Cameron Aiken's Blog
http://blog.cameronaiken.com
Cameron Aiken's Blog
injuries and the quick fix
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charset="us-ascii"
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www.cameronaiken.com =
--
Howdy=20 folks,
I had a client come through the other day = whose has=20 been nursing a hamstring issue for over a year now. Over that time she's = been to=20 me a few times, seen at least a couple of physical therapists regularly, = tried=20 working it out, tried resting it out, and nothing has solved it. The = last time I=20 saw her she mentioned that another professional had told her that a = steroid shot=20 might well fix it quickly and efficiently. She was thinking she might do = that,=20 but was still reluctant. She said she would rather work it out = naturally.=20
I understand that. After years of trouble = with=20 insomnia, I have finally gotten to the point where I will occassionally = take a=20 benedryl. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but I don't want = to take=20 anything stronger or more regularly. I'm hoping someday me and my body = will work=20 it out.
So the question is: is there any reason = to avoid the=20 quick medical fix? Are we just being stubborn? If there is a reason, = when is=20 enough enough?
Probably part of the answer is yes, we = are a bit=20 stubborn. If we think we live in an over-medicated society, then it = takes some=20 effort to resist, and sometimes that effort might make us hold out = beyond=20 reasonable logic. But why hold out at all against something that will = allow us=20 to be comfortable again?
I think the answer is the question = itself. If we=20 weren't having trouble we would miss out on asking all these questions. = Nothing=20 generates self-reflection quite like discomfort, and nothing generates = knowledge=20 quite like self-reflection. When you pull a hamstring, you become aware = of the=20 connections in your leg in a way you never did before. In all of your = motions,=20 the injury is going to be sending you all sorts of signals, sometimes in = very=20 loud tones. If you pay attention to it, the injury can teach you all = kinds of=20 things about the way your leg and hip muscles interact, and so on. = Neither me,=20 or your doctor, or your physical therapist, or even that amazing guy in = Tribeca=20 that invented the Golden Chakra Hoola-Hoops will ever get anywhere near = the same=20 feedback about your body that you can get yourself. That information may = in time=20 lead you to the creative tools you need to solve your own problem. In = any case,=20 the awareness you develop will stick with you after the injury is = healed. And=20 the process will give you philosophical insight that will carry through = all=20 aspects of your life.
As for when enough is enough, I have no = idea.=20 Sometimes it just is. So if you decide you've gotten about all the = information=20 you care to get from that particular problem, don't worry about it. No = doubt=20 another learning opportunity will show up soon enough.
Have a =
good=20
month.
cam
Cameron Aiken
New Locations
Howdy folks,
Just wanted to let you know that I am branching out to some new neighborhoods! I will now be offering massages in Midtown East (43rd and 3rd), as well as in Chinatown (Centre and Grand).
This should be great for people wanting to come in during and after work, as well as people who prefer a more professional atmosphere than what I offer at my studio. Rates at these offices will be $150 for an untimed session, or $120/hour for those who may want to come in during their lunch break. Rates will remain the same at my UWS studio.
Please feel free to pass this along to people who may in be interested. For those of you who are new, I work only by referral, so I very much appreciate you spreading the word. If you enjoyed it, your people probably will, too!
Thanks and have a good month.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Just wanted to let you know that I am branching out to some new neighborhoods! I will now be offering massages in Midtown East (43rd and 3rd), as well as in Chinatown (Centre and Grand).
This should be great for people wanting to come in during and after work, as well as people who prefer a more professional atmosphere than what I offer at my studio. Rates at these offices will be $150 for an untimed session, or $120/hour for those who may want to come in during their lunch break. Rates will remain the same at my UWS studio.
Please feel free to pass this along to people who may in be interested. For those of you who are new, I work only by referral, so I very much appreciate you spreading the word. If you enjoyed it, your people probably will, too!
Thanks and have a good month.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
new offerings
I've got several new ideas of things I would like to start offering, one bodywork related and the other two musical. It would be great to get some feedback if anything here strikes your interest. Also, please feel free to pass this along to any people/groups who might be interested.
1) Integrated Intuition: Yes, I just made that up, but it seems like as good a name as any. These will be private sessions that use basic yoga and stretching positions to develop your own body awareness. It will basically be the polar opposite of power yoga, the idea not being to push yourself to the max, but to understand your full body within a basic stretch. It will focus on matching visualization techniques with stretching, and developing your own intuitive sense and so that you can become your own best teacher. This will be great for people who a) think yoga is too hard, or are nervous about injuries, b) have trouble getting motivated to stretch or excercise, c) enjoy yoga but feel like they are in a rut, or d) just have aches and pains and stiffness they don't know what to do about. If you like the ideas behind my articles such as the Type B Running Guide ( thekosherhostess.com/articles/health_fitness/the_type_b_personality_s_guide_to_running ), then this would be a good way explore them further. You may be surprised how much good you can do yourself with just a little bit of relaxed, focussed effort.
2) Classical Music Appreciation: This is for folks who feel like they don't get classical music, but would like to. Or who get it, but would like to get it more. It would be a class of 5-7 people, and we would pick a piece and basically just get inside the soul of it: understand the basic struture, learn the themes, get the rhythm pumping in our blood, and get a sense of what the performers are feeling. I'm happy to do symphonic music, chamber music, or opera- preferably something leading up to a performance somewhere in town that we can attend. (For those who don't know my musical background, I have a Master's degree in vocal performance from Rice University, and am currently pursuing a music ed degree at Hunter College.)
3) Voice lessons: I'm starting to offer voice lessons again. If you know any high-school kids who are interested, I'd be happy to talk to them. If you would like to improve your karaoke or choir singing skills, I'd be happy to talk to you. If you are a pro who is frustrated by some nagging issues, you may want to talk to me. I've had the experience of basically wrecking my voice, and then learning how to get it back- a terrible thing for a singer, but the best possible thing for a teacher. It's given me a unique perspective. Singing is the primary path through which I have developed the basic philosophy of intution and awareness that I carry into all of my other work.
So let me know if any of that interests you, or if you would like to discuss anything further.
Hope you are having a good New Year.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
gc's/ The Type B Personality's Guide to Running, part II
Howdy folks,
Forgive me for bringing up the C word before Thanksgiving, but since I won't send another email till mid-December, I wanted to mention that I'm again offering a $25 discount on gift certificates for that special anyone other than yourself.
***
This is part II of the Type B Personality's Guide to Running. It's a bit longer than I usually ramble on, but I didn't want to make it three parts. If you want to reread part one, I can resend it to you, but basically step one was getting rid of gadgets, gear, and measurements of time and distance. As I mentioned last time, I'm not a professional trainer, so filter this through your own experience and take it for what it's worth. Now on to step 2:
2) Break up repetitive motions. I think the primary thing that makes running hard on the body, not to mention monotonous, is the repetitive motion of stepping one leg in front of the other the same way for miles and miles. It creates imbalances in the body, making certain areas take all the strain, while other important areas can get lazy. There are several ways I shift my patterns. One is to put a moderate hill in the first mile of my run, and be a bit aggressive with it. This naturally gets the hip and pelvic muscles active in a way that running on flat land doesn't. Another is to vary your pace, going faster for as long as you feel like it, strecthing out your stride in the psoas and groin, then slowing down for a little rest. The third is not to run in a straight line. Pretend like you are running an obstacle course: zig-zag, do an imaginary tire run-- anything that engages the hips, heightens your energy, and keeps your feet from landing in the same predictable spot. If you have good footing you can do this by running on unmaintained trails (but know your limits and be careful). Or in Central Park you can do it just by dodging people!
You may have noticed that in all of these things, the key is getting your hips working. This builds core strength and keeps the body flexible, taking stress off of weaker joints. In the short term it may tire you out, and you won't be able to run as long. But you are a type B runner, so you don't keep track of that stuff. If you attack a hill, go as slow as you want when you reach the top. You'll naturally pick up the pace again after a rest. If you are too tired, walk a bit. Eventually you will recover quicker, and in the long term you'll be stronger, faster, and in better shape. In time, just slowing down a bit will feel like a rest break.
3) Get the shoulders working. The legs aren't the only thing that get into repetitive ruts. It's very easy to start running with your shoulders in one position that gradually gets tighter and tigher as you go. Shoulder tension inevitably extends into the ribs, making it difficult for them expand and allow breath in. Make sure you get those muscles working during the first part of your run. Do a little shadow-boxing as you run, or a speed-bag type motion (one arm at a time). If you are afraid boxing moves will make you look far too cool, I highly recommend choo-choo train arms (still one arm at a time). I've been known to do them all, but anything that gets the shoulders rolling in circles is good. Turn your neck slowly from side to side as you do them. As with the hips, once those muscles become involved in the process, they will heighten your energy and make you feel better.
4) Find the groove. While the Type B runner doesn't measure times or distances, he does have a goal. The goal is to find the groove; to get the whole body activated so that as the run progresses, it finds a natural stride that gets stronger and stronger to the finish.
An ideal run on my standard route goes something like this: start out slow, let the legs find themselves, get the arms and shoulders moving. After 3/4 mile or so there is a hill-- I'm a fairly warmed up now so a I pick up the pace going up. Slow way down at the top, and naturally increase speed again as my body feels like it. After recovering from the hill my stride is naturally longer and more powerful. I feel my hips naturally engaging, and make sure my shoulders are engaged. Any little dips or hills naturally affect my speed like a roller-coaster. Through this period my body starts really working hard, but my energy is high and it is enjoyable. When I hit the hill again going down, my body feels supported and relaxed as gravity carries me down. I slow down some at the bottom and catch my breath, but the whole body is ready to work now, so as the long flat stretch continues, my stride lenthens. I feel the stretch in my inner thighs and psoas, my opposite arms and shoulders moving across the body creating torque in the lower abs.
This is a natural sprint-- running fast not because you are trying, but because the whole body is engaged. This is the groove that will take you happily to exhaustion, where you slow down and stop, raising your hands in the air like Rocky, basquing in the glory of a job well done.
Of course, not every run has that beautiful arc. Some days I can't get going, and on those days I take it easy. Also, I imagine as I get older, my starting and ending pace are going to get closer to the same thing. But the Type B personality has the luxury of listening to themselves, following their own version of the arc, searching for the groove, and accepting what the day offers. In the end, any run that motivates you to run another day is a good one.
Have a good Thanksgiving.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Forgive me for bringing up the C word before Thanksgiving, but since I won't send another email till mid-December, I wanted to mention that I'm again offering a $25 discount on gift certificates for that special anyone other than yourself.
***
This is part II of the Type B Personality's Guide to Running. It's a bit longer than I usually ramble on, but I didn't want to make it three parts. If you want to reread part one, I can resend it to you, but basically step one was getting rid of gadgets, gear, and measurements of time and distance. As I mentioned last time, I'm not a professional trainer, so filter this through your own experience and take it for what it's worth. Now on to step 2:
2) Break up repetitive motions. I think the primary thing that makes running hard on the body, not to mention monotonous, is the repetitive motion of stepping one leg in front of the other the same way for miles and miles. It creates imbalances in the body, making certain areas take all the strain, while other important areas can get lazy. There are several ways I shift my patterns. One is to put a moderate hill in the first mile of my run, and be a bit aggressive with it. This naturally gets the hip and pelvic muscles active in a way that running on flat land doesn't. Another is to vary your pace, going faster for as long as you feel like it, strecthing out your stride in the psoas and groin, then slowing down for a little rest. The third is not to run in a straight line. Pretend like you are running an obstacle course: zig-zag, do an imaginary tire run-- anything that engages the hips, heightens your energy, and keeps your feet from landing in the same predictable spot. If you have good footing you can do this by running on unmaintained trails (but know your limits and be careful). Or in Central Park you can do it just by dodging people!
You may have noticed that in all of these things, the key is getting your hips working. This builds core strength and keeps the body flexible, taking stress off of weaker joints. In the short term it may tire you out, and you won't be able to run as long. But you are a type B runner, so you don't keep track of that stuff. If you attack a hill, go as slow as you want when you reach the top. You'll naturally pick up the pace again after a rest. If you are too tired, walk a bit. Eventually you will recover quicker, and in the long term you'll be stronger, faster, and in better shape. In time, just slowing down a bit will feel like a rest break.
3) Get the shoulders working. The legs aren't the only thing that get into repetitive ruts. It's very easy to start running with your shoulders in one position that gradually gets tighter and tigher as you go. Shoulder tension inevitably extends into the ribs, making it difficult for them expand and allow breath in. Make sure you get those muscles working during the first part of your run. Do a little shadow-boxing as you run, or a speed-bag type motion (one arm at a time). If you are afraid boxing moves will make you look far too cool, I highly recommend choo-choo train arms (still one arm at a time). I've been known to do them all, but anything that gets the shoulders rolling in circles is good. Turn your neck slowly from side to side as you do them. As with the hips, once those muscles become involved in the process, they will heighten your energy and make you feel better.
4) Find the groove. While the Type B runner doesn't measure times or distances, he does have a goal. The goal is to find the groove; to get the whole body activated so that as the run progresses, it finds a natural stride that gets stronger and stronger to the finish.
An ideal run on my standard route goes something like this: start out slow, let the legs find themselves, get the arms and shoulders moving. After 3/4 mile or so there is a hill-- I'm a fairly warmed up now so a I pick up the pace going up. Slow way down at the top, and naturally increase speed again as my body feels like it. After recovering from the hill my stride is naturally longer and more powerful. I feel my hips naturally engaging, and make sure my shoulders are engaged. Any little dips or hills naturally affect my speed like a roller-coaster. Through this period my body starts really working hard, but my energy is high and it is enjoyable. When I hit the hill again going down, my body feels supported and relaxed as gravity carries me down. I slow down some at the bottom and catch my breath, but the whole body is ready to work now, so as the long flat stretch continues, my stride lenthens. I feel the stretch in my inner thighs and psoas, my opposite arms and shoulders moving across the body creating torque in the lower abs.
This is a natural sprint-- running fast not because you are trying, but because the whole body is engaged. This is the groove that will take you happily to exhaustion, where you slow down and stop, raising your hands in the air like Rocky, basquing in the glory of a job well done.
Of course, not every run has that beautiful arc. Some days I can't get going, and on those days I take it easy. Also, I imagine as I get older, my starting and ending pace are going to get closer to the same thing. But the Type B personality has the luxury of listening to themselves, following their own version of the arc, searching for the groove, and accepting what the day offers. In the end, any run that motivates you to run another day is a good one.
Have a good Thanksgiving.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
The Type B Person's Guide to Running - Part I
Full article at www.thekosherhostesscom/articles/featured_articles/the_type_b_personality_s_guide_to_running
Howdy folks,
First of all, I wanted to put in a plug for any marathoners out there. From now until a week or two after the race, I'll give a $20 discount to people running the NYC marathon. Moreover, I'll give anyone a $20 discount for any marathoner they refer to me.
And since we're talking about running, I figured this month I would toss out some ideas for those of us who are a bit less serious about it, or who may want to start running.
Keep in mind when I write these things that I'm not a sports doctor, or a personal trainer, or even that great of an athlete. I'm just a kid that got cut from the middle school basketball team, became an out-of-shape musician with tons of muscle tension and headaches every other day, and then had to figure out as an adult how to get my body going again. So you should filter anything I say through your own instincts and experience, but here are some things that have helped keep running enjoyable and beneficial for me in the last 8 years.
The Type B Personality's Guide to Running.
1) Forget about the gadgets, gear, and measurments. I prefer to run without watches, or monitors, or ipods- just my brain and my shoes. I don't even keep track of distance anymore. These are personal choices, but I like to get rid of both distractions and expectations, and just listen to my body. This way, I find that the only discpline required for running is putting on my shoes and walking out the door. If I'm feeling sluggish, it may take 5-10 minutes for my energy to change gears- so I just run slow and relaxed until I wake up. Then my athletic energy will take over I will naturally want to push myself through a good workout. Occasionally I just can't get into it, so it give myself a break (slow down, shorten the run, whatever). I don't feel guilty about that at all- in fact, I enjoy running all the more because of it. It keeps me from burning out, and it usually will prime me for a great next run.
I've never run with music; maybe I'd love it if I did, but I think I'm happier without it. I usually end up with some song going through my head anyway. But having set no real expectations, I don't need the music to keeping pushing me down the trail. I'm free to listen to my own rhythm: my steps, my heartbeat, my breathing, the shift in my hips, the (hopefully minimal) creak in my knees... and when all that is in sync, it feels great to find the natural crescendo that takes me sprinting to the finish.
This email is long enough, so I'll save my other suggestions for next month. But until then, go try a run without any regimen; start, stop, run, walk, go fast, go slow, however you want- just run for pure fun, push yourself when you feel like it, and end when you're ready. I bet you'll be looking forward to your next run.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Howdy folks,
First of all, I wanted to put in a plug for any marathoners out there. From now until a week or two after the race, I'll give a $20 discount to people running the NYC marathon. Moreover, I'll give anyone a $20 discount for any marathoner they refer to me.
And since we're talking about running, I figured this month I would toss out some ideas for those of us who are a bit less serious about it, or who may want to start running.
Keep in mind when I write these things that I'm not a sports doctor, or a personal trainer, or even that great of an athlete. I'm just a kid that got cut from the middle school basketball team, became an out-of-shape musician with tons of muscle tension and headaches every other day, and then had to figure out as an adult how to get my body going again. So you should filter anything I say through your own instincts and experience, but here are some things that have helped keep running enjoyable and beneficial for me in the last 8 years.
The Type B Personality's Guide to Running.
1) Forget about the gadgets, gear, and measurments. I prefer to run without watches, or monitors, or ipods- just my brain and my shoes. I don't even keep track of distance anymore. These are personal choices, but I like to get rid of both distractions and expectations, and just listen to my body. This way, I find that the only discpline required for running is putting on my shoes and walking out the door. If I'm feeling sluggish, it may take 5-10 minutes for my energy to change gears- so I just run slow and relaxed until I wake up. Then my athletic energy will take over I will naturally want to push myself through a good workout. Occasionally I just can't get into it, so it give myself a break (slow down, shorten the run, whatever). I don't feel guilty about that at all- in fact, I enjoy running all the more because of it. It keeps me from burning out, and it usually will prime me for a great next run.
I've never run with music; maybe I'd love it if I did, but I think I'm happier without it. I usually end up with some song going through my head anyway. But having set no real expectations, I don't need the music to keeping pushing me down the trail. I'm free to listen to my own rhythm: my steps, my heartbeat, my breathing, the shift in my hips, the (hopefully minimal) creak in my knees... and when all that is in sync, it feels great to find the natural crescendo that takes me sprinting to the finish.
This email is long enough, so I'll save my other suggestions for next month. But until then, go try a run without any regimen; start, stop, run, walk, go fast, go slow, however you want- just run for pure fun, push yourself when you feel like it, and end when you're ready. I bet you'll be looking forward to your next run.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Resting injuries and maintaining sanity
Howdy folks,
My inner geek has been raging lately. Not that it had far to go, but it's really slipped over the edge this time- I've been studying math. For fun. I've been reading math books, studying geometry, doing those algebra word problems that seemed impossible in 8th grade. I even spent part of the summer studying logic games for an LSAT test I don't intend to take. For the record, I'm definitely not a "that side of the brain" person. I can't even remember which side of the brain that is. The last math class I passed was Algebra II in 10th grade. But it's much more interesting when nobody is making you do it. It's amazing to see the simple twist of logic that proves all triangles are 180 degrees; and the process of figuring out puzzles for myself gives me a nice even buzz of energy.
I've also been trying to spend more time writing lately (yes, I have a lot of free time). This, for me, takes more discipline than anything else I do. To sit in front of a blank page until I figure out something cohesive to say is much more difficult than having a book to push my thinking along. I've even found it much more difficult than getting myself in physical shape. But as with running, the hard part is getting started. Once I get into it, it's not bad, and when I finish I feel better all day.
The reason I bring all this up is that I often have people come in with injuries who say, "But I can't stop working out or I'll go crazy!" I can understand what they mean, but needless to say that's not an ideal place to be. If the desire to workout continually overrides the desire to listen to the body and be healthy, then something needs to be brought back in balance. Otherwise, the body stays stressed, injuries lead to injuries, and wear and tear may limit the number of years you can continue. For me, I think art and math are the key to finding that balance.
So if you find yourself needing to rest from your workout, here's something you might want to try: find something you are interested in studying, whether it's painting, writing, music, math, a foreign language, anatomy, or whatever. Make sure it is something that actively engages the brain, just as a workout engages your body. Then take the time you would normally spend working out, and divide it between stretching out (really listening to your body, and not agrivating the injury) and studying. Stretch 10 minutes or so, study 20 minutes or so, stretch again when you feel like it, study again when you feel like it. Just like when you began working out, it will take some discipline to start, but once you relax into it, I bet you will feel great afterwards, and recover from your injury quicker. You may even become addicted to math.
Take care and see you soon.
cam
PS- On another note, here's a little something in memory of two great singers. I stumbled on this last night, thinking it would be good for a laugh, but I'll be derned if it didn't just kick butt!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCIyzNISw1Q
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
My inner geek has been raging lately. Not that it had far to go, but it's really slipped over the edge this time- I've been studying math. For fun. I've been reading math books, studying geometry, doing those algebra word problems that seemed impossible in 8th grade. I even spent part of the summer studying logic games for an LSAT test I don't intend to take. For the record, I'm definitely not a "that side of the brain" person. I can't even remember which side of the brain that is. The last math class I passed was Algebra II in 10th grade. But it's much more interesting when nobody is making you do it. It's amazing to see the simple twist of logic that proves all triangles are 180 degrees; and the process of figuring out puzzles for myself gives me a nice even buzz of energy.
I've also been trying to spend more time writing lately (yes, I have a lot of free time). This, for me, takes more discipline than anything else I do. To sit in front of a blank page until I figure out something cohesive to say is much more difficult than having a book to push my thinking along. I've even found it much more difficult than getting myself in physical shape. But as with running, the hard part is getting started. Once I get into it, it's not bad, and when I finish I feel better all day.
The reason I bring all this up is that I often have people come in with injuries who say, "But I can't stop working out or I'll go crazy!" I can understand what they mean, but needless to say that's not an ideal place to be. If the desire to workout continually overrides the desire to listen to the body and be healthy, then something needs to be brought back in balance. Otherwise, the body stays stressed, injuries lead to injuries, and wear and tear may limit the number of years you can continue. For me, I think art and math are the key to finding that balance.
So if you find yourself needing to rest from your workout, here's something you might want to try: find something you are interested in studying, whether it's painting, writing, music, math, a foreign language, anatomy, or whatever. Make sure it is something that actively engages the brain, just as a workout engages your body. Then take the time you would normally spend working out, and divide it between stretching out (really listening to your body, and not agrivating the injury) and studying. Stretch 10 minutes or so, study 20 minutes or so, stretch again when you feel like it, study again when you feel like it. Just like when you began working out, it will take some discipline to start, but once you relax into it, I bet you will feel great afterwards, and recover from your injury quicker. You may even become addicted to math.
Take care and see you soon.
cam
PS- On another note, here's a little something in memory of two great singers. I stumbled on this last night, thinking it would be good for a laugh, but I'll be derned if it didn't just kick butt!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCIyzNISw1Q
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Recipe for everything
Howdy folks,
If don't know about you, but in my opinion the best thing about summer is the food. If you agree, but haven't joined your local CSA farm co-op, I highly recommend it( www.justfood.org/csa/locations/#manhattan ). I've been a member for a couple of summers, and thinking about the fresh basil, tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro coming my way can be just enough to get me through the dog days.
So in honor of good eating, I figured this month I would share with you my own personal, top-secret, world-famous Recipe for Everything. This recipe has been used by top chefs all over the world, and now I have decided to pass it along to you, my friends and clients, free of charge. In fact, I'll even throw in my top-secret, world-famous salad recipe. Are you ready? Here they are:
World Famous Top Secret Recipe for Everything
1) Take whatever ingredients you want, as fresh as possible.
2) Mix them up.
3) Make them hot.
4) Taste. If it tastes good, bon appetite; if it does not taste good, go to step 5.
5) Add one or more of the following:
a) salt
b) fat (bacon, olive oil...)
c) dairy (actually a subdivision of fat)
d) garlic
e) herb/spice of choice
6) Go back to 4.
World Famous Top Secret Salad Recipe
Same as above. Skip step 3. Add Oil and Vinegar.
Okay, so I'm half joking, but really I'm not. Cooking intuitively is not only fun and exciting, but it also leads to a balanced diet, because you start listening to your body to decide what ingredients to use. Over time, your taste will lead you to the amounts of fat, etc, that are right for you (I have no absolutely no proof of this, by the way, except my own experience- you can decide for yourself if I'm right). If, like me, you have no actual talent for cooking, you may make something terrible now and then (trust me, lemon juice with sauerkraut is a bad idea); but then you've learned something, and the game is figuring out how to make it edible again. Usually you can. Most of the time, though, you will be surprised how well you do. Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.
Happy eating.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
If don't know about you, but in my opinion the best thing about summer is the food. If you agree, but haven't joined your local CSA farm co-op, I highly recommend it( www.justfood.org/csa/locations/#manhattan ). I've been a member for a couple of summers, and thinking about the fresh basil, tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro coming my way can be just enough to get me through the dog days.
So in honor of good eating, I figured this month I would share with you my own personal, top-secret, world-famous Recipe for Everything. This recipe has been used by top chefs all over the world, and now I have decided to pass it along to you, my friends and clients, free of charge. In fact, I'll even throw in my top-secret, world-famous salad recipe. Are you ready? Here they are:
World Famous Top Secret Recipe for Everything
1) Take whatever ingredients you want, as fresh as possible.
2) Mix them up.
3) Make them hot.
4) Taste. If it tastes good, bon appetite; if it does not taste good, go to step 5.
5) Add one or more of the following:
a) salt
b) fat (bacon, olive oil...)
c) dairy (actually a subdivision of fat)
d) garlic
e) herb/spice of choice
6) Go back to 4.
World Famous Top Secret Salad Recipe
Same as above. Skip step 3. Add Oil and Vinegar.
Okay, so I'm half joking, but really I'm not. Cooking intuitively is not only fun and exciting, but it also leads to a balanced diet, because you start listening to your body to decide what ingredients to use. Over time, your taste will lead you to the amounts of fat, etc, that are right for you (I have no absolutely no proof of this, by the way, except my own experience- you can decide for yourself if I'm right). If, like me, you have no actual talent for cooking, you may make something terrible now and then (trust me, lemon juice with sauerkraut is a bad idea); but then you've learned something, and the game is figuring out how to make it edible again. Usually you can. Most of the time, though, you will be surprised how well you do. Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.
Happy eating.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
on developing awareness
Howdy folks,
You probably often hear people like me talk the need to develop body awareness, without ever saying how to go about it. It's not a mystical process, it's just a matter of knowing what's there and visualizing it. Over time your brain starts associating sensations with that mental picture, and tah-dah!, your awareness becomes more subtle. So I figured today I would give you a quick picture of your hips to give you an idea of what I mean.
Start with the bones: there's just the thigh bone, the bowl of the pelvis, and the spine coming down through the pelvis. The thigh bone has a big knob sticking off the top that inserts into the bowl of the pelvis.
Almost all the muscles running up your thigh attach somewhere on your pelvis. All the butt muscles (the big ones on top, and there are a bunch of little ones underneath) connect between that thigh bone knob, the pelvis, and the spine. And then there is one big muscle that lines the inside of your pelvis and runs in a thick cord up the inside of your spine. The abdominal muscles cover the gap in the front of the pelvis, attaching all along it, and then, tucked in the middle like the filling of a Twinkie, are the visceral organs. (Note to Carolinians: when I refer to the "visceral organs", I'm talkin' 'bout the "innards". That's just what they call 'em up here. God knows why.)
Now, my favorite thing to visualize is this: our bones have no direct attachment to each other. This is contrary to what we normally see if we look at a skeleton. If it weren't for the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.) reaching across joints to hold them together, the bones would fall in a big heap. (On the other hand, if they are too stiff, they compress the joints, causing pain.) So if you are doing a runner's stretch, or a pigeon pose in yoga, you can visualize that thigh bone knob sticking up into the pelvis, and try to wiggle it around. Imagine separating it from the pelvis or making circles with it. You will find muscles coming to life that you didn't know you had, and just the smallest motion will begin to warm and soften those tissues wrapped around the joint. Or try to separate your lower vertebrae like you are pulling two ends of a rope, but with your abdominal and pelvic muscles. Over time, as all these muscles wake up, your awareness will develop; the signals to your brain will become more specific and sophisticated. Instead of just feeling aching pain in your lower back, you will also feel the tightness of the iliopsoas (the one inner-lining the pelvis), or the gluts, and have a better sense of how you can fix it.
Hope y'all are having a good summer.
cam
PS- Here's a few of pictures:
http://www.innerbody.com/image/skelfov.html
http://www.bioscience.org/atlases/tumpath/anatomy.htm
http://www.innerbody.com/image/musc08.html
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
You probably often hear people like me talk the need to develop body awareness, without ever saying how to go about it. It's not a mystical process, it's just a matter of knowing what's there and visualizing it. Over time your brain starts associating sensations with that mental picture, and tah-dah!, your awareness becomes more subtle. So I figured today I would give you a quick picture of your hips to give you an idea of what I mean.
Start with the bones: there's just the thigh bone, the bowl of the pelvis, and the spine coming down through the pelvis. The thigh bone has a big knob sticking off the top that inserts into the bowl of the pelvis.
Almost all the muscles running up your thigh attach somewhere on your pelvis. All the butt muscles (the big ones on top, and there are a bunch of little ones underneath) connect between that thigh bone knob, the pelvis, and the spine. And then there is one big muscle that lines the inside of your pelvis and runs in a thick cord up the inside of your spine. The abdominal muscles cover the gap in the front of the pelvis, attaching all along it, and then, tucked in the middle like the filling of a Twinkie, are the visceral organs. (Note to Carolinians: when I refer to the "visceral organs", I'm talkin' 'bout the "innards". That's just what they call 'em up here. God knows why.)
Now, my favorite thing to visualize is this: our bones have no direct attachment to each other. This is contrary to what we normally see if we look at a skeleton. If it weren't for the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.) reaching across joints to hold them together, the bones would fall in a big heap. (On the other hand, if they are too stiff, they compress the joints, causing pain.) So if you are doing a runner's stretch, or a pigeon pose in yoga, you can visualize that thigh bone knob sticking up into the pelvis, and try to wiggle it around. Imagine separating it from the pelvis or making circles with it. You will find muscles coming to life that you didn't know you had, and just the smallest motion will begin to warm and soften those tissues wrapped around the joint. Or try to separate your lower vertebrae like you are pulling two ends of a rope, but with your abdominal and pelvic muscles. Over time, as all these muscles wake up, your awareness will develop; the signals to your brain will become more specific and sophisticated. Instead of just feeling aching pain in your lower back, you will also feel the tightness of the iliopsoas (the one inner-lining the pelvis), or the gluts, and have a better sense of how you can fix it.
Hope y'all are having a good summer.
cam
PS- Here's a few of pictures:
http://www.innerbody.com/image/skelfov.html
http://www.bioscience.org/atlases/tumpath/anatomy.htm
http://www.innerbody.com/image/musc08.html
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Pressure and Massage
Howdy folks,
You may not be aware that May is National "refer-someone-for-a-massage-with-Cameron" month. To celebrate, from now until the end of the month, you will get a $20 credit for every referral that I see at my regular introductory rate. 2 referrals=$40 off, 3=$60, etc. You get the idea. Go nuts.
***
This month I figured I would talk about a question that sometimes goes unasked: pressure and massage. Ideally there is no need to talk about it. It's my job to get it just right, and usually I do. But my style is a gradual process, so if I'm not getting deep enough, it is sometimes difficult for the client to know whether say something, or trust I will get there. (If I'm being too rough, that's easier- just tell me.) To that end, I thought it would help to tell you a bit about pressure from my perspective.
The first thing you should know is that I don't think much in terms of pressure. In fact I try to avoid it. Mainly I think in terms of motion. My goal is to find the ways in which your body's natural motion is stuck, and then figure out ways to get it to move with more fluidity. If I can get the stiff tissues moving, then light or deep, those tissues open up, receive fresh blood flow, and start to function more efficiently.
Looked at from that perspective, pressure becomes completely relative. I may be able to get deep-tissues moving using very little force. Conversely, if the client is tightening up against me, I can fight them like crazy and not get into anything. While blatantly invasive work can have benefits, and I will occasionally resort to it, in the end I don't consider it a very balanced solution. (I often think that the reason people can only appreciate painful work and the reason their bodies are so stressed out are, at root, the same. I used to be one of those people.) That said, there are times when I just don't go deep enough. It can be a tough call.
What keeps my job interesting is that it is a living conversation. Every massage is different, and I never know how your body is going to react to anything I do until I do it. Ideally it is a conversation without words- the more intuitive the massage, the better. (This is true on both ends: sometimes I've been thrown off by clients telling me things, and sometimes clients have lost their ability to relax when I've pointed out things to them.) But intuition is not always a perfect tool. I'm a good listener, but sometimes there are mixed signals, or no signals. If you need to speak up, probably the best time within my usual routine is about 25-30 minutes into the session, or roughly when I have gotten to the first leg. Then it may take a little trial and error; it may take a little time and patience to get back to the intuitive state, but we should be able to create a great session.
Hope you are enjoying the spring.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
You may not be aware that May is National "refer-someone-for-a-massage-with-Cameron" month. To celebrate, from now until the end of the month, you will get a $20 credit for every referral that I see at my regular introductory rate. 2 referrals=$40 off, 3=$60, etc. You get the idea. Go nuts.
***
This month I figured I would talk about a question that sometimes goes unasked: pressure and massage. Ideally there is no need to talk about it. It's my job to get it just right, and usually I do. But my style is a gradual process, so if I'm not getting deep enough, it is sometimes difficult for the client to know whether say something, or trust I will get there. (If I'm being too rough, that's easier- just tell me.) To that end, I thought it would help to tell you a bit about pressure from my perspective.
The first thing you should know is that I don't think much in terms of pressure. In fact I try to avoid it. Mainly I think in terms of motion. My goal is to find the ways in which your body's natural motion is stuck, and then figure out ways to get it to move with more fluidity. If I can get the stiff tissues moving, then light or deep, those tissues open up, receive fresh blood flow, and start to function more efficiently.
Looked at from that perspective, pressure becomes completely relative. I may be able to get deep-tissues moving using very little force. Conversely, if the client is tightening up against me, I can fight them like crazy and not get into anything. While blatantly invasive work can have benefits, and I will occasionally resort to it, in the end I don't consider it a very balanced solution. (I often think that the reason people can only appreciate painful work and the reason their bodies are so stressed out are, at root, the same. I used to be one of those people.) That said, there are times when I just don't go deep enough. It can be a tough call.
What keeps my job interesting is that it is a living conversation. Every massage is different, and I never know how your body is going to react to anything I do until I do it. Ideally it is a conversation without words- the more intuitive the massage, the better. (This is true on both ends: sometimes I've been thrown off by clients telling me things, and sometimes clients have lost their ability to relax when I've pointed out things to them.) But intuition is not always a perfect tool. I'm a good listener, but sometimes there are mixed signals, or no signals. If you need to speak up, probably the best time within my usual routine is about 25-30 minutes into the session, or roughly when I have gotten to the first leg. Then it may take a little trial and error; it may take a little time and patience to get back to the intuitive state, but we should be able to create a great session.
Hope you are enjoying the spring.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
Bodies at South Street Seaport
Howdy folks,
If you have not been to Bodies...The Exhibition down at South Street Seaport, I highly recommend that you go. (Note: This is not to be confused with Bodies! The Musical, which, if such a thing exists, I probably would not recommend.) I'm sure you've seen the billboards. It is an anatomy exhibit that lets you examine real human specimens up close that have been cut away in different ways, so you can see all the muscular layers, as well as all the other systems of the body. I doubt there is anything else like it short of going to med school.
If you do go, it will help you visualize the way your body functions, and it will help answer one frequently asked question I get: are those bumps you keep going over knots?
Yes and no. Here's the way I think of it: if you go to the exhibit, you will see exactly how many layers of muscle and connective tissue there are. This is because muscles can only do one job: contract. This is great for simple jobs (to raise your for arm, just contract your bicep); but anything that needs to rotate, swivel, or generally move in more than one direction has to have seperate muscles or combinations of muscles to pull in that direction. That means all those muscles overlap in all kinds of crazy directions, and that overlap is what creates the bumps. Everybody has different sizes and textures of those bumps, because everybody has different sizes of muscles.
So the bumps are supposed to be there, but ideally there should be a fluidity to them. As muscles fibers get stuck in a contracted position, and all the other muscles that work with it are also unable to work efficiently, the blood supply gets restricted, the connective tissue gets stiff, and the whole are area tightens up. It's the same overlap but because it's not moving properly it feels like a knot.
Anyway, go to the exhibit and imagine every band of muscles you see being able to contract and release at will. It will change the way you think about your body.
Have a good weekend.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com
If you have not been to Bodies...The Exhibition down at South Street Seaport, I highly recommend that you go. (Note: This is not to be confused with Bodies! The Musical, which, if such a thing exists, I probably would not recommend.) I'm sure you've seen the billboards. It is an anatomy exhibit that lets you examine real human specimens up close that have been cut away in different ways, so you can see all the muscular layers, as well as all the other systems of the body. I doubt there is anything else like it short of going to med school.
If you do go, it will help you visualize the way your body functions, and it will help answer one frequently asked question I get: are those bumps you keep going over knots?
Yes and no. Here's the way I think of it: if you go to the exhibit, you will see exactly how many layers of muscle and connective tissue there are. This is because muscles can only do one job: contract. This is great for simple jobs (to raise your for arm, just contract your bicep); but anything that needs to rotate, swivel, or generally move in more than one direction has to have seperate muscles or combinations of muscles to pull in that direction. That means all those muscles overlap in all kinds of crazy directions, and that overlap is what creates the bumps. Everybody has different sizes and textures of those bumps, because everybody has different sizes of muscles.
So the bumps are supposed to be there, but ideally there should be a fluidity to them. As muscles fibers get stuck in a contracted position, and all the other muscles that work with it are also unable to work efficiently, the blood supply gets restricted, the connective tissue gets stiff, and the whole are area tightens up. It's the same overlap but because it's not moving properly it feels like a knot.
Anyway, go to the exhibit and imagine every band of muscles you see being able to contract and release at will. It will change the way you think about your body.
Have a good weekend.
cam
Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com