieving pressure on the musculosketal, nervous and circulatory systems thus resulting in relieving pain and restoring balance throughout the body. This also allows the body's own natural healing process to kick in and assist in restoring and improving functional movments used in daily and sports related performance. To experience Restorative Performance Therapy first hand contact my office at 732/899-0920 or if you would like a copy of my article and other great information relating to your physical well being go to http://www.therapeutictouchnj.com and shop online for yours. Until next time, keep moving!

10 Reasons Why You Should Get Massage

The key to getting massage is not to wait until (A) you're injured or (B) you've just done a strenuous activity around the house or on the playing field. MASSAGE should be part of your WELLNESS Program. In other words don't treat it like a luxury but as a necessity to GOOD HEALTH...need a few more reasons why you should do it in the first place?

Here are TEN GREAT REASONS to INVEST In YOUR HEALTH NOW!

1. Breaks up scar tissue that may have built up in your muscles.

2. Improves blood flow to your muscles.

3. Loosens muscles that have contracted (shortened) with continued use.

4. Allows more oxygen to move into your muscles.

5. Improves the flow of lymphatic fluid, which aids in healing.

6. Reduces the chance of injury, through proper stretching, functional exercise and
deep tissue massage.

7. Improves range of motion and muscle flexibility, resulting in improved power
and performance.

8. Shortens recovery time from strenuous exercise and work.

9. Maximizes the supply of nutrients and oxygen through increased circulation.

10. Enhances elimination of lactic-acid build up (a by-product of exercise).


For more information on massage treatments go to www.therapeutictouchnj.com

Self Help for the Hip Flexors

In my line of work, I see alot of hip flexor issues...too tight, too weak and each condition plays havoc on the functionality of the lower body.

The hip flexors are some of the most used muscles in the body. Whether walking up stairs or bending to tie a shoe, the hip flexors are responsible for the forward flexion of the body. Hip flexion of course is the movement in which the angle between the thigh and the trunk decreases.

The major muscles of hip flexion include the psoas major, the iliacus together called the iliopsoas and also include the rectus femoris of the quadriceps, the gracilis and the sartorius which are also located in the medial aspect of the anterior compartment of the thigh. Also, defined as secondary hip flexor muscles are the pectineus, adductor longus and adductor brevis of the medial thigh and the TFL (tensor fascia latae) of the lateral hip.

Often my clients will have weak hip flexors in relationship to the quadriceps and abdominal muscles. The hip flexors are often neglected during strength training regardless of the vitally important role they play in athletics. Due to this weakness, the pelvis rotates forward, often putting too much pressure and strain on the lower back (lumbar) region and increases the potential for low back pain.

To improve hip flexion and to increase power from the lower body, focus should be placed on specific exercises that will increase flexion in the axial/lower body so that strength and flexibility can be improved. Here are some suggestions;

Self-Care Techniques

*Stretch
1. Camel-Cat Pose
2. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
3. Pigeon Pose
4. Groin Stretch
5. Single Leg Windshield Wiper
6. Scorpion
7. Piriformis Stretch
8. Downward Dog

*Strength
1. Walking Lunge with twist
2. Drop Lunge (lords)
3. Russian Hamstring
4. Knee Tucks on exercise ball
5. Mountain Climbers
6. Gate Swings

These are just a few of my favorites and should get you started on the right path to stronger hip flexors, improved posture and a healthier back as well. Enjoy and until next time.

Peace and Health to you.

Why Stretching Can Be a Great Tool for a Pain Free Life

The key to life is movement, the key to movement is flexibility without pain.

Stretching is highly underrated...if you want to be healthy long term add some good ol' fashion stretching to your workout. Poor flexibility inhibits your ability to build muscle and makes you more susceptible to injuries especially in your low back region. Here are just a few more reasons why we should all take a few more minutes each day and STRETCH...

Stretching Can...

• Increases and maintains complete range of motion in the joints.

• Relieves muscle soreness. Light exercise promotes a better supply of blood and oxygen to the muscles than rest and should be pursued unless the severity of the injury to a muscle or muscles precludes further activity.

• Helps improve our capacity for activity. Stretched muscles require less energy for completion of movements.

• Assists in decreasing unnecessary neuromusculuar tension, promoting general body relaxation and reducing emotional stress.

• Relieves muscle-joint stiffness associated with the aging process.

• Increases musculotendinous extensibility of a muscle, it can be stretched 1.6 times it's resting length before it tears.

• Elongates the fascia. The fascial system is the binding that supports the muscle system. Elasticity varies between individuals and is a major reason some individuals experience slower progress in obtaining flexibility.

• Helps prevent joint sprains, muscle strains or tears including preventing re-injury to previous joint and muscle trauma.

• Major part of the pre-activity warm-up, helps in increasing tissue temperature by increased metabolic rate.

• Part of the cool-down process to increase blood flow to the fatigued areas of the body, eliminates toxic waste products from cells, reduces soreness, muscle relaxation and additional flexibility improvement.

• Helps provide greater potentials of physical and athletic skills.

• Reduces tension that may contribute to pain, spasm and cramping.

• Plays an important adjunct role in recovery during the rehabilitation process.

I hope that after you read this , you are compelled to make flexibility and stretching key components in your daily activities...it only takes a few moments to improve your overall well-being. Until next time...Stretch it Out!