Back to Basics
by Dennis Gibbons, LMT
Dennis Gibbons, LMT
In conjunction with the start of the new school year Sean has asked me to write about the fundamentals of Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® and Fundamental Movement Pilates℠. So here goes. Just over 22 years ago, as I began my full time career change from Pipefitting to Massage Therapy, I studied Swedish Massage, Neuro-Muscular Therapy, Strain and Counter-strain, and some Cranial Sacral work. These were all great tools, but I always seemed to be lacking something that would put my clientele over the top to a speedy recovery. In the beginning I was working with many weekend athletes (don’t tell them I said that, they had greater expectations for themselves) and most of these techniques worked well. When I began working with a Chiropractor, I was introduced to new types of discomfort and pain: injuries from lifting, overuse, falls, etc. This caused me to reevaluate the areas that needed to be addressed in this format of therapy. Initially I studied more of the work of Dr. Goodheart, D.C. who was the father and creator of Applied Kinesiology. Although this was a diagnostic technique used primarily by Chiropractors I found the information and basis of the philosophy to be very interesting. Combining this philosophy with Bonnie Prudden’s Myotherapy, Dr. Janet Travell’s theory on Trigger Point work and John Barnes’ Myofascial Release, I was able to start bringing the trains of thought together. One constant that seemed repetitive was movement or lack thereof. This concept made sense yet felt foreign to me.
I was introduced to the Pilates Method of movement in 1989 while working with the Cleveland Ballet as a form of physical therapy used in rehabilitation. Although impressed I was not totally comfortable with my level of understanding. While educating myself on Feldenkrais® and the Alexander technique, I gained a new prospective of movement from a postural perspective. I began to understand that posture was given to us at conception and not just how we sit, stand, and walk but an inner posture that.
In the early 90’s I was introduced to a text entitled, “Emotional Anatomy” that opened my eyes to the new inner posture I was looking for. Since that time I have studied the theory on Emilie Conrad’s Continuum and that has truly given me a new insight into our true posture and how fluid (water) plays a major role in our development. With the addition of this understanding of posture coupled with movement I developed the following formula:
Function (or how the body operates) equals Movement
Movement reveals Structure (posture)
Structure determines Movement
With this formula as my new premise I started combining it with all of the technique tools I had acquired. This was great, but as time went on I realized what I had learned from Rudolph Nureyev, was I was not dancing to the energy of the individual but to the music or the symptoms presented. Following this pathway I studied compensation in the body and how that affected future movement patterns. As I began working in this area I realized that in many cases I was treating not the original trauma but the compensation patterns that had developed over time. What we thought was compensation was in reality adaptation to the compensation. Working with the professional dancers of the Cleveland Ballet, the Repertory Project, dancers from Case Western Reserve masters program, University of Akron and Kent State dance programs opened me up to how the body was able to create a posture to move and how the dancers were able to adapt to their injuries so they could perform. This solidified my formula even more.
I adapted many of the techniques to accommodate the new found information but seemed to lack something. Many of my clients were actually improving but it was not as permanent as I had hoped for. More and more of them were asking me what they could do to hold this feeling of well being. At the time I did not have any immediate access to any particular format so I would refer them to local Pilates’ studios of individuals I had personal experience with, Yoga studios, and Tai Chi. This was wonderful but many times they would come back and still have the same if not new issues. I had actually tried some of the videos of Pilates’ method exercise, different aerobic styles and other avenues so that I could be of more service to the client.
As my private practice continued to grow I continued searching for new methods. During the winter of 1996 I was approached by a former Cleveland Ballet dancer, who was now dancing with the Nevada Dance Theater (Las Vegas ballet company), and she suggested I work with the person who she was working with during her rehab. As she explained it to me, this was a different format of Pilates’ type work then she had ever experienced before. In March of 1997 I was introduced to Dolly Kelepecz and what she explained to me as being a purer form of what Joseph Pilates was trying to accomplish. Being a professional dancer the majority of life, she realized that conditioning was not what was needed but a more comprehensive strengthening so that the professional dancer could extend their careers. For the next seven years I became more educated into this philosophy as we were combining what I called at the time Soft Tissue Postural Balancing with this Pilates’ based movement.
In June 2003 I opened the Chagrin Valley Massotherapy and Wellness Center which included the Soft Tissue Postural Balancing, Pilates movement, Yoga and Tai Chi. The original Pilates’ Movement used was of the typical variety found in most studios and although some people enjoyed it, it was truly not what we were looking for. In the meantime we also introduced Gyrotonic® movement but once again it did not seem to fit all of the clientele that came to the Center. In October 2004 I took over the teaching of the Pilates’ movement classes and we eliminated all other formats that we had introduced. It was during the early stages of the new studio that I realized that many of the clients I had could not perform efficiently and that I needed to change and adapt this movement process. It was at this time that I started Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ and have grown it since. The process has turned into a re-patterning or re-education of the way individuals move and it correlates with Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® so that individuals are able to strengthen their inner posture. As their inner posture becomes stronger they are able to move about in their regular lives with a freer mentality that they will not injure themselves as easily.
Approximately five years ago I realized that many of the techniques I performed, although they were achieving good results, were not truly compatible with the philosophy of Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh®. At that time I started allowing the body to reset the tissue more and more and creating a more tensegral balance.
Realizing that it was the bone that generated movement, the joints allowing movement and the muscle starting the movement there was an alteration to how the therapy was being performed. A gentler touch was being used and the true facilitation of the therapist was being accessed. The therapist is not the one in charge, the individual is, and that needed to change. So once again there was another alteration to the therapy and the movement that was being used at Chagrin Valley Wellness Center.
That brings us to what we are experiencing today. The individual begins their Wellness Journey© and enjoys many beneficial changes as they move through their day to day activities. The individual is in control of their wellness and their reliance on many of the pain prescriptions and supplements they were on have been greatly reduced. It truly has become a new way of life for many.
Thank you for reading this and I will be happy to entertain any and all ideas and questions that you may have. Please email me at dennislmt@chagrinvalleywellness.com and I will get back to you as soon as I am able. I have found out that the complexity of Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® and Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ can be overwhelming at times so it is important to understand that the basics and continued education is necessary to keep the simplicity of life in focus.
Please enjoy the many joys and colors of the autumn season, as Marge often says, “The wonders of Our Lord!”
Peace and Blessings to all,
Dennis
I was introduced to the Pilates Method of movement in 1989 while working with the Cleveland Ballet as a form of physical therapy used in rehabilitation. Although impressed I was not totally comfortable with my level of understanding. While educating myself on Feldenkrais® and the Alexander technique, I gained a new prospective of movement from a postural perspective. I began to understand that posture was given to us at conception and not just how we sit, stand, and walk but an inner posture that.
In the early 90’s I was introduced to a text entitled, “Emotional Anatomy” that opened my eyes to the new inner posture I was looking for. Since that time I have studied the theory on Emilie Conrad’s Continuum and that has truly given me a new insight into our true posture and how fluid (water) plays a major role in our development. With the addition of this understanding of posture coupled with movement I developed the following formula:
Function (or how the body operates) equals Movement
Movement reveals Structure (posture)
Structure determines Movement
With this formula as my new premise I started combining it with all of the technique tools I had acquired. This was great, but as time went on I realized what I had learned from Rudolph Nureyev, was I was not dancing to the energy of the individual but to the music or the symptoms presented. Following this pathway I studied compensation in the body and how that affected future movement patterns. As I began working in this area I realized that in many cases I was treating not the original trauma but the compensation patterns that had developed over time. What we thought was compensation was in reality adaptation to the compensation. Working with the professional dancers of the Cleveland Ballet, the Repertory Project, dancers from Case Western Reserve masters program, University of Akron and Kent State dance programs opened me up to how the body was able to create a posture to move and how the dancers were able to adapt to their injuries so they could perform. This solidified my formula even more.
I adapted many of the techniques to accommodate the new found information but seemed to lack something. Many of my clients were actually improving but it was not as permanent as I had hoped for. More and more of them were asking me what they could do to hold this feeling of well being. At the time I did not have any immediate access to any particular format so I would refer them to local Pilates’ studios of individuals I had personal experience with, Yoga studios, and Tai Chi. This was wonderful but many times they would come back and still have the same if not new issues. I had actually tried some of the videos of Pilates’ method exercise, different aerobic styles and other avenues so that I could be of more service to the client.
As my private practice continued to grow I continued searching for new methods. During the winter of 1996 I was approached by a former Cleveland Ballet dancer, who was now dancing with the Nevada Dance Theater (Las Vegas ballet company), and she suggested I work with the person who she was working with during her rehab. As she explained it to me, this was a different format of Pilates’ type work then she had ever experienced before. In March of 1997 I was introduced to Dolly Kelepecz and what she explained to me as being a purer form of what Joseph Pilates was trying to accomplish. Being a professional dancer the majority of life, she realized that conditioning was not what was needed but a more comprehensive strengthening so that the professional dancer could extend their careers. For the next seven years I became more educated into this philosophy as we were combining what I called at the time Soft Tissue Postural Balancing with this Pilates’ based movement.
In June 2003 I opened the Chagrin Valley Massotherapy and Wellness Center which included the Soft Tissue Postural Balancing, Pilates movement, Yoga and Tai Chi. The original Pilates’ Movement used was of the typical variety found in most studios and although some people enjoyed it, it was truly not what we were looking for. In the meantime we also introduced Gyrotonic® movement but once again it did not seem to fit all of the clientele that came to the Center. In October 2004 I took over the teaching of the Pilates’ movement classes and we eliminated all other formats that we had introduced. It was during the early stages of the new studio that I realized that many of the clients I had could not perform efficiently and that I needed to change and adapt this movement process. It was at this time that I started Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ and have grown it since. The process has turned into a re-patterning or re-education of the way individuals move and it correlates with Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® so that individuals are able to strengthen their inner posture. As their inner posture becomes stronger they are able to move about in their regular lives with a freer mentality that they will not injure themselves as easily.
Approximately five years ago I realized that many of the techniques I performed, although they were achieving good results, were not truly compatible with the philosophy of Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh®. At that time I started allowing the body to reset the tissue more and more and creating a more tensegral balance.
Realizing that it was the bone that generated movement, the joints allowing movement and the muscle starting the movement there was an alteration to how the therapy was being performed. A gentler touch was being used and the true facilitation of the therapist was being accessed. The therapist is not the one in charge, the individual is, and that needed to change. So once again there was another alteration to the therapy and the movement that was being used at Chagrin Valley Wellness Center.
That brings us to what we are experiencing today. The individual begins their Wellness Journey© and enjoys many beneficial changes as they move through their day to day activities. The individual is in control of their wellness and their reliance on many of the pain prescriptions and supplements they were on have been greatly reduced. It truly has become a new way of life for many.
Thank you for reading this and I will be happy to entertain any and all ideas and questions that you may have. Please email me at dennislmt@chagrinvalleywellness.com and I will get back to you as soon as I am able. I have found out that the complexity of Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® and Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ can be overwhelming at times so it is important to understand that the basics and continued education is necessary to keep the simplicity of life in focus.
Please enjoy the many joys and colors of the autumn season, as Marge often says, “The wonders of Our Lord!”
Peace and Blessings to all,
Dennis