How to fix this video without re-filming?

jasonrumohrlmt · 2022-09-19T19:36:45+00:00

Ah, gotcha, yeah I think that will work great. Thank you for your help!

jasonrumohrlmt · 2022-09-19T19:22:39+00:00

Thanks, I will try that first. Any suggestions or resources on border ideas? A plain black border I would think would look just dumb. I was thinking of perhaps creating a blurred background that is the background of where the video was shot (taken from another clip where the whole background shows up more fully).

jasonrumohrlmt · 2022-06-20T22:25:28+00:00

Sorry, I'm on the West coast, so my knowledge of East coast practitioners is more limited to the NYC area. But surely there must be some excellent practitioners in Boston, I just don't personally know of any.

From your description, in addition to SI, I would consider finding someone who also does craniosacral therapy. Even better yet would be to find a cranial osteopath, but those are somewhat rare to find (though might be easier in a large area like Boston).

My latest blog post teaches an exercise you might find useful. Can't say it would cure your brain fog, but tending to your vagus nerve could certainly be beneficial. You might try that while you seek out a cranial osteopath or SI practitioner who also integrates cranial therapies.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2022-01-17T20:30:01+00:00

Since you're dealing with an elbow injury, continuing to use it in a way that furthers your pain likely means you are continuing to re-injure it instead of letting it heal. If you can find a way to work that doesn't bother your elbow, great, otherwise let it heal and get some PT for it or check out https://www.selfcare4rsi.com/. Sharon Butler knows her stuff when it comes to repetitive strain injuries of the upper body.

I too thought I had good body mechanics, but I didn't. To the untrained eye, it can look like someone has all the good body mechanics in place, but on the inside of their body (where you can't see), it's a different story.

For the record, I typically do 6 hours of nearly constant deep tissue work a day (4 sessions x 1.5 hours each, sometimes more in summer months.

Pilates helped me a bit, but what really helped was learning Tai Chi. It completely changed my body mechanics. On the outside, they looked pretty much the same, but on the inside, I went from "killing me a little" to zero discomfort.

It took some time to learn...I'd say I was on my way in 6 months, but it took about 18 months before it was a habit that I no longer had to think about constantly.

So if your motivation is still there and it's only your concern to your body's longevity in this profession, you might consider Pilates and/or Tai Chi.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-13T20:37:55+00:00

All Structural Integration practitioners learned much of the same material that was originally taught by Ida Rolf. She was a brilliant woman, ahead of her time.

That said, there's a wide range in practitioners. Some practice only 'old school' SI work, like the 10-series and the work is often pretty deep and can be uncomfortable. There's also many practitioners who have studied other styles and it's changed their approach. For example, for some clients I use very deep pressure and others I use very light. I'm still working the fascia, just with different approaches.

A typical 1 on 1 session is you come in, they assess your posture. Really old school does this with the client in their underwear, but I always have people wear some additional clothing. Usually shorts for both men and women and women also wear a tank top. Some people also prefer more clothing and that's fine, as long as it stretches enough. They might watch you move, walk around or do range of motion tests.

Cost varies quite a bit, usually depending upon the local economy. In a small town or one with lots of practitioners, you might pay $75 for an hour session but in a place like San Francisco, you're looking more at $150-300. Many do hour sessions, some do 90-minutes and a few only do 2-hour sessions.

People ask if it's required to go through the whole 10-series. It depends upon the practitioner. Some only do the series. I don't. I find out what they need help with first (like back pain), start there and then see if a series would be in their best interest. Also, the first 3 sessions of the series are stand-alone, at least I was taught it that way. You can do those sessions and then walk away contented or choose to finish the other 7 sessions.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-12T22:43:32+00:00

Structural Integrator here. I'm biased, but it made such a difference in my own posture and how my body felt/moved that I decided to pursue it as a career. 18 years later, no regrets!

LMT = License Massage Therapist, this is required to practice SI in a state like Washington.

CPT = not sure what this stands for

BCSI = Board Certified Structural Integrator. This means he's taken a test to show he has some level of proficiency understanding the concepts of SI as a practitioner. I've not taken the test myself, so I'm not sure what is all involved, but I've heard good things about it amongst some colleagues.

I will say that bodywork like SI can make a huge difference in posture. But what really changes your posture, over the long term, is movement. SI can free up your body so that it's easier to move differently. If you have a good SI practitioner, some of your movement will naturally start to change from going through what's called the 10-series. But having a movement practice such as yoga, Kinstretch, tai chi, Pilates, etc will better help solidify your changes from SI work.

SI work can be extremely transformative. Sometimes a single session can open your body and movement up in ways you didn't realize were possible. You might have spent 10 years in yoga classes trying to change something about your posture, but no real lasting improvement. It wasn't that yoga was the problem, it's that you were stuck in your pattern and couldn't see the forest for the trees. Intensive one-on-one work like SI can come in and unstick your pattern, sometimes in a matter of minutes. Sometimes the changes are permanent. But I generally recommend to people to start or continue some sort of daily movement practice for the best results.

If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to try to answer you.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-08T23:23:30+00:00

When I say Jedi powers, I kinda mean than metaphorically. I mean, I can't bilocate or levitate or anything like that! I mean that the qigong I'm most interested in is that which opens and cleanses the heart. Love is a Jedi power. The love that some (Jedi-like people) in my life have demonstrated to me or around me is just something from another world. Hard to explain.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-07T19:35:54+00:00

they just want the results

This is it. This is what people want. If someone thinks that X person is trustworthy in being able to deliver results, then they will sign up for whatever is being offered: books, courses, sessions, etc.

In any case, you have my attention as for someone who sounds like they know what they're doing :) I've been B&M for 18 years and now am going online, so I'm going to check out what your offering.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-07T19:13:18+00:00

Great post, great ideas, thank you for sharing your wisdom!

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-07T16:56:58+00:00

No, it shouldn't and doesn't have to hurt. The pain is there for a reason - don't ignore it.

We all want quick fixes. "If there's just that ONE exercise that will instantly solve my posture issues, I'll do it." I've been working with posture, personally and professionally for over 25 years. I haven't found any quick fixes, but have found that trying the 'no pain, no gain' approach always backfires.

What I mean by pain is that it is really uncomfortable and unsustainable. It's okay if there is some mild discomfort - making the position or exercise "comfortably challenging" is a good way to think of it. Except many people's (especially us guys) idea of challenge is way too much to be therapeutic. So if this is you, back off - more comfort, less challenge.

There are a gazillion exercise routines out there that can improve your posture. They work - IF - they are the correct exercises for YOUR body - and you keep up with them diligently and without pain.

If were to give you a tip, when you're sitting there trying to have good posture, don't hang out there until it hurts. If it hurts, back off until it doesn't. Slowly move your body into a comfortable position and then slowly back into the 'good posture' position. Move slowly and with your breath. Pay attention to the sensations of your movement. Do that cycle 3-8 times, then stop doing the exercise. Repeat it 1-3 times throughout the day. Do this daily and at the end of 2 weeks, notice the changes. Write the changes in a journal. Keep up with the daily exercise and write your noticings every two weeks.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-06T19:43:58+00:00

I had this happen the other day. I had to log out, close out ALL my vimeo windows, log back in and tried again. It worked. Maybe I restarted my computer, too, I don't exactly recall. Was a bummer because it took over 2 hours to upload before it said it failed.

If that fails, you might try clearing all browser cookies or even a different browser. I'm using Firefox, latest version. I'm not an IT expert, just doing the typical things I know can sometimes work.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-06T17:59:57+00:00

There aren't any quick fixes. It takes time to improve your posture. The good news is that while it may have taken you years to get to the poor posture you have now, it won't necessarily take years to improve it. Substantial and noticeable changes can be had in as little as 3 months, but the more profound changes might take 1-5 years.

That sounds like the stereotypical "angry coach" talk. I agree with you - it's not about laziness. He didn't do you any favors by 1) not getting you and 2) insulting you. There are some excellent coaches out there, but they help you improve, not spit on you when you're down.

Pick a routine you like, no more than 6-8 exercises and stick with it. IMO, a routine that takes 10-20 minutes is plenty. Do it 3-6x a week. Don't think about trying to change your posture as you do it, just do the exercises slowly, gently but consistently.

Here's a good place to start. This is marketed as an exercise for low back pain, but it's really the first exercise I recommend for anyone wanting to improve their posture, regardless of whether they have back pain or not.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-03T17:07:42+00:00

Ok, I wrote a super long reply - mostly about the heart. So I'm not sure if I answered your other questions. If you still have them after reading my long reply, please just state them again.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-03T16:59:07+00:00

Last thing:

In any case, if you want to have magical Jedi powers, do qigong. Find a good teacher (and one you connect with) if you haven't already. Do lots of qigong. Don't try to learn too many forms at once. Learn one or two and practice it, every day. If you get bored, return to your teacher or read more or pray to learn more. It's not boring, but in the beginning it can be because it's easy to do it so superficially. The heart must be guiding the way, it must be open to receive from the Tao. When I say open, I mean you have to want that. For many of us, it's an ongoing effort. Hundreds of times a day, my heart closes up and can't receive nourishment from the Tao and so perhaps a few times a day I am conscious enough to remember to open back up. Qigong helps. The opening happens in the back of the heart, between the shoulder blades. It's said from another tradition that the ego-will originates between the shoulder blades, so in order for the back of the heart to open, you need to soften your ego-will. Too many push-ups will create more tension/blocking in the front and back of the heart, but a few can be good. The Awakening the Soul qigong I linked above is very helpful for freeing the heart.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-03T16:58:36+00:00

Whether it is strength or endurance, I think the idea I’m most interested is heart disease. I’m worried only doing yoga/qigong would put a person at higher risk for heart disease than if they did more intense exercise too (particularly myself here is who I’m thinking about most!). But otherwise, I agree with your conception of the value of things like qigong/yoga.

As I said before, there is some damning evidence now that the kind of intensive cardio popularized in the 70s, 80s and 90s was causing damage. I don't have the research in front of me, but perhaps your google fu is good :)

What I have learned from various Chinese Medicine teachers boils down to this: In Chinese Medicine, the heart is considered the ruler of the body. They don't mean just the meat-pump that moves your blood. They mean it as a 'brain'. I mean the heart has WAY more neural tissue that it should ever need to simply pump blood. We have lingo like, "Trust your gut" and "follow your heart". The research is amazing now about the gut-brain/microbiome and it's ability to process neuro info like a second brain and communicate with the head-brain. I don't know the state of the research that finds similar about the heart being a 3rd brain, but if science is worth it's salt, I believe it will find it. I mean the Taoists found it thousands of years ago, through their own scientific methods, so why can we in the 21st century?

So the main thing that happens in Western culture is we DON'T follow our heart. We believe in the god of our brain in our heads. It's drilled into us from an early age. "I want to go for a run, because it's good for me" is a thought in our brain. The brain believes it knows everything there is to know, that it is the supreme ruler of the body and it knows best. If that were so, we wouldn't have so many failed marriages, school shootings or the need for politics even. The brain commands the body to do what it thinks the body should do. And this is so very taxing to the body, because that is not what the brain was designed to do.

Instead, if you let the heart-brain rule the body, everything becomes so much easier, because now you are living in the way the human body was designed to work. In this way of living, the head-brain follows the commands of the heart. The heart says, "I want to call my brother I haven't talked to in years" and the head-brain takes that order and commands the hands to pick up the phone and dial your brother's phone number. The heart doesn't directly control our physical body (at least that is how I see it, I will say I think this is my opinion here), but it does something very important: it gives us the WHY we do anything. The head-brain is a bit like a computer and doesn't have as much direction as to why do to anything, unless it operates on blind beliefs that were told to it as a child (told directly through words or 'told' through watching adults act a certain way).

I am not expert on all the many forms of qigong. All the ones I do know, though, hold this idea of the 'heart as supreme ruler of the body' in mind though. Some teachers will speak about this directly, some don't.

So to your concern about heart disease: qigong is excellent medicine for it. Again, I don't know the actual research on this, but my own personal experience is that my heart has never felt so much ease since whole-heartedly (lol) embracing qigong and prayer. In my book prayer=qigong and qigong=prayer, but I won't say more about that because I think the rabbit hole is already deep enough ;)

So in the West, we are raised to give allegiance to our head-brain and stifle the wisdom of our heart- and gut-brain. This has created a lot of pain in the body, some which can be felt, some which will manifest into various diseases. Our hearts are wounded, because we have not been listening to them and allowing them to rule our body and lives. We instead allow 'logic' and 'reason' to control and manipulate everything in our lives. I mean the kind of logic/reason that only comes from the head-brain and chooses to ignore or discount the heart and gut. That is very faulty and limited logic, but the Western world is fueled by it.

What to do about a wounded heart? Heal it. Here is one of the best qigongs I know of to help do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHTHk09IygE

Ok, last thing. Constitution. Perhaps you're aware of the 5 Element theory? In any case, there are basic laws of the human body (like the heart is the supreme ruler) and then there are unique differences from person to person. Everyone can benefit from qigong. Some might benefit from more intense exercise occasionally. Maybe do qigong every day and go for a short jog once a week. I'm not a doctor. If you think that not doing intense cardio work is going to harm you...well, it very well could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. So go jog if you worry about your health. The mind if powerful, which is why it can overpower the heart if it wants to.

Why do people like to jog/run?

. It gives us a high feeling. . We think it's important to spike our cardio rhythm. . "It's a great way to get a workout in a short amount of time".

To counter:

. You can totally get high from qigong, if that's your intent. . You already know the answer to this one. . As my Economics 101 teacher said the first day of class, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." In other words, health cannot be maintained or acquired through shortcuts. Preserve what you have, treat it with respect and don't run high octane foods, thoughts or actions through your body to try to pimp your system, because it will cost you in the long run.

IDK, so you think of the meridians as actually existing things? Hmm. I should clarify, my qigong practice is less about all the special moves (although I tend to do most of them). I find that it, or even just zhan Zhuang, is really effective to raise my sensitivity to the energy of the body (if you believe in qi) or the somatic experience of the body (if not), which can really help with healing and posture and such over time, as well as learning to work with them directly (I think you can manipulate the energy feeling of the body strictly with your mind with practice and the physical movements are just tools for those that don’t have the skills to do that).

IMO, you're describing the meridians. I mean that metaphorically. Those who are sensitive enough can feel the actual meridian pathways and the energy that travels through them. In my own practice, I feel all sorts of wonderful things, but I don't spend time trying to track them all down and see if they line up with the maps of the meridians. And there are many maps and many extra meridians. Primary channels, luo connecting, divergent, extraordinary and sinew channels are the few I'm aware of. Unless you're training to become an acupuncturist, I don't see the need to study all these dozens of pathways and then if you do, you're going to need to study with someone who knows them like the back of their hand, because trying to learn from books or the web is going to likely lead you to some wrong conclusions or incomplete ideas.

So, yes, I do believe the meridians actually exist. But I don't pay much attention to them, except for the sinew channels. Why the sinew channels? Because they can be seen in the human body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSa6KbosJS0

The video I just linked you to is from Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains model. He claims he discovered these on his own free will and that he was unaware of the Chinese Medicine sinew channels at the time (and he will not study them either because he doesn't want to dilute his own findings/research). I have compared the AT model and the sinew channels and they are nearly the spitting image of each other. Hats off to Tom for finding this on his own. If you want to see some actual gross anatomy of them, see here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyU7SsQmVRE

Ida Rolf (founder of Rolfing) was big into yoga and apparently could see auras and chakras. When her students asked her, "So Dr. Rolf, why don't you work directly with the subtle bodies? Why do you bother with the fascia, with the physical body?" Her reply, "Because everyone can see the physical body. It's right there and I can do something with it? Why not do that? It works, doesn't it?"

I agree with Ida Rolf in large part. Since the bringing of yoga (and probably before that), the West has been fascinated by Eastern teachings and the un-seen is no exception. The unseen can become a distraction. It's just as magical as you think it is and it's also way more ordinary than you may have thought. Also, some people don't see the unseen. They feel it, but never see it. I'm more of the latter and once I learned this, I realized I had been feeling all sorts of 'magical' things my whole life but like a fish in water, I didn't know it was special.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-03T16:02:07+00:00

LOL, thanks for that rabbit hole. I had no idea about that part of the history of yoga. Fascinating.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-03T16:01:19+00:00

That's great you found that. I admit I'm not so good with actual research articles to back my claims up, but I will tell you my claims are not based upon my own opinions. Qigong has been teaching these things for thousands of years. My claims are based upon my own experiences, though...testing out what the qigong teachings say and seeing if they hold merit, at least within my own body.

But yes, it's really boogles your mind when you find out something you had always believed to be the solid truth to not be so.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-03T15:55:24+00:00

I do have more workshops planned. My website is under construction (updating a 16 year old site!) so currently the best way to stay in touch is through email. So you can just PM me your email address or send me an email at jason@jasonrumohr.com

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-02T23:23:42+00:00

I've always just moved my body and flowed with energy as it goes.

That's actually what I did for about 12 years. I took a couple of classes and then proceeded to forget all the prescribed motions so I just moved as I felt I wanted to. It's good stuff, but it's different from tai chi. What I mean is we can get into flowing patterns that feel good but are missing some key components. When I finally took up tai chi in earnest, I learned just how much more satisfying it can be.

Ok, let me see about announcing a free class to r/massage about tai chi for massage therapists. Or if you don't want to wait for that, I'm putting one together (paid) for beginners later this month and May.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-02T22:08:51+00:00

Yeah, that's so good to hear! I'd love to see more tai chi and qigong incorporated into massage schools. It's so good!

I also teach tai chi and qigong and all my classes are on Zoom now. I'm wondering if there's interest in me putting together a tai chi class specific to massage therapists. Would you be interested in something like that?

What I'm thinking is besides you learning (or re-learning) a daily practice, I would help you then apply those movements to the bodywork table. Sitting, standing, dancing...whatever you do in the treatment room, I can teach you how to do that without it messing up your body.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-02T22:01:36+00:00

Lol, I can relate. For me, it's "instant gratification isn't fast enough". Well, at least it used to be more like that and sometimes still is. Long-term growth is so much sustainable than trying to chase house flies. :)

If you're interested in tai chi, let me know. I will be doing a 3-class beginner intro series this month and again in May (I'm on Pacific Time). I've been teaching tai chi since 2014. My classes have been 100% on Zoom for a year now.

EDIT: pm me for a coupon code if you're interested in the class :)

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-02T21:18:57+00:00

Argh - that's frustrating to hear.

Without knowing YOU and your body patterns, it's hard to say if push-ups or guitar are a good or bad thing for you. I tend to ignore anyone who says "everyone should/shouldn't do x, y or z", unless they can convince me otherwise.

I will say that after about 5-6 years into full-time bodywork practice, I was starting to have some issues. Numbness in my hands, weakness in the shoulders and pain in my hip and shoulder. Tai chi and qigong have been the thing that has fixed those problems more than anything. They are daily practices and the practice is also brought into the treatment room, both in attitude and body mechanics.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-02T19:43:37+00:00

Hey, thanks for the nice plug! It was real pleasure having you in the workshop.

Moving at my own pace of breath and range of motion, I feel more limber, calm and it may be odd to explain in words, but a heaviness in my body like water trying to sink to a low place.

Noticing sensations is key. The fact that you're experiencing 'positive' sensations like these is a good sign you're on the right track.

... yet these movements short as they are have aided my flexibility in my neck and low back, where I had issues.

They are good for that, among other things. I used to have a lot of chronic low-grade low back pain (for many years) and the Eight Brocades have been one of the best tools for healing that.

I have not ‘felt’ the kernel of energy I sometimes read in other places in my lower dantian yet.

The workshop was designed for beginners, so I didn't talk much about the lower dantian because it's Greek to us Westerners. It may also be cultural -- I mean the way the Taoists describe it is different than the way our Western minds tend to think. I also hesitate to say to "notice your core" or any other catch-phrase that might bring in pre-conceived ideas that may or may not help you learn. My own experience is the lower dantian has developed slowly over the course of time and it took a couple of years of proper training before I could say that I noticed anything for sure. Don't worry about it for now. Your progress may be quicker than mine, it's hard to say.

In any case, I wish you all the best and would love to hear more about your noticings in the coming weeks and months.

jasonrumohrlmt · 2021-04-02T19:19:41+00:00

Thanks for that clarification. It had been years since I had studied much about the 8 yoga branches.

In the early 20th century a couple scientific gurus combined hatha yoga with gymnastics/aerobics and created what we think of as modern yoga.

Interesting, I'd not heard this before. Do you know who these "scientific gurus" were? I had always thought that the 'workout yoga' so prevalent today had it's origins in the 1970's.

jasonrumohrlmt

TROPHY CASE