Learn how 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Misty May-Treanor, uses her Novo XT massage chair to relax.
© Craig Berry/flickr.com
PonyApp Pro-Tips brought to you by Human Touch® Super Novo.
We’ve come a long way from the days when riding was considered an exclusive, country pursuit, usually accompanied by corseted ladies in sidesaddle, plenty of tweed, and a healthy dose of sherry and whiskey. More and more today, equestrian competition is being recognized as the sport that it is by the general public, but we, as riders, often fail to recognize the other half of that equation. Riders are athletes, and we need to think about our sport, and how we train for it, like any other athlete would.
“Riders are athletes, and we need to think about our sport, and how we train for it, like any other athlete would.”
At the top of that list: taking a more holistic approach to the way we care for ourselves in and out of the ring, from our diet and exercise program, to the way we incorporate wellness techniques for the mind and body—be that through mediation and yoga, acupuncture and massage, or something else entirely.
So just why is thinking big-picture about health and wellness critical to a rider’s overall performance? For that, we caught up with Dr. Drew DeMann, a Doctor of Chiropractic specializing in Primary Care Sports Medicine at Manhattan Medicine in New York. Here, Dr. DeMann shares four reasons why taking a holistic approach to your training can help you hack your health, in and out of the saddle.
1. It can help you prevent injuries.
“If you don’t look at things holistically, and you just look at [pain] like ‘it’s a knee’, or ‘it’s a shoulder’, or ‘it’s a back’, often you miss the big-picture on how people get hurt,” explains Dr. DeMann. “You could be presenting [in my office] with knee pain because your hips are too tight, or because your back is too tight.” The goal: treating these associated areas with something like massage or physical therapy before there’s a sports performance issue.
2. It can help you eat the absolute right way.
You know what they say: you are what you eat. Ask any top rider and they’re likely to tell you that looking at your diet holistically, as an extension of your training program, can have a positive impact on your performance. From Dr. DeMann’s perspective, it’s just good common sense. “From a nutrition standpoint, it’s super important, because if you don’t [eat in a healthy way], you’re going to wind up with nutritional deficiencies over time.”
3. It can help you get your head right.
“Sports doctors can tell, when patients come in the office, who’s more likely to get better and who’s not, almost [based entirely] on their attitude,” says Dr. DeMann, who notes that taking steps to ensure your mental wellness is as fine-tuned as your physical health is essential. “If you tell your brain that you’re healthy, your brain will produce chemicals that will make you healthy. If you tell your brain that you’re sick, or that you’re not functioning properly, your brain will fulfill that outcome.”
4. It can help you train better.
Let’s face it, it’s a lot harder to maximize that hour in the gym or be the best you can be for the horse you’re riding in the moment when you wake up every day feeling stiff and uncomfortable from the training you’ve done the day before. For that, Dr. DeMann says, incorporating a massage program can be especially beneficial. “When you exercise anaerobically—as in, you’re training—you produce something called lactic acid. Lactic acid can get cleared out of the muscles, and [that’s when] you get post-exercise soreness,” he explains. “Massage increases blood flow to the muscle, and releases a lot of that lactic acid back into your lymphatic system, and that helps you to function a little more normally.”
Function more normally and ride a whole lot better. Who can argue with that?
The new Human Touch® Super Novo is a specially designed chair that delivers three dimensional massage along the entire length of your spine and all the way down to the thighs. What’s more, the Super Novo offers Mediation and Yoga Studio programs to help you achieve a relaxed state of being pre- or post-ride— it’s even (Amazon) Alexa compatible! For more information, visit: humantouch.com/supernovo.
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Human Touch to Showcase its Latest Massage Chair Innovations at The Hampton Classic
LONG BEACH, CA August 25, 2019 – Human Touch, the U.S. market leader in high performance massage chairs, Perfect Chair® recliners, and other wellness solutions, proudly announces its affiliation and sponsorship of the 44th Annual Hampton Classic in Bridgehampton, New York, August 25 through September 1, 2019. Honored for the opportunity to introduce their wellness solutions into the equestrian lifestyle, Human Touch will be showcasing its new Super Novo massage chair, as well as its Novo XT2, which provide advanced recovery, relaxation, and relief to equestrians, other athletes, and individuals desiring superior pain relief and stress management.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to support such a long-standing tradition,” says David Wood, CEO of Human Touch. “Our massage chair innovations and wellness solutions were specifically designed with the needs and desires of athletes, including equestrians, in mind. We hope attendees will take the time to visit our booth in the Boutique Garden and website to learn more about our exciting massage and wellness innovations.”
Newly added to the Human Touch Wellness Council this year is Elisa Wallace, an award-winning equestrian representing the U.S.A. in international competition. She is a 5-star three-day event rider and popular YouTuber. Elisa is also a well-known advocate for American Mustang adoption, off the track thoroughbreds, rider safety, and women in sports. Human Touch formed the Wellness Council with the intention of sourcing valuable insights from leading doctors, professional athletes, wellness practitioners, and natural healers to further advance the design, function, and needs of the Human Touch product line. With the addition of Elisa to the council, her remarkable expertise and athletic diversity complements the development and scope of treatment Human Touch wellness solutions offer.
This year, Human Touch unveiled its most advanced massage chair yet: the Super Novo. Providing real therapeutic relief and recovery, the Super Novo introduces the world’s first massage chair to implement user-customized Virtual Therapist™ through Amazon Alexa’s voice recognition and Human Touch’s multidimensional massage technology into one fully immersive, zero gravity massage experience. The chair features full body stretch capabilities, Cloud Touch Acupressure, and 38 Auto-Wellness programs, such as full body immersion, deep tissue, and a diverse collection of therapeutic relaxation, meditation, and recovery programs, in addition to three 4D massage programs that soothe, stretch, and rejuvenate the entire body.
For more information, please visit www.humantouch.com.
About Human Touch®
Entering its 40th year, Human Touch® proudly serves as the country’s leading provider and innovator of high-performance massage chairs, zero gravity recliners and other wellness solutions. Committed to creating the most immersive and personalized independent wellness experiences, Human Touch introduces patented massage systems that replicate the touch and techniques used by leading massage professionals. Each product is strategically engineered and designed to address the pains and stresses caused by today's hectic lifestyle using the latest technologies and intelligent ergonomics. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries.
Media Contact:
Emily Wong
Direct Ph: 562-733-7358
World Champion Athletes and Health Advocates Join Current Members to Build Awareness for the Latest Therapeutic Innovations from Human Touch
LONG BEACH, CA July 10, 2019—Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader in high-performance massage chairs, Perfect Chair® recliners, and other wellness innovations, announces its new Wellness Council, consisting of equestrian, Elisa Wallace, professional golfer, Stephanie Kono, triathlete and hyperbarics expert, Alexandra Williams, and returning member, Olympian and Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Andy Potts.
The Human Touch Wellness Council was formed with the intention of sourcing valuable insights from leading doctors, professional athletes, wellness practitioners, and natural healers to further advance the design, function, and needs of the Human Touch product line.
Elisa Wallace is an award-winning equestrian representing the U.S.A. in international competition. She is a 5-star three-day event rider, popular YouTuber, and well-known advocate for American Mustang adoption, off the track thoroughbreds, rider safety, and women in sports.
Stephanie Kono is an LPGA professional golfer earning her first full tour status in 2012 and re-earning her full tour status with her performance at the 2018 LPGA Q-Series. The highlight of Stephanie's 2018 season was winning the second annual Donald Ross classic on the LPGA Symetra Tour.
Alex Williams is a triathlete, hyperbarics expert, and the Founder of Holistic Hyperbarics in Berkeley, California. An EMT, birth doula, and post-surgery masseuse, she has a deep passion for promoting healing and chronic pain relief to patients.
Andy Potts is an Ironman World-Champion, U.S. Olympian, and a three-time winning USAT Triathlete of the Year. He has completed over 200 races with more than 57 first place finishes. As one of the most versatile triathletes in the world, Andy makes it a priority to give back to the sport and its community.
“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding team of professionals to the Human Touch family,” says David Wood, CEO of Human Touch. “Their diverse experiences, along with their personal and professional dedication to total body wellness will serve to guide us as we continue to develop the most innovative, intuitive, and purpose-serving products possible for individuals with chronic pain, athletes, health professionals, and consumers alike.”
To learn more about the Human Touch Wellness Council, please visit www.humantouch.com/wellness-council
About Human Touch
Entering its 40th year, Human Touch® proudly serves as the country’s leading provider and innovator of high-performance massage chairs, Perfect Chair recliners and other wellness solutions. Committed to creating the most immersive and personalized independent wellness experiences, Human Touch introduces patented massage systems that replicate the touch and techniques used by leading massage professionals. Each product is strategically engineered and designed to address the pains and stresses caused by today's hectic lifestyle using the latest technologies and intelligent ergonomics. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.
Media Contact:Emily WongDirect Ph: 562-733-7358ewong@humantouch.comWe were pleased to recently receive this customer feedback about one of our Costco Roadshow representatives, and wanted to share his story with you here. Our Costco reps are truly an amazing group of individuals, and an asset to our team here at Human Touch! To learn more about our Costco events, please click here.
To Whom It May Concern,
I have been off work for both my mental and physical health since Jan 23, 2019. I have lived with Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety for twenty years. A recent traumatic experience at work exacerbated both conditions and caused me to seek treatment in a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) starting in late February. Concurrently, I have been focused on caring for my physical health by participating in three physical therapy sessions and two separate sessions with a personal trainer each week. My work related injuries are associated with my right glute, lower and middle back, shoulders, neck and left bicep.
I began physical therapy in February and the initial assessment caused the pain to spread. I had several episodes of bursting into tears during therapy and even forbid the physical therapist from touching me on one day for fear he would cause more pain. My workers comp rep assigned a nurse to work with me to find a new place for treatment.
I was not in a good place mentally or physically when I walked into Costco last Friday. On my walk to the register, I saw the display with your chairs. The salesperson greeted me warmly and set me up in a chair. I didn’t tell her about any of my problems because I was scared she wouldn’t let me try the chair. After the five minute program, she allowed me to try another sequence. I thanked her, grabbed my other purchases and headed for the register. She called after me to let me know that the display would be here all week and I could come back any time.
I went back to Costco six of the next eight days. Angela was there every day and she always seemed excited to see me. I opened up to her about my mental health issues first. She shared that several people in her life had dealt with mental health struggles. That disclosure made me feel like less of a freak and allowed me to trust her. She programmed a thirty minute session for me that day and every day after.
Since the chairs were located next to an area that was under construction, not many people stopped by. This led to Angela being able to provide a listening ear during most of my time spent in your chairs. I shared about my struggles in the PHP and PT programs.
I spent time in all your chairs. My favorite was the one Angela refers to as "The Lexus." I found my experience to be restorative on so many levels. The zero gravity eased my back pain. The foot/calf massage left me feeling fully relaxed. Angela ensured my glutes, shoulders and biceps received treatment daily as well.
I was so touched by Angela’s willingness to help me any way she could. When I told her I performed direct care for the disabled and was making even less now because I was receiving workers comp, she continued to treat me like her best customer.
The sessions in the chair helped my body heal enough to approach physical therapy with a new physical therapist. Christine was very gentle with me and we developed a bond as well. I saw her three times a week for six weeks. At the same time, the YMCA provided a personal trainer, Tanner, for me two times a week. She made me work so hard.
Last week I received medical clearance to return to work on Monday, April 22, 2019. I’m so excited and I hope you can find out how to get in touch with Angela and let her know. I had to return to work by the end of April or I would have been let go from the organization. I just want to thank her because I know she would be proud of how hard I worked to get back to the job I love.
I needed the support of "The Lexus" and your employee to return to work. Thank you providing me with both.
Sincerely,
Dave S.
How does Olympian and World Champion Triathlete, Andy Potts, keep his competitive edge? A strict training regimen that just won’t quit.
Learn just what it takes to become a champion from the Ironman legend himself. It certainly isn’t easy, but his training and recovery schedule has helped him to achieve over 28 Ironman 70.3 first place titles since he took home his first Ironman 70.3 World Champion title in 2007.
Learn more about Andy Potts, and how Human Touch products help him to bring his best each and every day, in this press release.
I’ve owned 3 Human Touch massage chairs over the past 30 years, and I believe that these chairs have saved my life.
I’ve worked as a contractor for my entire life, which has led me to a variety of back problems. In the early 1980’s I was diagnosed with Asbestosis, which is a lung disease that results from the inhalation of asbestos particles. In 1982 I had surgery to remove one of my lungs. This surgery left me with only 60% usage of my other lung because of the growing scar tissue over the asbestos, which means that I have a limited oxygen flow throughout my body. My doctors gave me 2-4 years to live.
After visiting the chiropractor for years, and finding comfort in both the adjustments as well as the accompanying massage therapy, my wife and I decided to purchase a massage chair for our home. We wanted something that would not only be physically effective, but also would look good in our family room. We did not want a big, bulky chair that would look like a spaceship!
We researched Human Touch and found that the reviews were really great, so we bought a chair from a local furniture store. In the mid-80’s, $5,000 was a lot of money to spend on a chair. People thought we were crazy for spending that kind of money, but once we compared what we COULD have spent on chiropractic massage care and related medical costs, we knew it was worth the investment.
We had our first Human Touch massage chair for 20 years, during which it was used several times per day, before it finally gave out. We bought a new chair at Relax the Back, and had that until the very end of its warranty, which was when the airbags stopped working properly. Human Touch sent a technician out to our house, and we were told that they would take the chair back to headquarters to repair it. Within one week, they decided to just go ahead and replace the whole chair with a brand new (and improved model) massage chair. We were thrilled.
Recently, we reached out to Human Touch to see if we could get another massage chair replacement. After sending them an email, we received a call from their Operations Manager, Mr. Brian McAneny, who called on his way home from work. He invited us to come out to the headquarters the following day to try out some massage chairs, which I felt was very accommodating as it allowed us to experience and peruse the chairs that would meet my requirements. After trying out a few of their massage chairs, we decided to get the AcuTouch 9500x model, which is the updated version of the chair I’d been using for the past 20 years. My wife also really liked the Reflex6 Foot and Calf massager, and we purchased one of those as well. We were so grateful for all the time that Mr. McAneny gave to us during this whole experience.
I use my Human Touch massage chair 2-3 times per day, and it helps to ease the pain caused by the scar tissue in my back and rib cage. Since my diagnosis and surgery, I have been taking supplements and taking care of myself better by doing using my massage chair- and I believe that these actions have saved my life- enabling me to function at a much higher level and extend my life. Since my oxygen flow is limited, my blood flow is increasingly important as it distributes oxygen throughout my body. Using my massage chair increases my blood flow, and using the foot and calf massager in my massage chair has greatly improved the circulation in my calves and feet. My wife and I have shared this experience with our friends, as well as hospice nurses, over the years- and many of them have purchased their own massage chairs as a result of seeing how life-changing it has been for me. We can’t thank you enough for everything that your massage chairs have done to improve our lives.
Thank you,
Ray Orlando
California
One of the questions that I get asked pretty constantly is how I am able to keep surfing most everyday at my semi mature station in life. In other words, “How does a geezer like you stay out there all the time?” I should preface this to say that it is normally other geezers who are asking this question. When you are young you don’t even think about it, you just do it and there are little or no physical consequences. Geeze, I remember being able to surf all day, like 10 hours, and then woof down a half gallon of ice cream before heading to the dance. Hahaha, ok I just realized that sounded just like the “and I walked ten miles through the snow to get to school and didn’t even have a pair of shoes to wear,” kinda thing. But, you get the idea. When you are 20 your body just keeps going and you don’t think about it. When you get a bit older you start to get sore, your body aches, you get tired and you start feeling like it might be a good idea to “take a recovery break today.” I see guys missing really good days because they are sore and their body just hurts too much to give it another go. This is something I try to avoid as I hate missing good days. At my age you don’t want to miss anything, I mean ya just never know.
So, here is my little guide on how to keep an older surfing body in tune so that you can surf as much as possible without pain. First off, don’t let yourself get fat like I am because it makes it that much harder on yourself. I must like it to be hard because I stay fat, but I really do not recommend it. One key to staying in the water is to pace yourself time wise in the water within what you feel good with. Sometimes it is not so much how long you surf but more how hard you surf while you are out there. If you go out and sit there for 2 hours and only ride a few waves, socializing and trying to pick up babes, it’s not as much of a workout as if you surf hard for one hour, riding a ton of waves and going for it. Know your threshold as far as endurance. It is when you push past it that your body really gets angry and you pay the price afterwards. When you start getting noodle armed it’s time to go in.
Secondly, it is super important to stay hydrated. Make sure you drink some water before you surf and have some on hand after you get out. Even though you are in the water your body needs fluids. This is especially true when surfing in the tropics or warm climates. Coffee, cokes, beer and all that stuff does not hydrate you, just the opposite. Drink a lot of water or some sort of hydrating drink like Gatorade etc. This is very important to muscle recovery. If you get a lot of cramps it never hurts to take a pinch of salt here and there too.
I am a firm believer in massage and I think the older you get the more important it is to help your body come back from strenuous activity, like surfing. It also helps get your body ready for it, much like stretching and yoga. A massage a day can work wonders on keeping you surfing. Of course for most people getting a massage everyday is impossible, either for the expense or just the time it takes out of your day or night. Years ago I got one of those great massage chairs that you sometimes see in stores and like to sit in and wish you had one at home. It is a HUMAN TOUCH massage chair that is made by a company called; you guessed it, Human Touch, out of Long Beach. It feels like a real person and it is fabulous. A few minutes in the morning just before I paddle out to loosen me up a bit, a short sesson after surfing and 15 or 20 minutes in the evening is a perfect massage chair daily regime. I can’t even come close to telling you how great this is for my old geezer body and I strongly recommend one.
If you want to stay in the water as much as possible and you are middle aged or older you might want to consider my little suggestions here. If you feel good you keep the stoke. And if you have the stoke then you paddle out. Simple deal.
By: Dr. James Rouse, Naturopathic Physician and
Human Touch Wellness Council Member
Full disclosure and absolute vulnerability here…have you ever been too tired to keep running but at the same time you felt too scared to stop? I know in my heart that you and I most always have the most powerful and sincerest of intentions to allow for the space of grace to envelope us on demand. Yup, every day we assemble our “to do” list and maybe, just maybe, we courageously insert our self-care towards the end of that long list as an “honorable mention” in the hopes that we may just make it happen.
Then life happens.
No doubt, we are living under the influence of “not enough-ness”. Not enough time, energy, mindfulness and presence. At the end of our daily decathlon we often times find ourselves feeling like we may let ourselves down… again. From there, we can go to the familiar place of finding all the reasons why we missed ourselves… again. Or, we can courageously choose to begin again, right here and now with a self-love, self-care intervention: wellness at the speed of life.
“Oh my, this sounds a bit self-indulgent… a little too self-absorbed…” I get it. How dare you place your SELF at the top of your “to do” list?
How dare you not?
Your ability to rise up each day and create a life you love - one that is awake, present, balanced and fully open to the highest expression of you is fully dependent on your ability to - openly and with enthusiasm - love yourself well-all day long.
Here’s some fun food for thought:
Massage Anywhere: planes, trains and automobiles. Make your commute a moving massage meditation. You will arrive more peaceful, balanced and ready to rock your success. Got lunch? Feed your mind and body the blessing of moving from stressed to blessed… the courageous move from being the human doing to re-claim the human being is done with your Human Touch iJoy Massage Anywhere. Make room for your afternoon delight. As stress hormones love to rise up with each and every email, voicemail and social media engagement, you can lower the drama and raise the positivity while you marinate in massage from your desk, meeting, soccer-mom-dad bleacher seat. All good. Always.
If you’re on the fence as to whether or not you can make the move to the greener pastures of peace, positivity and all out contagion, let me leave you with this: as you make your way into each day living under the influence of your self-care love affair the world will be watching. “They” will follow your lead, you will be a change agent, you will be the leader of the revolution- and you thought this was all about you. Rise and shine wellness warrior!
There isn’t any way to possibly say thank you properly to Human Touch so in lieu of that I would like to share my experience of what a difference this has made in my life. My story was heard by a member of their wonderful company and I was blessed with the most amazing gift of the Human Touch ZeroG to help me on my journey to remission.
I have Systemic Lupus Erythematous which is more commonly known as SLE and is the most serious form of Lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body because the immune system mistakes the body's own tissues as foreign invaders and attacks them. What this means is that by virtue it can affect the skin, mouth, brain, lungs, heart, kidneys, eyes, muscles……any body part you can think of, Lupus can attack.
I was diagnosed more than 20 years ago and after a few difficult years I lived for the most part free of Lupus, at least from the debilitating kind of symptoms and damage. About two years ago the disease went into a fully active status and took what had been a very active lifestyle and brought it to an abrupt halt. I currently take more than 50 pills daily, go for monthly infusions at the hospital, see multiple specialists, and holistic care is part of the regimen as well. The initial diagnosis was Lupus of the brain with neurological involvement. What this meant for me was extreme fatigue, fevers daily, rashes, balance issues, and muscle cramping that feels like I have 100 “Charley Horses” all happening at once. There is no cure and at times it feels like I am most certainly living inside the impossible.
Then I met my chair. This is where healing happens every day for me. The first time I saw it I was shopping for a new recliner with my family at a local furniture store and I sat in it just to wait for the salesperson. I immediately started crying, almost to the point of sobbing. The instant relief was something that words can’t describe. These tears were tears of joy!
It would be impossible to say that I have a favorite setting because it’s not uncommon for me to use several of them every single day. The foot and calf massager is a must with every session. And I always “Go To Zero” before I choose my massage. My typical day involves 3 visits to the chair. One to get me going in the morning, one to keep me going mid-afternoon and one to calm before bed. I tend to tuck myself in when I’m in the chair. I like to have a small pillow on each side and have a blanket over me so that I’m cocooned in it. The quest for wellness takes an emotional toll as well and I’m not stretching it to say that being in this chair feels like a mom’s hug. I love this chair! So much so that my extended family went on vacation together recently and the chair traveled with us!!
When I first began using it I thought of all the sick people I know that could benefit from it and what I found is there is no single person without an ailment whether it’s physical or emotional that this chair wouldn’t benefit. I was paying $80 every other week for a therapeutic massage. After I started using the chair I no longer needed to make the appointment because my chair can do so much more and it doesn’t get tired! I am a portrait photographer and I run my business out of my home. Because of this my clients often come and stay for quite a while. My favorite thing is to nestle them into it and watch them beg me to never go home!
I am grateful to the entrepreneur that believed enough in the quality of life to see this to fruition and the team that supported the venture. This chair has quite literally saved my pride, doubled my daily potential both professionally and personally, and given me a quiet retreat when I'm unwell. It is my personal slice of heaven on earth.
-Becky H., Michigan