By Ethan Farr, Sports Myotherapist & Exercise Scientist As someone who has done martial arts throughout my early teens and now into adult life I have noticed a few changes in the way I need to train and how I can recover from said training. I still remember when I could jump straight into training without any form of warm up! These days I definitely take more time to warm up and stretch out, even before skipping - a pre warm-up warm-up if you will. Warming up thoroughly and prioritising recovery has become an essential component of my martial arts routine. That being said throughout my martial arts journey I've discovered a valuable ally: Myotherapy! Myotherapy can help with:
Myotherapy is a therapeutic approach designed to identify and target areas of muscle tension and imbalance within the body. Through a mixture/combination of techniques such as deep tissue massage and myofascial release, stripping, cross fibre frictions, trigger point release, and cupping, Myotherapists work to release tight muscles, alleviate "knots", and restore balance to the musculoskeletal system. By addressing these issues, individuals can experience improved posture, reduced discomfort, and enhanced overall physical well-being. Following intense physical activity or injury, muscles often require time and attention to recover fully. Myotherapy plays a crucial role in this process by promoting blood circulation, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, aiding in their repair and regeneration. Additionally, techniques such as effleurage and petrissage can help reduce muscle soreness, allowing for faster and more efficient recovery. One of the key benefits of Myotherapy is its ability to improve flexibility, mobility, range of motion and most importantly to most pain free range of motion. By targeting tight muscles and releasing fascial restrictions, your Myotherapist helps you achieve greater freedom of movement and flexibility in your joints. This not only reduces the risk of injury but also enhances overall physical performance and comfort in daily activities and aids in getting those kicks to head height. Regular Myotherapy sessions can significantly reduce the risk of Martial Arts related injuries by addressing muscular imbalances, enhancing flexibility, and promoting better biomechanics (the quality of movement). By identifying areas of weakness or tightness before they develop into more serious issues, Myotherapy helps individuals maintain optimal musculoskeletal health and prevent injuries from occurring during physical activity or sports. For individuals recovering from injuries, Myotherapy is an invaluable tool in the rehabilitation process. By targeting specific areas of tension or weakness, Myotherapy helps restore proper function and range of motion to injured muscles and joints. This not only accelerates the healing process through increasing blood flow to the area but also minimises the risk of re-injury by addressing underlying issues that may have contributed to the initial injury. Beyond its therapeutic benefits, Myotherapy has been shown to enhance physical performance in athletes and active individuals. By improving flexibility, reducing muscle tension, and promoting efficient movement patterns, we can help individuals achieve peak performance levels in their chosen activities. Whether it's improving strength, speed, or endurance, regular treatments can provide athletes with a competitive edge and help them reach their full potential. Myotherapy is a great option for all martial artists whether you’re pre/post a big grading session, in a training camp for a fight or even if you’re just trying to remedy those little niggles and aches that tend to pop up after some difficult training and sparring sessions. We can help with pain, tightness or injury related to all kinds of Martial Arts training, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Karate, and Boxing, just to name a few. If you’re looking to improve your capabilities in martial arts or recover from injury make sure you get in and book with me! I understand exactly what your sport/art demands to get you back to your peak performance and keep you there! I'm currently available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Book with me to start your treatment and keep you at the top of your game. Simple Wellness Myotherapy is located at Shop 12B/150 Kelletts Rd, Rowville VIC 3178. Additionally, you can contact us on (03) 8204 0970 to arrange an appointment today. By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist Myotherapy offers significant benefits to individuals engaged in activities such as martial arts, boxing, and self-defence due to its focus on addressing muscular issues and enhancing physical performance. These activities often involve repetitive and high-impact movements, leading to muscle strain, fatigue, and the risk of injury. Myotherapy techniques, including targeted massage, trigger point therapy, and specialised stretches, can help alleviate muscle tension, improve flexibility, and promote better muscle function specific to the demands of these practices. For martial artists, boxers, and self-defence practitioners, myotherapy plays a crucial role in injury prevention and rehabilitation. By targeting the muscle groups involved in these activities, myotherapists can relieve muscle tightness, reduce pain, and address imbalances, allowing individuals to train more effectively. Additionally, myotherapy can aid in post-training recovery, facilitating faster recuperation from intense workouts or injuries. Moreover, myotherapists often design customised exercise and stretching routines tailored to the specific needs and movements of martial arts, boxing, or self-defence practices. These tailored routines not only help in preventing injuries but also contribute to improving overall flexibility, range of motion, and physical performance, enabling practitioners to perform at their best while minimising the risk of potential injuries. Ultimately, myotherapy serves as a valuable tool in enhancing the overall physical well-being and performance of individuals engaged in these physically demanding disciplines. I recently met Jim from RAW Life Australia. He's an experienced Martial Arts trainer who operates his gym just around the corner from us here in Rowville. I interviewed him about his training style.
Rachael: Hey Jim, tell us more about the services you offer to our community! Jim: In short we provide training in confidence. We run tailored group kickboxing fitness classes, teens martial arts, adult combatives, self protection courses, workshops, as well as personal 1 on 1 sessions where we tailor the session to whatever the clients needs are. I do a lot of 1 on 1 work with people who are neurodiverse and to those that have extra needs. Rachael: Where is your gym located? Jim: We’re located at Factory 2, 3 Hi-tech Place, Rowville. Just off Laser drive. Rachael: How long have you been operating? Jim: Our full time centre in Rowville has been open since January 2020 but I have been teaching for over 35 years. Rachael: What are your opening hours? Jim: We’re open Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. until late, as well as Saturday and Sundays from 7:00 until 12:00, mainly for private sessions. Rachael: What inspired you to teach martial arts? Jim: I first started it as I felt I needed to learn how to fight but eventually realised that it was all about improving who I was as a human being, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, and as a friend. The synergy between the martial arts and life really grabbed me and now it all blurs into one. Rachael: Tell us more about you and your experience Jim: I have been training in the martial arts for almost 40 years and teaching for over 35 of those years. I am an instructor in several martial arts from around the world as well as an experienced personal trainer. I have competed in the UK, Australia, and the Philippines. I teach around Australia as well as having taught in England, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Indonesia, UAE, and New Zealand. I have taught various community groups, private and public schools, as well as private organisations over the last coupe of decades in and around Australia. These days I actually find it hard to tell people exactly what I do. The best I’ve come up with is: I help people help themselves become better, whatever ‘better' means to them. Rachael: We primarily treat people who have pain, injuries and ongoing health conditions. We see a variety of patients, from very sedentary office workers to highly physically active labourers and athletes. Our patient base varies from highly health conscious to people who struggle to maintain good health habits. What types of people does your business serve? Jim: I help a wide section of the community, both here and abroad. From those who want to move better to those that want to become stronger and/or lose weight. I help people who want to be more confident or to build a better version of themselves. I also help people who want to learn self protection skills to those that want to explore the martial arts. I train people from 3 to people in there 80’s and people of varying needs. I help professionals to stay at home parents, people who are neurodiverse to people who are neurotypical, people who have disabilities to people who are able-bodied, as well as survivors of many of lifes trials and tribulations. Every day I have very different clients, on paper at least, in reality we’re all very similar so I just train ‘people’. Are you interested in joining a martial arts class? Check out RAW Life Australia and let Jim know that Rachael from Simple Wellness Myotherapy sent you! |
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