hi everyone, just curious if anyone here had seen this website, and what there opinions were of the information contained within. thanks.
It's Bolo's (Michael Jen) muscle balance and function posture therapy site.
Bolo's as awesome with this as he is with BJJ instruction. I've had two occasions to seek his help, one chronic, one emergent.
Since I work behind a computer 8-12 hours a day, I'd de-evolved into a round-shouldered hunchback with near-constant neck and back pain. After a couple runs of my very first program, I was 80% better. After a couple of weeks, I was 99% better. I've almost forgotten how miserable my day to day existence used to be.
Also, due to BJJ, I've injured my neck, my knees, etc. This used to put me out of training for 3-6 weeks. The last time I injured my knee (acl strain), Bolo gave me a program and had me walking around the same day, and back in class (albeit very carefully) within a week.
The best analogy I can give is that if you constantly get bald tires, you may keep replacing your tires, but you're just chasing symptoms. The real problem may be with your axle or suspension. MBF treats the body as a whole and gets it functional again as a whole.
I'm very happy with my experiences with it.
I've been doing this program since August last year. It was great. I used to have shoulder and neck problem (due to grappling and long exposure working in front of computer) and after one month of program, the neck problem is no more and the shoulder problem is suppressed to a minimal stiffness condition.
Also, I noticed that these exercises improved my basketball game in the sense that my body feels much more balanced, less cramp, less muscle soreness. I also feel like my shooting percentage has improved drastically because my hand-eye coordination is much better.
I also feel that this program works very well with chiropractic and acupressure/acupuncture as supplements.
I've had a student of mine doing this thing too and his conditions had also improved dramatically.
Here is my experience, I am about to start Program #5 this week. I started MBF with Michael Jen in mid January.
Why I needed it: To put it simply, my shoulders were jacked. In a lot of pain doing simple things like trying to reach around to my back while taking a shower. Lifting weights or pushups were impossible. I was real sore after a BJJ session. This was a chronic injury, probably froma combination of about 9 years of doing BJJ, and lifting weights since I was a teen (I'm 35 now) and also the last 2 years my job has changed so I am in front of a computer for the majority of the day.
Also, in early January, I popped my knee doing BJJ. The doctor said it was most likely a sprained or partially torn MCL. This injury hurt a lot, I couldn't get in or out of the car without physically picking up my leg with myhands to move it.
I have done precisely as Michael has asked since I started with him. No lifting weights (easy since I couldn't do that anyway) and I have done the routine every day.
My shoulders are dramatically improved. If on a 1-10 scale they hurt at an 8 before, now they are about a 2. I do the routine at my gym, even though one can do them at home, because I like the mirrors to make sure I am doing them right, and also since some exercises you lean against a wall I don't want to dirty my own house. Anyway, being at the gym I was tempted today to just try an overhead dumbbell press with a light (20) weights just to see if I could. I did a few reps pretty much pain free. Not 100% perfect yet, but compared to where I was, remarkable improvement. (NO, MIchael, I won't cheat and start lifting, I was just curious how it would feel.)
My knee still is sore at times, especially in the mornign but i am back to doing BJJ a few tiems a week. At first, it would bother me when I pushed off at all. Then, I progressed to wher it would hurt if I used it for a triangle and the guy postured up, or when my guard was closed and he would push down on it. The last few rolls, I haven't had any pain with it at all.
So basically I am real happy with my progress doing MBF with Michael Jen.
A caveat, you have to be willing to do it. It takes (for me) about 35-40 minutes a day or so. I have no idea where I'd be if I only did this 2 or 3 times a week. Probably still sore as hell.
One final benefit I didn't foresee, for those who will do it with Michael in person versus long distance. I am a brown belt and when we talk jiu jitus where injury related or just shooting the shit, I have gotten some solid tips from Michael that have helped my game. Free mini privates rule!
One more plus for Jen, he charges for each program. But after every one, he has asked me to come over (for free) at least once to watch me do my routine to make sure I do it right. He truly wants you to succeed.
Thanks Michael,
Mark
Here's my time to chime in. I've been doing MBF with Michael for almost a year and am about to start my 8th program. To give a little background, I've had Ankylosing spondylitis for 13 years now. It's a form of arthritis affecting my hips, spine, neck, etc. I've been drugged up on pain killers since 2000 and was able to wean myself off the drugs towards the end of summer 2006. When the pain would hit me in the past, I would say it was an 8, 1 being no pain, 10 very severe. As of today, I would say I am pretty much pain free! Pretty amazing considering the pain I used to have and I had pain for years. The only thing that bothers me now is my ribs, and my nagging forearm that aches due to crap I did to myself. Anyway my ribs feel stiff in the morning from sleeping, but go away after doing the program.
Here's the thing about my situation though. I do my program twice a day, everyday, and I have made the necessary changes in my life to do the program. So if I can fit in two sessions a day, anyone can do at least one. Thanks to Michael for helping me take charge of my health.
Best regards,
Karl
~30min. a day is actually pretty short considering the amount of non-healthy activity I do every day :)
Lucky it doesn't require a 1:1 ratio...
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