stuart ford

I have spent most of my life involved in health and fitness, learning both conventional and alternative methods, and gaining a broad understanding of how the body works and how to gain results through training, teaching and healing.

Teaching as a personal trainer and martial arts instructor for over 12 years and treating my own injuries and postural imbalances as well as my members, has lead me to question many of the more conventional techniques on offer in today's health system, most of which seem more concerned with treating symptoms rather than the cause!

After becoming qualified in Body Massage in 2006, I focused more on fitness and martial arts instruction. I began though to specialise in corrective exercise, as I realised that most of the clients I worked with could not move forward in their training until certain postural issues from long term lifestyle habits and old injuries were addressed. This then led me back towards healing with a qualification in Sports Massage.

However, massage and manipulation on their own are not a remedy for a serious musculoskeletal issue, short-term relief is common but the problem will always return! Exercise also has it's limitations, especially focusing on the wrong type which may even exacerbate an issue!

 There is a new way of thinking emerging outside of the mainstream that is trying to understand what has happened to the body's functional anatomy and it's neural-kinetic relationship when an injury or defect has occurred. This has led to some exciting discoveries and radical approaches to treating such issues. The methods include a combination of muscle testing assessments, targeted manipulation and prescribed exercises, which are designed to reset correct functional patterns and muscular balance within the body.

It must be understood though that one treatment fixes do not exist for chronic problems, which have usually arisen from serious trauma or a lifetime of bad habits! But what can be achieved is a long-term improvement within a subjective timeframe, based on commitment to self-help and a practical amount of sessions. In other words; the more you put into the treatment the faster the results! 

But we are not just talking about rehabilitation from a chronic physical issue here, because the same style of treatment and training is administered in varying amounts that coincide with the clients needs and capabilities, my underlying goal is always to improve functionality and capability to whatever level is required and in what ever direction you would like follow. To do this ask the body what it can't do and why, and how can we encourage positive change to reach freedom of movement and restriction?

So I have tried to create a system that is for everyone, whether in need of rehab or enhanced competition level performance, as long as there is a will there is a way, and I would like to share what I have learned to help you get there.

Stuart Ford