Becoming a Supple Leopard with Voodoo Flossing!

One of the best, and yet one of the most confusing protocols of Kelly Starrett's excellent recent book is that of.......   Voodoo Flossing!  Sounds scary but intriguing, doesn't it?  I have had excellent results with it, both on my badly injured shoulder, and my daughter's wrist.

The idea is to immobilize the joint to "Voodoo" with a Voodoo band- these are long strips of rubber, kind of like a long, split open bicycle inner tube (that would work as well!), that you can wrap around and around the injured joint to compress it.  Then, you need to smash the compressed tissue, with a La Crosse ball or two, a friend who will step on your injured area, or you can even do it yourself by smashing the area with a barbell!

Here is how it's done on the shoulder:

Kelly does the Voodoo Floss Shoulder Smash

It's much easier to do it on yourself on the ankle, or the wrist, or the knee.  But, however you do it or have it done- it really does restore movement and health to the joint in really fast order!
It's a little painful, but the results are so worth it- almost instantly your joint has regained it's full rotation.  The matted down tissues are unglued, and regain their suppleness. Talk about near instant therapy!

Here is a link to purchase the Floss. I also use the Floss for banded stretches and openers during my morning workout, and so it is also valuable for that.

Another key point to this book is that all of us need to, and should have the knowledge to effectively perform daily maintenance on our own bodies.  Very, very true; and with this book, the Floss, and a La Crosse ball or two you will be well equipped to do so.

The most important tool to have of all, however, is the book itself!  Almost 400 large, photo illustrated demonstrations of every exercise and therapy in Kelly's arsenal; I find this is one of those big hardcover books that I keep by my chair, and repeatedly pick up to pore over.  It is just that jam packed with useful and unique ideas to maintain your bodily health and mobility.  Oh, and here is the link to Kelly's site- lots of videos like the one above to help you focus on different techniques and parts of your body- http://www.mobilitywod.com/

My plan is to get as supple and springy as my cat Zeke-

Then, maybe I can sit in a chair like he does!

J

Do maintenance on your own body- Becoming A Supple Leopard PaleoJay podcast 30

PaleoJay podcast #30            iTunes PaleoJay podcast link!

It’s a big day for the podcast- number 30!  Live voice messages are now on the paleojay site!

Do maintenance on your own body- Becoming A Supple Leopard

First off- I have a new app on my website, that enables you to call and send me a voice message right from your computer!  Wowzer- it’s fast, easy and free- PLUS, I can play your comments and questions back, and answer them right on the podcast- how very cool is that?  Just another way that PaleoJay makes your life better...  Call me!  

My other point is this- the new hardback book, Becoming a Supple Leopard is out, and man this is a book you should add to your collection!  Kelly Starrett is the author, and he is a Physical Therapist’s physical therapist- he covers every joint, muscle, and connection in the body in exhaustive detail- telling you just HOW to do maintenance on your own body. To quote the book cover “The ultimate guide to resolving pain, preventing injury, and optimizing athletic performance”.  

I love the do it yourself approach to most things, like becoming your own fitness coach, taking responsibility for your own health and nutrition, your own fitness program, and now you can be your own coach, chiropractor, doctor, physical therapist, and masseur!!

http://www.mobilitywod.com/   is the link to his website- Kelly’s site name is from the Crossfit WOD, or “Workout of the Day”, and he has lots and lots of mobility videos, from many moons of doing a video per day about keeping your own mobility.  This back catalog is well worth checking out as well

His motto is that “all human beings should be able to do basic maintenance on themselves”, and that is a worthy goal for each of us.  And, if you do have a particular area that is painful, you can go right to that section of the book and go to town- there will be  a whole bunch of exercises, stretches, and explanations of proper body mechanics that can really help you out- and some that will surprise you!  You might even lose a nagging, debilitating pain of long duration, right away! There really is that much valuable information wrapped up in this big book, which is kind of a Rosetta Stone of the human body- explaining its workings in detail, and just HOW to address certain problems.

There is also a long section dealing with proper lifting mechanics, and this would definitely be worth the price of the book in and of itself!  Very detailed information, and the book is packed full of illustrations and photos showing just how to do each and every movement!  

Did you know that 98% of all dysfunction in athletes is caused by 

Overtension (missing range of motion)

Open-circuit faults (moving in a bad position)

Here is the information that you need to deal with that 98%!

I dealt with plantar fascitis awhile back, and a video on MobilityWOD helped me out a lot, using nothing other than... a La Crosse ball!  You just CRAM your foot down on that rock hard little ball, and roll it around- really loosens up the fascia of your foot, and relieves the pain right away!  Now, I can use that ball all over my body- my shoulders the other day, my back, the back of my legs- just with a La Crosse ball or two, and perhaps some of his Voodoo Floss bands that you can wrap around any part of your body for compression, or for stretching and resistance as well... and you are set!

This really is rather exciting information, and so I recommend it highly- A long lasting reference book you will turn to again and again.

So, go ahead and send me a voice message, either on my facebook page 

https://www.facebook.com/PaleoJaysSmoothieCafe, or on http://www.paleojay.com/

And, if you haven’t already, go ahead and rate me on iTunes- I’m like Tinkerbell, in that if people don’t believe in me, I start to fade away...  Thanks, I appreciate it!

And last but not least, go ahead and order a Vitamix blender using the link on my site.  This is really the #1 Fitness tool you can get- it lasts almost forever, and is a fool proof way to make your own “supplements”, by incorporating all the green veggies you would find difficult to consume otherwise, and giving you that Green Paleo Smoothie that covers all of your nutritional bases each day- free shipping from my link, which is the best deal anywhere on a Vitamix!

See you all next week, and hear you via voicemail all throughout!  Whee Doggies!!

PJ

Become a supple leopard!

Becoming a supple leopard! YOU!!

You know, it is not often that I recommend you buy something, much less a large BOOK, as in a real, page- bound printed BOOK...

But I am today!

Kelly Starrett is a man after my own heart- and he has herein catalogued and rendered accessible in a do it yourself fashion just how to maintain your own flexibility, joint health, and just plain human athleticism in a catalog-style of a real book that you can take with you throughout life, and FIX YOURSELF as you go!!

This is all right up my alley- and yours too, I hope!

There is no reason at all to go to M.D.'s, therapists of all stripes, and all other kinds of charlatans and "medicine men and women" to get fixed from pain and inflammation- 

Simple exercises and movement pattern repairs can really fix it-

permanently!!

The thing is, it's all up to YOU!  And that's a good thing!

Kelly has given his all to this book, and it will guide you to real health, of your joints, your movement, and your athletic (and your REAL) life!  

This is what you want, to get you pain-free, and optimized in your movements throughout your life...

Strong words, I know.  But, after a Paleo type of diet, good sleep, and Perfectly Paleo Exercise, this is the book you need to keep you totally functional and pain free, for you entire life- Becoming a Supple Leopard.

It's not cheap, but neither is any real, physical book of reference quality.  

If you have joint pain, of any variety: knee, hip, shoulder, foot, or back- Just buy this book!

To me, it's ironic that the solution to most of our medical ills is really all readily solvable:  

Paleo Diet... Paleo Exercise... Paleo "therapy" aka "Supple Leopard" therapy...

It all really is that simple!  Ditch the Doctors- 

DO IT YOURSELF!!

AND REALLY DO IT- GET 'ER DONE!!

J, a "supple deere"