Bodyworks DW

Memorial Day Weekend Special

There's still room for a few more appointments this Sunday, May 27th, in Union Square. If you want one, take $10 off your session, for Memorial Day, on me :)

Follow up...

Here is a great follow up to the NYT's article on yoga posted below. This in depth interview with Glenn Black on the pros and cons of yoga is excellent. The bottom line: yoga like any other form of exercise is only safe if you pay attention, listen to your body, and learn to back off and not push through pain. Also, since most of you are entering your yoga practice with neck and shoulder problems from sitting at a desk all day, headstand and shoulder stand are only making them way way worse over time. So DON'T do those poses. You will never be able to convince me otherwise.......

Yogi Glenn Black Responds to New York Times Article on Yoga

How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body

I have been saying similar things to clients for years and have been meaning to write an article like this. Especially about the dangers of shoulder and headstands, which routinely cause neck and shoulder injuries. Also, if the many yoga teachers I have as clients are indication, excessive backbending can be ruthless on the spine and SI joint.

Does this mean quitting yoga altogether? No, it doesn't have to, but yoga should be done without the hardcore push through the pain mentality of current trends and needs to be balanced with other forms of exercise. The average yoga teacher should have far more training into teaching and seeing proper body alignment than what I've experienced as a student (I had a yoga teacher tell me last week to straighten my elbows more in class while being totally unaware of his own grossly hyperextended elbows as he was demonstrating the pose). And certain poses really should be gotten rid of entirely (I will never again do shoulder stand and head stand for instance).

NYT's Article: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body

New Rates Starting February 1st

Hi Everybody,

February 1st will mark 2 years since I moved my private practice into Manhattan and 4 years since I started out. While it's never the easiest news to give, I've decided that the time has come for my rates to go up. It will be a modest boost: 30 minute sessions are going up to $60, 60 minute session up to $100, and 90 minute sessions up to $140. Those of you with a careful eye will notice that the increase wasn't the same for each type. I could give a bunch of different reasons for this, but really it mostly has to do with keeping the rates in denominations of $20.....no more worrying about change if you are paying in cash.

The biggest change is that for the past year I've been offereing a $30 discount to new clients and to existing clients for referrals. This is being decreased to $20, again to keep things simple.

The rates I've been using since I started out were in the lower to middle end of the going rates in NYC. I felt fine about that, since I was new. Now, I've got way more experience and am just a whole lot better than I was then. So even though I'm increasing my rates, my experience is translating into helping clients solve issues in fewer overall sessions....which means I'm technically cheaper than I used to be :)

It has been a true joy working with all of you and seeing everyone shift from dealing with chronic pains that nag at you daily to leading relatively pain free lives. I hope to continue working with everyone on your paths to greater health!

Sincerely,

David Weintraub, LMT

Tom Myers on Fascia and Yoga!

Tom Myers studied with Ida Rolf and is currently at the forefront of research into the fascial net and it's impact on our bodies and our health. His book, Anatomy Trains, has made a huge impact on my practice and work over the last few years.....his way of thinking is truly revolutionary!

In the two part article linked below, he talks with yoga teacher Susan Maier-Moul about all sorts of topics, including moderizing yoga, about there being two different types of flexibility genetics (hint, if you're one type you should be doing yoga, if you're the other....you shouldn't!), why injuries require bodywork on seemingly unrelated areas of the body to truly heal them in the long term, and all sort of other interesting gems. Well worth the read!

Conversation: Tom Myers

Conversation: Tom Myers, part 2

Another great article

MSNBC Article - Back Surgery May Backfire on Patients in Pain

 

This article does a great job dispelling the idea that surgery is a cure-all. I have worked on many clients who've had back surgery only to have the pain return as bad or worse within 6-12 months. Of course the article fails to mention massage therapy, and fascial release techniques in particular. Physical therapy can help a little, but a combination of that, chiropractic work, and massage is usually the best course of action. I've worked on a vast number of people who've come to me after having 10-12 physical therapy sessions with little or no improvement only to have 60-100% improvement with a course of 3-6 sessions with me. But I'm glad to see an article that is promoting the idea of using surgery as a last resort!

Rolfing, Excruciatingly Helpful - NYT Article

Rolfing, Excruciatingly Helpful Link

The work that I do, connective tissue therapy, is based on and has many similarities to Rolfing. I mix it in with other more gentle and traditional styles, creating a hybrid that is fairly unique. But the postural alignment concepts and many of the techniques that I use are directly taken from Ida Rolf's work.

This article does a really good job of introducing the reader to the idea of fascia release work and what makes it different from traditional massage, physical therapy, and chiropractic work. It also has some very good quotes from receivers of Rolfing. Many of my clients have found that fascia release work has helped them in ways that no other form of therapy has.....often I get clients who have tried physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and/or surgery (and sometimes all four) who haven't found relief from chronic pain until the fascia gets released. This is a great article well worth reading!

The Benefits of Massage - NYT Article

Regimens: Massage Benefits Are More Than Skin Deep

The New York Times published the linked article a week ago. While doing a good job of highlighting one of many studies showing scientific proof of massage benefits, the article just scratches the surface of what's out there. Also, it gives you a lot of names for body chemicals such as oxytocin and cortisol without really explaining why an increase in one is great and a decrease in the other is also great.

Without getting long winded, oxytocin is one of your body's "happy" chemicals and cortisol is something your body produces to help you handle long term stress (but not meant to be in your system 24/7 as is common in our society). A decrease in cortisol is necessary for your body to activate it's own internal healing systems - in the words of my anatomy teacher it's job is to tell your body, "no, we can't rest or relax right now, there is a dinosaur trying to eat us, so here, let me deaden the pain so you can keep running all night." Great if you are actually in real danger, sucky if it's just sitting there keeping your body from healing just cause you hate your job.

So, as the study shows, deep tissue work decreases cortisol allowing your body to activate it's own healing systems which have been laying dormant waiting for you to stop running around on full tilt all the time. Lighter massage work releases your bodies happy chemicals......which doesn't really need an explanation does it?

BTW, what's with the lead psychiatrist's "skeptic" routine? Apparently he's never had a good massage himself!

good article

This article has a lot of good things to say about posture......

Your Position In Life 

Going Fully Private Practice in 1 Week!

Well, it's been a long steady climb of building up my private practice. I've been working for the last 2.5 years at a spa in downtown Brooklyn called Providence Day Spa to supplement my income. Over the last 3 months, things have gotten so busy both in Union Square and in my Brooklyn space, and at my spa, that I've actually been working too much! And so, I have officially given notice at Providence Day spa. I have two more shifts to cover there, and then, as of June 7th, I will be completely solo. It's a big step, and one that I couldn't be making without all of you, so thanks for allowing me to help all of you to feel better in your bodies! And thanks also for all of the wonderful referrals you have been giving me.

I'm going to take a well deserved vacation on the weekend of the 12th......and then there will be some changes in my schedule.

I've been working on alternate Saturday afternoons in Union Square since February, and they have been successful. But I feel like it's a tough choice for some clients to make between getting bodywork later in the day on Saturday or going out Saturday night, especially those who work normal hours and don't get many nights to stay out late. Also, I've found that keeping track of which Saturdays I'm working and which I'm not isn't that easy, as evidenced by the number of texts/email asking "are you in Union Square this Saturday?" which I've had to sadly say, "no, sorry" to.

So, I'm going to be dropping the alternate Saturday afternoons in Union Square...............AND will be adding Sundays. All day Sundays instead of just late afternoons/evenings like I had on Saturdays. Starting June 20th, I'll be available every Sunday in Union Square from 12-9 pm.

No more having to trade a weekend night out for a bodywork session smack in the middle of the weekend. With the new expanded hours you'll have lots more choices. Come in for a session at noon and enjoy the rest of the day resting and relaxing. Come in for a session later in the evening and get a great nights sleep to get you ready for the workweek ahead. And no more having to wait a week for a weekend session if you called on my off saturday.

As of the 15th my new Union Square hours will be tuesdays, fridays, and sundays 12-9 pm. My Brooklyn hours will be wednesdays, and saturdays 11 am - 9 pm. That looks like a heck of a lot of time when you list it that way, but I'll be trying to keep my weekly average between 20-25 hours worth of sessions and my daily limit to 5-6 hours. Any more than that and my hands won't last. And, the whole point of this great new change, is that I'll have a lot more time for myself too!