A couple of very sobering statistics. One; according to a recent Time Magazine article, Americans spend over $50 billion a year diagnosing and treating back pain. That amount represents more than the annual GDP of the majority of the world’s sovereign states based on United Nation’s numbers. Two: in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, of 98 people who were experiencing no back pain whatsoever and underwent MRIs, “52 percent had a disk bulge at least one level and 27 percent had a protrusion. Thirty-eight percent had an abnormality of more than one inter-vertebral disk.”
What do those stats mean in real life? Unless you are part of a very lucky small minority, you are either in pain right now, or are on a trajectory for future back pain if you do nothing to change the underlying degeneration of your body and spine. The reason I say body and spine is because it may manifest in the spine, but is really caused by a broader dysfunction in the way we use our bodies. The reason for this is covered eloquently in this book, but stated simply, we just weren’t biologically designed to spend the majority of our lives with our butts glued to a chair.
So what can one do? One option is to load up on pain relievers, and trudge ahead. According to statistics, Americans consume 80% of the entire global supply of prescription pain killers, notching 28,000 deaths from overdose in 2014. And that number doesn’t include over-the-counter stuff. The other option is to make some simple, but fundamental changes in the way you use your body. That’s what Foundation Training, and this book, is about.
As the co-director of a holistic health center in Taiwan, I find Foundation Training invaluable both personally and professionally. Personally, I messed my back up some 20 years ago, and while it wasn’t a debilitating injury, it bothered me on and off for a long time. All I had to do was bend over the wrong way, and I threw my back out, leading to limited movement and discomfort for several days. Chiropractors helped some in offering relief, but never worked out the problem completely. Since doing Foundation Training my back has seldom bothered me since. In addition, as a best-selling author in Taiwan, I had some serious postural issues from long-time sitting and slumping over a computer that Foundation Training helped resolve. Professionally, as a certified instructor of Foundation Training, I have worked with many students who realized relief from pain, in some cases for quite serious issues beyond routine back pain.
Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of Foundation Training. The movements may be few and simple, but they have been carefully designed and perfected over years of practical application, and can, as thousands of people have attested to, deliver a big impact when it comes to changing the way we use our bodies, and relieving pain; not just in backs, but necks, shoulders, and knees as well. I won’t go into the details about how it does that, as that is outlined clearly in this book, but stated simply, think of it as the antidote to what modern living does to our bodies. As an added plus, you need no expensive gym membership, no equipment, no special venue, just your body, a space the size of a yoga mat, and a few minutes a day.
For those who want to experience FT first-hand, there are several options, including searching out a certified trainer or taking an FT workshop. In the DIY category, there is the original FT book, and not one, but two DVD series. So, how to choose and why this book? If you are a person who lives more in the body than the mind, and would like to “just do it,” getting the most recent DVD series and putting your pain or dysfunctional movement behind you is a great idea. However, if you want some of the why in addition to the what, and most of us do, this book provides it. There is also an earlier Foundation Training book, but this one represents the most recent and updated information and techniques in the ongoing evolution of Foundation Training. This book provides all of the basic and necessary movements, although the DVD takes it a bit further with more detailed explanations of the movements and a number of integrated workouts.
I consider myself fortunate to have been able to study personally with and be certified by Dr. Eric Goodman, the original creator of Foundation training. Even though his work has been recognized by many well-known athletes and health professionals, including Dr. Mercola, Eric remains a humble person who is really focused on helping people. However you do it, be it in a class, one-on-one with a trainer, through the DVD or this book, I recommend you learn Foundation Training and make it a part of your life and not end up being a statistic for pain and dysfunction.
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Sigi
Absolutes MUSS für jede gesundheitsbewusste Seele
Reviewed in Germany on May 17, 2017