Marcus D. McDonough
I am dedicated to providing high quality and exclusive treatments. I will always strive to meet yours and your clienteles individual needs and concerns to promote overall well-being. I incorporate the tools of Fascial Release, Sports Massage, Deep Tissue and Facial Stretch Therapy for those wanting to rehab from an acute or chronic injury and athletes wanting to maintain and/or increase their mobility and restore function to improve athletic performance. These techniques combined are highly effective approaches used to shorten recovery time from grueling workouts, decompress joints and normalize myofascial chains for optimal flexibility, release restrictions and adhesion in the joint capsules and connective tissue throughout the body and also decrease the effects of stress on the mind body due to over exertion. In any given session I may use only one or all of these approaches to obtain the results we are looking for!
DISCALIMER: Myofascial release is performed slow! So do not expect a full body massage. Expect relief from a nagging injury!
Marcus will be working in Suite D (Body Firm) as well as Suite K (Body Firm Wellness)
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Marcus D. McDonough
Pacific Motion Bodywork: Manual and Movement Therapy
www.pacificmotionbodywork.com
c: 831.428.6270
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Heather Rideout
Cyclist, surfer, runner, hiker, are just a few ways you can describe Heather. She is an avid athlete and constantly in motion. Graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Kinesiology and from there her love for the body and its physical capabilities grew. Passionate about helping others, she volunteered in San Diego with the Magic Horse, helping kids with special needs ride and take care of horses. She worked as a Teacher’s Aide in Adapted Physical Education for 7 years. Teaching her students how to work out in a gym, play different sports, and take care of their health. From sports, yoga, strength training, and swimming to riding horses, Heather is extremely passionate about teaching.
As a personal trainer Heather enjoys teaching people about functional movement. She is constantly exploring new ways to help people strengthen their bodies and live a life free from pain, especially low back pain. She continues to motivate and help her peers learn about the body and its amazing physical capabilities.
Heather Rideout
BS Kinesiology
NASM CPT
Ray Vargas
Ray Vargas has a love and passion for fitness and nutrition and that’s why he started ISOTONEX – to share, serve & help others via fitness. However, as Ray started on this quest he realized he could help deliver more than that.
You know the saying ‘if you look good, you feel good’? Through training, nutrition and positive reinforcement, Ray’s clients looked better, felt better and gained more confidence. This naturally helped them to achieve other aspirations, such as a better job. For Ray it’s not just about getting fit and eating right – it’s about lifestyle and cultivating your energy. Ray has a natural knack for getting you fit and making you feel better about yourself – physically and emotionally.
Ray’s mission as your personal trainer is simple – to help you achieve your goal. He listens and customizes your training program every step of the way. You are not locked into any set program. He varies your program based on your needs for that session. He covers all aspects of aspects of strength training, functional fitness, plyometrics, bodywork, kettle bells, cardio conditioning, band/pulley training, sports specific training and post rehabilitative work.
As Ray is a motivated, passionate and inspirational soul he always goes above and beyond and it shows. It is not unusual to find Ray training along side his clients or fine-tuning their technique so they can squeeze out that little extra.
Ray’s drive and his positive energy are contagious. You feel it when you talk to him, when you train with him and even after the session is done. He is empowered by this contagious energy in his everyday life and enjoys ‘paying it forward’ by educating, motivating and inspiring people to live better and feel energized through functional fitness and nutrition.
Self Care
How often do we feel the need to take care of others…whether it’s our children, our clients, our parents, our spouses, or a friend in need? This caring is what helps the heart grow. This caring is what can bring peace and happiness; possibly a sense of relief to those in need. Yet, when we care for others, what is the relationship we have with ourselves?
Do we care for our own needs as well, or do we take care of the world…then look in the mirror and realize we’ve forgotten the most important person to help? (the answer is YOU are the most important person, in case you weren’t sure!)
Here’s a visual. You’re on a plane and the airline representative demonstrates in the event of an emergency and the oxygen masks will fall from the ceiling and you are to put YOUR mask on first before you help anyone else…even your baby.
Why would they ask this of you? If you cannot preserve yourself, you cannot help anyone else.
This is not only true in an airplane, but in every day needs and demands. We must take care of our own needs so that we have the health, vibrance, energy and positivity to take care of others.
Our families, friends, loved ones and clients don’t want us haggard, broken, sick or cranky just so we can be there for them! They want us to fill our cups first…so we have the vitality to manage everything else. Don’t you want that of someone who might be helping you?
It’s wonderful to give to others; I highly recommend a life of kindness and helpfulness; however I recommend even more so to take care of one’s self in nutrition, fitness, emotions, finances, energy and fun so when we do give, we can do it from a place of health.
To yours in health and wellness~
Tammy Parkinson CPT CLC CNC
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com
Going Ageless
Imagine a time when age wasn’t a number, but a feeling. Let’s pretend there were no clocks or birthdays to indicate our years on earth. Conceptualize that you wouldn’t know that wrinkles were good or bad (which they aren’t by the way) or that grey hair was even a marker of “age”.
Ok, do you have the visual? It’s a little relaxing isn’t it? There’s no pressure to be younger by the way you look. Instead, “age or youth” is about how we FEEL. When you wake up are you vibrant and energized, or tired, weary and in pain? Do you feel that you can breath easily, think clearly and focus, or do you feel quite the opposite and have a difficult time moving, articulating and carrying through with your day?
What a concept to consider an ageless existence. I love the idea of feeling my age vs. someone putting me in a box because of the years I have spent on earth. Rather, do WE do that to ourselves? Do we pigeon hole ourselves because we are 30,40,50,60,70…etc and then fit that mold of what society tells us we should feel like, look like, act like?
I challenge you to go inward and decide what age you feel and if you like it, go with it! Enjoy your youthful feeling. If you don’t like it, change it and decide what you need to do on the inside (eat better, sleep more, exercise differently, reduce stress, etc) so that you can be that perfect you…whether that you is 19, 50, or 80 in chronological years…it’s up to you to go a little ageless by taking charge of what goes in to your body and mind.
The Power of Rest
Earlier this week I was having a debate about what “rest” is. My debater felt strongly the only way to rest is to take a nap. Plain and simple…sleep in the middle of the day. He felt when you turn your mind off and nap, you are clearly able to let go of any problems and start anew when you wake.
My response is that a nap is fabulous…however I believe “rest” is different and personal for all of us. Rest to some might be napping, to others a silent hike in the mountains, or a good book can bring peace to the soul, mind and heart.
The debate ended with a mutual agreement that “rest” is what each person needs to recharge, refresh and renew. Rest can be letting sore muscles heal from excursion as much as it can be clearing the mind from chaos and clutter from the day with laughter. It can also be as simple as one didn’t get enough sleep the night before and needs to catch up on a few zzz’s.
Whatever your rest is…it’s important. To recharge is part of self care…burn out isn’t. Taking time out to quite the mind and body is healing…burning the candle at both ends isn’t.
In this era or so many demands, so many complications, it’s more vital than ever to find your personal way of rejuvenating yourself so that you can be your best every day in every way.
Drafting through life
When a cyclist rides with a team (or even one other person) there’s a technique that’s used called “drafting”. Drafting happens often when the team is riding in a head wind so that the riders behind the leader can “draft” off of the person’s wheel who is ahead of them. This makes it a LOT easier for the riders drafting. You need to ride consistent, close, and make no mistakes to do this effectively and safely; however it can turn a brutal ride in the wind into a rather pleasant experience (except for the ride leader!) . The rest of the team though gets to “use” the suction of the person ahead of them and they can coast a little more; saving energy for the remainder of the ride.
However, you don’t want to draft the whole ride. At times there are hills to trudge up, tops of hills to safely race down and flat terrain without much wind to maneuver and catch a good cadence. It’s important to know when to use your own strength and power and not always rely on someone else’s.
The theme here is be strong enough to lead, agile enough to maneuver in hilly terrain and know your limits when you need to draft.
How similar is our every day life?
Do we draft off of others too often, using their energy while saving our own? Do we ever take the lead; or do we always try and lead, simply exhausting ourselves? Do we know how to charge up a hill when we see it and enjoy the ride when we have reached the top?
Life is such a balancing act and one which needs to be carefully managed. Go through your week and notice if you lead and draft. Do you “ride” solo, or do you use the help of others sometimes? Check out your cadence and see where you might need help and where you could take the lead.
Adrenal Fatigue Seminar June 17th 2015
You’re Invited to a FREE talk at Pilates Sante in Los Gatos with Body Firm/ Tammy Parkinson
Fatigue and the role of the Adrenals
Wednesday June 17th, 6 – 7:30 pm by Tammy Parkinson
Do you often feel…
Tired (especially in the morning or afternoons)
Stressed (where you have a hard time coping or feeling a sense of balance)
Overwhelmed (can’t manage simple tasks you used to be able to)
Emotional (angry, frustrated, sad, exhausted…maybe all at the same time)
Inability to focus
Lack of enthusiasm….
You might be experiencing Adrenal Fatigue, or symptoms leading up to this. If this is ringing a bell with you, join Health Educator and nutritionist Tammy Parkinson of Body Firm in Los Gatos. Tammy will be addressing Adrenal Fatigue and how to gracefully and holistically work towards solutions to get your old self back.
Tammy Parkinson, CPT, ACSM, NASM, a Certified Nutritionist and Certified Life Coach, has consulted with hundreds of clients about becoming healthier and reversing the aging process. This is done by reducing body fat and weight, targeting hormonal imbalances and fatigue, eating for a youthful and energetic life, excelling in sports performance and improving quality of life.
Ripple effect
There is an old saying:
. . . like the pebble cast into the still pond, everything we do sends ripples into our environment. The positive or negative influence of those ripples is our choice.
I was in a yoga class earlier this week and the teacher suggested at the end of the class we smile to each person as we pass by them and go about the rest of our day. The moment she said that brought a smile to my face and heart.
The ripple effect….
One smile, led to another which led to 10 more. And thus, for a moment in time, I felt “lifted”, which is still rippling.
This got me thinking about the influences we have with our every day actions. In the health and wellness “industry” (I really don’t call this an industry, it’s more a lifestyle)…we want to promote exercise, nutrition, emotional health and healing, and over all well being.
That promotion though needs to start within each of us; at the core level. It needs to start with “me” (the individual)….and those who are advocates of it. If I, for example, suggest someone works out daily (to their own level) because I believe movement is important, I need to be willing to do the same. If I suggest someone choose foods 90% of the time which are nutrient dense and calorie light for overall health, then I need to be willing to do that as well.
If any one of us suggest someone else do something which we believe to enrich a life and will help our well being, then we need to first be that example.
Will we fall short sometimes…of course!!!! Will we make mistakes, forget, get frustrated and become human (daily!) …of course!!!! But that is what makes the ripple effect so powerful. It not only changes those who we are able to help, but it changes us first. If we allow the ripple effect to grow on our negative examples, then that too will overwhelm those who pay attention.
Consider being the pebble in the pond. Let your positive example and energy ripple away at a still pond into a ferocious ocean, and see the change it ignites in you. Oh, and smile at each person you walk by for the next hour after you read this!
To yours in Health~
Tammy Parkinson, CPT CNC CLC
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com
My Word of the day~
Have you ever had a day that turned up side down within a few minutes of waking up? Then the day kept spinning and up until the time you got to bed, you were in constant turmoil?
I sure have!
I found something that helps me is anchoring myself to a “word of the day”. I’ve talked about this before on many different levels.
About a decade ago I began writing in a journal 10 things I am grateful for and 10 things I want to attract in to my day. I began this ritual and it has forever changed me. I will not turn on any electronics until I write my 10/10’s and set the tone of the day, offering gratitude for my amazing life.
Several months ago, I started adding in a “word of the day”….or “intention of the day”. To me, this is different than what I want to attract…it’s my “emotion” which helps anchor my day and tether me when I get a little (or a lot) of track. I never know what this word is going to be until I open up my journal and I feel what I need to be, do, feel, act or react to.
For example, I was having one of those crazy, out of control, everything changed in a second (constantly) kind of day yesterday and I was a bit out of balance to say the least. Today, I instantly knew my word was “grounded”. I needed to feel solid and sure footed. That set my tone and consistently throughout the day, I remembered my “intention” and immediately felt “right”.
This is only one example of so many times I’ve used this technique and it has helped me move past an uncomfortable moment to a very happy, secure and focused feeling.
We know that we have the power to change our attitude and this is one tool to help us do that.
Consider for a week to try and write a word of the day before you turn on the world. See how this changes not only your attitude and focus, but those reacting to you as well.
To yours in Health and Wellness
Tammy Parkinson CNC CLC CPT
Body Firm Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting
www.mybodyfirm.com