SHANEEN HUXHAM
Trainer of corrective & connective stretching methods.
Practitioner of myo-fascial release techniques.
About the 4 methods I teach or use with clients:
I am certified and experienced in 4 different ways of Correct Stretching and strengthening, correcting alignment by helping clients be aware of how important it is to strengthen their non dominant side. Manual techniques working on the soft tissue of muscle chains and fascia has an influential effect when combined with physical exercise.
I learnt of The GYROTONIC® Expansion System via one of my Pilates instructors in 2006 and after 3 Gyrotonic lessons I stopped with Pilates. GYROTONIC® is a much more integrated exercise method. I have been taking GYROTONIC® lessons since 2006 and became a trainer in 2009 and progressed slowly to teach Level 2, since 2017. The fascinating coordinate patterns of the higher Level 2 movements through very connective and corrective stretching via the neurological impulses sent to the appropriate muscles and with the corresponding breathing patterns, are what becomes ‘The Art of Exercise and Beyond’ as the founder Juliu Horvath refers to this invigorating method.
I started exercising 27 years ago, then Pilates was hardly known and I took class twice a week for 12 years. During that time I started with English horse riding lessons and became aware of alignment, balance and strength improvements I wanted to make in order to be a better equestrian! I am fortunate to have chosen a sport which absolutely demands equal strength, proper alignment and balance or you will not move a horse equally in both of his directions of travel especially in the lateral work of dressage which has become my discipline, or jumping fences.
The awareness of ones own body biomechanics combined with a horse’s biomechanics in the process of training horses in the lateral movements in dressage became fascinating to me and led me to additional ways of how to teach myself and other equestrians and also my exercise clients how to strengthen, stretch and release muscles and how to acquire more joint mobility and openness in our bodies. Also how to use the most beneficial ways of breathing while exercising or exerting any energy like riding a horse.
I experienced Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) in 2012 and knew I wanted to be able to use this method and add it to what I already understood from GYROTONIC®. This is to isolate a particular muscle or muscle group and with that the fascia, to the degree where the myotatic stretch reflex is activated and to move a little beyond that with each repetition to release contracted muscles and mobilise joints. I have been a Certified Practitioner of AIS since 2016 and have taken 2 courses directly with Aaron Mattes the founder, in Sarasota.
As I started to understand more about the musculoskeletal system via AIS and GYROTONIC®, it led me to further corrective alignment and balance classes and I became Certified in BODY CODE System® - Italy, an extreme challenge of balancing from your feet, engaging your lower back or lower abdomen on ‘rocker shoe’ devices which is a very challenging way to determine true core! I have taught this method since 2016. I continue to take training courses directly with Pino Carbone the founder, in Florence Italy and weekly classes with a Master trainer in New York.
The more recent method I have added is the skeletal alignment reading and myo-fascial release techniques of Tom Myers Anatomy Trains. It is structural integration to release chronic musculoskeletal patterning which causes postural misalignment and pain. Understanding a client’s structural organisation and re-training the myo-fascial continuities so that the constant co-recruitment can be changed to free postural restrictions.
With a chosen strategy of manually making functional changes to a client’s habitual patterns requires 3-D anatomy-in-movement. The practitioner makes the client aware of what it feels like to have a more balanced alignment by making them aware of their habitual or dominant side patterns held in the body. You help the client find his/her new support for their structure as you slowly remove their years of old patterning by differentiating fascial or neural structures to work independently, to glide and slide past each other without adhesions.
Eventually the practitioner sees the client adapt to an unconscious new posture, then the myo-fascial work has become integrated. Manual functional skills of the practitioner’s hands can provide eventual ease of movement and rid pain understanding where the anatomical specificity is required.
These 4 methods can help with:
TMJ, headaches or migraine, stiff neck, tight or pain in shoulders, frozen shoulder, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, upper back pain, lumbar and lower back pain or tightness, scoliosis, sciatica, other nerve impingements, stiff or hurting knees, ankle weakness, foot pain.
I also have knowledge via having taken classes in:
Pilates for 12 years
Feldenkrais
Alexander technique
Kundalini yoga
Iyengar yoga
Hatha and Vinyasa yoga
Aikido, a Japanese martial art
Equestrian, jumping and dressage
More is described under each individual method on this website as well as official websites of the methods.
I will with pleasure reply to emailed questions or have a phone conversation to decide which is initially the more appropriate method for improving your health or rehabilitation.
1st Vaulting lesson in 2014 during South African winter.