What more can be said…..check out this video - http://thedoctorstv.com/main/home_page?init_type=Feature&init_id=2105.
It looks like they are using the Original Body Stick (blue handles), the Sprinter Stick (grey handles – short), the Little Stick (black handles) and the Big Stick (grey handles – long). Their commentary is pretty funny.
Sorry, I could not embed the video!
On May 30th, 2010 in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada (my home town) I attended the National CrossFit Championships. For those of you who don’t know what CrossFit is – “The editors of PureHealthMD writing for Discovery Health Channel found CrossFit “equals better fitness and stronger muscles in a more reasonable amount of time” compared to trying to “build muscle and get in shape by spending 60 minutes or more in the gym several days a week…” Their conclusion was that the program “is a different type of exercise routine …a well-rounded and very efficient way to achieve a higher level of fitness …that does not need a whole lot of fancy equipment, but does offer a nice variety to keep the interest level up and provide the challenge needed to keep the exercise fun.” For more information on what CrossFit is you can go here. I was super impressed with the competition as a whole. The weekend long event culminated with a tire flipping, power lifts and lapping a hockey arena display of power, speed and endurance. This picture shows just a glimpse of the ladies finals.
I had a small booth spreading the good word about The Stick. I spoke with athletes about their training, recovery, nutrition and soft – tissue manipulation. Most of the athletes I spoke with knew how important it was to perform at the highest level they could. Of course, they were…..they were competing at the National Finals!!
What most people don’t know about these competitions or CrossFit in general is that these athletes work their bodies to exhaustion all the time. The top athletes actually training like Olympic Athletes and Professional Athletes. The training routines are extremely rigorous and often very hard to even finish. Athletes were actually waiting for me to get there as I arrived a little late from supporting my wife running her 9th half marathon in Calgary, Alberta. Many of the athletes came over and said how much they loved “The Stick”. The loved how The Stick helped them with their sore muscles, trigger points and recovery.
These CrossFit athletes were unique in that they were after a Stick that would penetrate deep into their muscles. Most of the athletes had very thick and well-developed muscles. As a result, I distributed more Stiff Sticks and Sprinter Sticks than I have at any other event. I can safely say that Crossfit athletes love The Stick! In fact, I sold out of all the Stiff Sticks that I had on hand.
The difference between a Stiff Stick and a Sprinter Stick is that the Stiff Stick is longer and more Stiff than the Sprinter Stick. The Stiff Stick would suite people who are taller who want to get at their back and shoulders as well as their legs and arms. It is for thick, heavy muscles. The Sprinter Stick is the stiffest Stick in the short models of Sticks.
For more information about the types of Sticks, you can visit our website. We have a video and a table that explains which Stick is correct for a given body type.
I just found this review of The Marathon Stick done by Amature Endurance - A Trusted Resource for Amature Athletes.
Here are some highlights:
“The Marathon Stick is one of my favorite accessories for runners. The product itself is very simple and easy to use. I like to use it after my workouts and races to massage my muscles.”
“In my opinion, this is a required running accessory unless you have a masseuse you can see regularly. It is very easy to use and easy to take with you anywhere. Sore muscles are a part of being an endurance athlete and I have found the Stick to be a great way to help get rid of sore muscles faster than other similar products.”
“In terms of price and quality. You get what you pay for. The Stick may seem expensive but it is a lot cheaper than getting a massage. I have been using the Stick for a couple years now and it works just as good as the first day I used it.”
To see the entire post and the video click here.
In Alberta, Canada ….you can pick up a Marathon Stick here.
I love to get out on my mountain bike and have a great workout. One of the problems I have is my geographical location in Alberta, Canada. I have to admit that I am somewhat of a weekend warrior, so I naturally wait for the snow to melt, than I get very excited for spring!
I truly enjoying x-country mountain biking, so the road really is not my cup of tea. However, I do go for a few long road/path rides to get my legs (and butt) back into the shape. Since discovering The Stick I have taken one on many of my rides to help recover and loosen up my sore muscles. I also love to use a Stick during a break and right after I am done to aid in recovery.
Needless to say, cycling can be amazing or a real pain in the butt, knees, back, wrists and shoulders. There are many fitting guides out there and you should always listen to experts or go to your local bike shop to get the personal touch. For starters, I have a guide to help you. It is called “Proper Bike Fit Can Prevent Pain and Injury“. The article gives some good, basic information on the following topics:
You can find the full article -Here-
The most interesting note I have to say is that The Stick and it’s related Speciality Products can help with all of the above conditions except saddle sores. That is a “sensitive” topic.
Needless to say The Stick is a great tool every cyclist needs to have in their toolbox.
Many people believe that stretching before and after an activity or training session will prevent muscle soreness.
Before we get to far into this topic, it might be a good idea review another post I did titled “Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and The Stick“.
Muscle soreness is a result of microscopic tears to the muscle itself. After vigorous activity, it is not uncommon to have tight, sore muscles. There is a place for stretching and it does help to relieve some of the tightness, but is it effective? Some people say Yes, others say No! As you might guess, this is a hotly debated topic!
Research has stated that stretching after exercise does not help muscle soreness! In fact 10 studies produced very consistent findings. They showed there was minimal or no effect on the muscle soreness experienced between half a day and three days after the physical activity. In other words, the author found that the evidence derived from mainly laboratory-based studies of stretching indicate that muscle stretching does not reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness in young healthy adults. To see the whole article, click here!
It is well known that massage therapy reduces muscle soreness. That is where The Stick comes in! You can massage your muscles anytime and anywhere. NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED! You can roll out your muscles sitting in a chair, standing with a leg up, sitting on the ground or even kneeling!
The Stick is the right massage tool to help reduce muscle soreness! Many people refer to The stick as a massage stick.
The Sprinter Stick
As you can see from my last post, massage has been the topic of study for its ability to relieve pain and soreness. Especially concerning high intense exercise. Specifically, sore muscles, are attracting increased attention as sports massage becomes a regular part of an athletes’ training regiment.
As I mentioned before, there has been recent studies that highlight some of the benefits of receiving massage therapy after a training session to reduce soreness.
Researchers at the University of Iowa, studied DOMS. Participants in the study exerted their muscles, then were assessed for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Deep tissue massage was given to the participants, then their level of soreness was reanalyzed.
In this study from Iowa, Frey Law et al., were looking for the analgesic effects of massage on reducing soreness. They found that the participants muscle symptoms were decreased by as much as 50%. Depending on the pain measures taken, they found muscle soreness was relieved by 25%-50%. Those are significant findings!
In addition, at Kings College of London, a study by Hurley and Bearne reported that massage was amongst the non-exercise physical therapies found to be effective for treating musculoskeletal conditions. They also mentioned other reasons to use massage for pain relief as cost efficient and easy to self-administer.
After reading these studies, The Stick is the perfect tool for helping with muscle soreness when it comes to DOMS. You can use The Stick anytime and anywhere with easy and accuracy. The Stick is very cost efficient. To find out more, visit our site – The Stick provided by Zealous Vitality Inc.
When it comes to massage therapy, there are many, many types (to name a few):
Click here to see the 10 Most Popular Types Of Massage Therapy – By About.com
Whatever your reason is for getting a massage is up to you. I can tell you that The Stick is the the next best thing to human touch. The big difference is, you do not need to leave the comfort of your own home to have a massage. It breaks down trigger points (knots) and relieves tight, sore muscles in no time flat.
Now let’s talk about self-massage. That is treating yourself with massage therapy techniques. Reader’s Digest.com has a very popular article called Learn the Art of Self-Massage. The article is filled with tips and tricks for taking care of yourself. I actually counted over 12 different tools or devices that they suggest to give yourself a massage. Honestly, all you really need 1 tool – The Stick.
