How a Marathon Athlete Uses Bodywork for Recovery

 Tony Irwin is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and host of Beer Yoga at Yogohana SF. He came to me for a 2- hour bodywork session, while training for a marathon with his father, as a father-son bonding activity.

Training for a marathon is a serious commitment that requires a lot of time, dedication, and effort. I was touched by how meaningful this activity was for him to spend time with his dad. So naturally I wanted to help keep his body in tip-top shape for the upcoming run.

Tony didn't just come to get a quick fix from our therapeutic bodywork session - he truly wanted to understand his body better, and identify areas of imbalance that he wasn't consciously aware of.

Watch the 3-min interview above to see how Tony was able to connect how his hamstring tension was related to the pelvic rotation and tension he was holding in his lower back.

Once a student is able to feel into their bodies, and breathe through some new sensations on the table, they self-report increased states of "openness" and "lightness" in their bodies. Place where ranges of motion previously felt limited are now open to possibility of expansion into new areas.

This is why my students will say, "I got more movement here today than I have in years!" It's not magic - it's just understanding how the recovery and training aspects of movement all work together.

There are so many reasons why we want to get stronger: so we can have better endurance, so we can break previous PR's, so we can enjoy the things we love - with the people we love.

But it's equally important to incorporate recovery times, and to gift yourself time to release and unwind.

Therapeutic Bodywork is one of many ways we can take care of our selves, so that when it's time to show up in the moments that matter - you're able to give your 100%.

Hard workouts are only one aspect of a well-rounded training regimen! Incorporating both passive recovery modalities (like massage or therapeutic bodywork) and active recovery modalities (like rehabilitative mobility) into your #PersonalizedPractice will keep your body balanced and performing at its best.