Dellagrotte Somatics

Dr. Neil Feldman, podiatrist and triathlete, will be participating in a Core Integrated Walking Workshop. Here’s a great story we want to share:

Only 150 of 300 were able to finish the Vermont 100-Mile Ultrathon. This race also included horses who started later. Neil recounts: “12 miles along, the sun coming up, the lead horse and others went by us. Another less experienced horse came up, and I kept up running side by side for an hour, then left the horse behind…” Neil ran the distance in approximately 21 hours.

About Neil Feldman, DPM
Neil Feldman, DPM, is the principal and owner of Central Massachusetts Podiatry in Worcester, MA, since 2003. He is Board certified by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr. Feldman’s approach to treating foot problems is one that not only looks at the feet, but how the body moves over those feet. Patients, athletes and fellow physicians have come to appreciate this treatment approach as it not only helps with current symptomatology, but also pro-actively tries to address the underlying causes of why people develop foot pain in the first place.

Dr. Feldman is well known in the running and triathlon community as he has completed seven Ironman triathlons including the Hawaii Ironman twice, numerous marathons including six Boston marathons as well as ultramarathons, most recently the Stone Cat 50 mile trail run.

Neil understands what it is to be injured after sustaining a double pelvic stress fracture in 2009. He also understands what it takes to overcome injury and adversity as he overcame that injury by training for and completing the Vermont 100 trail run, one of the original 100-mile trail runs, in 21 hours, 34 minutes.

“While no one has ever succeeded in getting faster with age, you can still improve. Recently I came in 5th in a fast walkers’ 5 miler, and do not try to push harder. The key to walking comfortably for long distances is in core postural alignment and motion flow. I have always wanted to walk side by side with the Maasai to see, sense, and read how they have learned to do this. Kita, our guide, offers, slow walking, fast walking, even running, and distances up to 25km. I look forward to learning from these people and bringing what I may learn back home.”
Josef DellaGrotte

ITINERARY
Here’s Josef’s itinerary for his upcoming trip to Africa to walk with the Maasai.

February 16: arrive Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania
Day 1:Trek from Nainokanoka to Embulbul Special Campsite (about 5 hours)
Day 2: Trek from Embulbul to Empakai Special Campsite, then around Empakai Crater
Day 3: Hike Empakai to Nayobi Special Campsite, Maasai villages along the way
Day 4: Hike Nayobi to Lake Natron. Overnight River Campsite
Day 5: Walks and other activities in Lake Natron. Overnight River Campsite
Day 6-7: Mt Meru circuit

Stay tuned for updates, photographs and maybe even video!

Many Misconceptions and Mistakes
by Josef DellaGrotte

There are many misconceptions and often misleading ideas about walking and running.

My own case in point: a compromised knee and some postural re-adaptations, and allowing for unpredictable complexities in the body (as in physics, so in neuro-biomechanics), I can expect tightening up and low level pains from time to time. But if I maintain good form, using efficient core pathway movement “vectors,” I can usually walk fairly well and fast. But then those “unpredictables” kick in, and I am in another round of tightened muscle tissue. Is doing a fast walk road race now out of the question? Not so, I have found.

If I cannot release it myself, I go to one of my well-trained, experienced CMI (Core Movement Integration) practitioners, and that usually starts the unwinding.

Recently (probably too much travel, sitting on planes, working and who knows what else), my left meniscus compromised knee and lower leg area was again tightening up. A competitive walkers’ road race that I have done for over ten years was coming up. I asked Debbie Hledik, CMI practitioner and LMT, to work out these areas. The muscles began to relax, the fascial plated to glide, and I was on the way. Still, some residual stiffness remained.

Then, the elusive obvious: a nurse friend suggested heat packs. It worked! The next day I did Slattery’s annual walkers’ race—a five miler with two short but steep hills and 130 participants. I came in fifth with a time of 62 minutes (a little slower than last year), maintained a good pace (without pushing myself to try to beat those 49 year olds any more!). And, best of all, no after effects whatsoever! No pains, no stiffness.

What I know with even more clarity is what I have been teaching for years…through classes, seminars, CDs and DVDs…that an efficient walking gait requires the right vectors of force transmission (differentiating the basic six pathways that force travels through the body–right out of biomechanics), coordinating them into one functionally integrated action, and learning to perceive the right core pathway alignment and the right spiralic activation through spine and ribs. Lastly, using the right set of preparatory movement exercises involving resonant motion flow, lengthening  and strengthening for greatest efficiency and benefit without strain, or damage to joints and ligaments.

Not only do I continue to maintain my form, speed and endurance, I will also continue teaching others how to walk well, organized and fit using only three “prototype” movement lessons, and six lengthening-strengthening exercises. One can add more “variations” as needed, but these are the basics. Once the movements are coordinated and perceived by the brain, a new neuromotor pattern (engram) is generated.

If done efficiently and free of shearing stresses and turbulence, the body can do many miles of walking without a problem. This kind of walking is not only the best exercise, but also has been, through recent published research, demonstrated to prevent deterioration, reverse cardiovascular disorders, reduce cancer, prevent or control diabetes, and increase longevity.

Here is another even more dramatic case of one of our well-trained practitioners increasing functional gait, reversing degeneration, getting better and improving with age:

[The Marine Corps Marathon, October 30, 2011, Washington, DC ].
“I am very happy to say that I finished my first marathon joyfully. My main concern was with my right knee cartilage tears, but it held up beautifully. Never once did it complain. I was using a dominant core movement path 3 and 4 with the emphasis not on the push off leg (path 4) but on the lifting leg (path 3). The supporting leg was as relaxed as I could make it.

 I did have to overcome a left calf (soleus) strain which started at mile 6. Luckily I was able to change the foot strike by firing my hamstrings as my foot was contacting the ground. This minimized the time it was on the ground and reduced any stretching of the calf area. For me it was a great educational experience about efficient biomechanics…”
 Arthur Madore, LMT, CMI, age 63

Arthur further explains how he trained his body through core movement awareness lesson-exercises he used and developed for himself for the Washington, DC, Marine Corps Marathon in October 2011, “ … the engagement of both transversus and obliques assist the flexion-rotation of the pelvis. You can practice the moves starting lying on your back, knees bent, doing the pelvic tilt knee to chest (floating leg). Instead of floating the knee to the chest, let it stay in contact with the table so it pulls directly to the ischium. This involves mostly the hamstrings. In walking, the foot clears the ground by the combination of core paths 2 and 3 in the forward moving levering lift leg, creating a ground force reaction to the supporting leg. Add a slight forward lean from the ankles and the forces of propulsion through center of gravity…This is my latest understanding of the most efficient way to combine the paths with both walking and running.”
Arthur Madore, LMT, CMI (first-time marathoner, training with 3 meniscus tears and finishing with no problems or after effects)

It takes  a real interest, intention,  and a small touch of courage to make a  paradigm shift from what is the cultural norm to the new path of body wellness and fitness. Most people are in a “parts-oriented” world. Even professional  practitioners, like Pts, MTs,  still treat a knee problem by treating the knee, exercising muscles more, when we now know (perspective shift) that 90% of knee problems trace back, and can be tracked back to the hip and pelvic floor.

How long do you want to pay for treatments that may help but do not resolve? Movement with hands-on plus the right core pathway exercises resolves the problem 90% of the time. Not only does this approach dramatically improve the condition, it also reduces the cost.

Josef Dellagrotte

We have created a new website for those of you in Massachusetts who want to work with one of the most experienced and capable Feldenkrais Practitioners in the world–our own Josef Dellagrotte. Contact Josef directly to schedule a Feldenkrais session or to ask him questions about how the work can benefit you: Feldenkrais Massachusetts (MA)

You can learn how to walk in a way that was done by our human ancestors then lost, until now..and it is based on biomechanics, movement dynamics, physics and all.

Walking Workshop with Josef Dellagrotte

Walk the Walk: Walking with Power, Ease and Grace

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette published a full page article called “Walk The Walk” on Josef DellaGrotte who was then interviewed about his growing and successful walking instructional program : Walking Interview

Core Integration on Television

During the month of December, 2009, Westborough, MA Cable Television network in Massachusetts aired several programs about Dr. Dellagrotte and his programs. We will have them for your online viewing presence; check back or sign-up below for updates.

Free Download: Instructions from Within

The news show above generated so much interest in Josef’s Core-Integration and Feldenkrais-based work, we decided to give away a full chapter. Download it here: Instructions From Within: Chapter 3: Movement, Direction, Mobility And Postural Stability The book is an easily digestible summary of his program for lifelong fitness, and the health of the brain using exercises and
walking.

Feldenkrais and Core Integration Products

Josef’s “Core Integration” DVDs and CDs, plus a schedule of courses and practitioner training can be found at Core Movement Integration website. Also available as instant mp3 downloads: Feldenkrais-based mp3′s.

Core Integration : Six Pathways to Lifelong Fitness and Wellness

DECEMBER 2011 UPDATE: ON SALE NOW FOR $16!!

We have recently released Josef DellaGrotte’s Book: Instructions From Within as an Ebook for $18.95, nearly 50% off of the retail softcover edition.

This book is a road map to better action, posture and health without the use of heavy exercise, expensive “therapy” or drugs. To help you understand the potency and power of Dr. Dellagrotte’s approach, we would like to offer you, free of charge, one of the most important chapters of the book: The Six Primary Core Pathways : A New Map of Movement, Direction, Mobility And Postural Stability.

Free Chapter Download

Simply click the link below and the file will download directly to your computer: Instructions From Within: Chapter 3: Movement, Direction, Mobility And Postural Stability

Core Integration: Based on principles from the Somatic Sciences and the work of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette featured an article on one of my walking workshops. From the article:

“Walking is basic for practical reasons. It is the most available and universal way to exercise in a functional way. It is also primary food for the brain and organs — a whole body exercise that stimulates your entire system.”

You can read the entire article on their website: Walking the Walk. Consider purchasing one my Walking CDs or DVD.s. Also available in downloadable, mp3 format from Ryan Nagy: Walking and Core Integration Downloads.

Pardon our “dust” as we get things started. We will have core integration new, research, products and information on many of Dr. Dellagrotte’s workshops and recent T.V. interviews.