Chamonix Gym is a gym, but it’s not just a gym. Chamonix Gym is a unique Alpine fitness resource located in the heart of the French Alps, offering an exclusive exercise environment suitable for everyone from first time gym-goers through to performance athletes.

The Chamonix Gym is open all day, every day and is equipped with the latest exercise facilities, cardio machines and weights. We offer group classes, personal training, and a delicious juice bar too. Whether you just want to do your own thing in the gym, or you want to tap into more, the Chamonix Gym has something for you!

With a constantly growing community of fitness and health professionals, our aim is to share our passion for sport, fitness and heahtly living in Chamonix. Whatever sport you’re into, at whatever level, we’re here to help you optimise your fitness by creating a fun, relaxed and private exercsie environment that you’ll look forward to coming to, every time. There really is no excuse not to Be Pure Fit.

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You may have only experienced the most common types of massage- circulatory or Swedish, deep tissue, maybe even shiatsu. But you should also know about a more powerful form of alternative massage medicine you can practice on yourself at home.

Tui Na, The Chinese Alternative Massage Medicine

Tui Na, pronounced ‘twee nah’, literally means ‘push grasp’. The push and grasp refer to two techniques you do with your hands (and there are at least six different hand techiques). Tui na is a sophisticated form of acupressure, a true alternative medicine massage style, because it can be used to treat all manner of disease.

In my new book, I spend an entire section (several chapters) talking about acupressure and how to use it as one of the tools in your healing toolkit. Whether it’s short-term to relieve a headache, or long-term to improve your energy level, you can use some of this alternative medicine medicine yourself. In fact, if you’re seeing an acupuncturist now, they can guide you even more specifically about what acupoints to massage.

Simplifying the Alternative Massage Medicine

It takes thousands of classroom hours to learn all there is to know about Tui Na. That’s probably not practical for you. So, the simplest hand technique to use is just to push on a point. You can rotate your finger or knuckle on the point (in a circle while pushing in), or just push in, release, push in, release, etc. You can even just clamp down on a point and hold it.

The key, the thing you can’t avoid, and which I can’t go into in this small space, is knowing which points you should massage on yourself. The reason it’s complicated is the same reason we can call this alternative massage medicine something like a real medicine- because it’s personalized to you and your imbalances, and it heals rather than just making you feel better for a little while.

Alternative Medicine Plus the Massage

If you have a minor problem, massaging yourself may be enough. Or it may be something you use only when circumstances dictate- even if you’re used to taking herbs or pharmaceuticals, you may find yourself somewhere out of reach of your normal remedies. In this case, it’s good already to know some massage medicine you can do on yourself.

But I would emphasize overall that you should work with a professional of some sort – acupuncturist, naturopath, chiropractor – while you learn to take care of yourself. I say this because even as a professional myself who has spent many hours learning healing and trying it out on myself that it is a process… wisdom and knowledge help, but trial and error still plays a role, and real life has so many variables that you never know what you’ll need…

So I urge you to add this form of alternative massage medicine to your healing knowledge database (in your brain)… the only hitch? You’ll have to buy my book to learn how!

In the meantime, to get a visual idea about this alternative massage medicine, look at this free acupressure chart: http://pulsemed.org/free-acupressure-chart.htm

Massage therapy eases the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and increases grip strength, according to a recent study.

“Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are lessened following massage therapy” was conducted by staff at the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain, tingling, burning and numbness of the hand. Sixteen people diagnosed with this syndrome participated in the study. All of them held jobs involving heavy word processing or computer work.

Subjects were randomly assigned to either the standard-treatment control group or the massage-therapy group. Those in the massage group received one massage per week on the affected arm for four weeks. They were also instructed in self-massage, which they were to perform each night before bed.

The massage routine consisted of stroking of moderate pressure from the fingertips to the elbow. A massage and pain log was kept by subjects in the massage group. In the log, participants recorded the times at which they began and ended self-massage, as well as their levels of pain on a scale from zero to 10.

Subjects in the control group received no intervention, but were taught the massage routine after the study ended.

Physicians evaluated participants’ carpal tunnel symptoms, such as tingling, numbness, pain and strength, at the beginning and end of the four-week study. The Tinel sign, which tests to see if light tapping of the affected area elicits pain or tingling, was also used at the start and finish of the study. Physicians used the Phalen Test at the beginning and end of the study as well. The Phalen Test involves flexing of the wrists to see if numbness or tingling occurs.

A nerve conduction test was also performed at the start and finish of the study. This involved stimulation of the median sensory nerves through electrodes placed on each subject’s index finger and wrist. Peak sensory latencies were recorded to test for nerve compression at the carpal tunnel. Median peak latency was the primary outcome measure.

Assessments were also made before and after the massage sessions on the first and last days of the study, including the Perceived Grip Strength Scale; VITAS, a pain assessment using a visual analogue scale; the state anxiety inventory; and the Profile of Mood States.

Results of the study showed that the subjects in the massage group had significantly less pain and reduced carpal tunnel symptoms, as well as shorter median peak latencies and increased grip strength.

“Functional activity also improved as noted in reduced pain and increased grip strength in the massage therapy group, both immediately after the first and last massage therapy sessions and by the end of the study,” state the study’s authors. “Finally, the massage therapy group reported lower anxiety and depressed mood levels both immediately after the first and last sessions and by the end of the study.”

The massage therapist is the person who relieves all that stress and pain from your neck and shoulders when you get a massage. They are trained professionals who have studied not only how to give a massage, but how to treat illness through massage. A good massage therapist will do much more for you then relieve a stress.

A massage therapist manipulates the soft tissues of the body to produce a lasting effect. Not only do they relieve stress and bunched up muscles, but they relieve symptoms of much more serious illnesses as well. To do this, they use their hands to rub, push, and kneed these tissues to enhance their ability to perform as they should. A massage licensed therapist can administer they services in a number of places. Spas are just one. They include: doctor’s offices, hospitals, and insurance provider facilities, nursing homes, health clubs, and even into private practice. With so many options to choose from, a massage therapist’s salary can be almost anything. Licensed massage therapists can join The American Massage Therapy Association to further their career and credentials.

The massage therapist will be able to perform all the necessary manipulations to enhance a body’s ability to heal. They learn not only about the movements and pressures to place on the body but the science and studies that prove that massage helps to fight the symptoms of many diseases. Among these diseases are Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, ADHD, and even depression. Of course they learn about the relief of stress as well. But, a licensed massage therapist is able to help a person to heal. Many studies have shown that massage is a wonderful way to promote healing within the body as it allows the blood to move better, oxygen to get to troubled spots, and muscle to heal from their sore states. Massage therapists are able to determine the needs of the individual in an effort to help them feel better. A career in this noble profession is for someone to wants to work directly with patients and who wants to see improvement in their patients in as little as a hour session. Is being a massage therapist in your future?-

-Ask someone their reason for getting a massage and you’re likely to hear “because it feels good”. We all know that a massage can relieve stress, help to make sore muscles feel better and even reduce anxiety, but can it help us achieve our fitness goals? Research shows that the massage you get to relieve stress can also have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness level.

-1. Massage improves circulation and general nutrition of muscles. This appears to be the most valuable fitness-related benefit. Massage is accompanied or followed by an increase interchange of substances between the blood the tissue cells, which increases tissue metabolism. After a muscle is exercised, vital nutrients must be supplied in order for it to increase in size. Massage maximizes the supply of nutrients and oxygen though increased blood flow, which helps the body rebuild itself.

-2. Massage improves the range of motion and muscle flexibility. This results in increased power and performance, which helps you work efficiently and with proper intensity to facilitate the body’s muscle-building response.

-3. Massage helps to shorten recovery time between workouts. Waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid build up in muscles after exercise. Increased circulation to these muscles help to eliminate toxic debris and shorten recovery time.

-4. Massage can help prevent over-training. Massage has a relaxing effect on the muscles, as well as a sedative effect on the nervous system. This can prevent over-training syndrome which has limiting effect on muscle building.

-5. Massage may aid in fat loss. According to some research, massage may burst the fat capsule in subcutaneous tissue so that the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. In this way, combined with proper nutrition, massage may help in weight loss.

-6. Massage helps prevent and even heal injuries. By stretching connective tissue, massage improves circulation to help prevent or break down adhesions. Massage also influences the excretion of certain fluids (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur) necessary for tissue repair.

-While a massage won’t build muscle directly, it helps to facilitate the body’s rebuilding phase following a workout and influences muscular growth. Getting a massage is just as important as regular workouts and supportive nutrition for a comprehensive fitness program. Great news for those of us who thought building a great body was all hard work!-Before making an appointment with the first massage therapist you encounter, however, be sure they are a qualified bodywork practitioner. Ask for referrals, professional training information, and certification credentials from a reputable agency, such as the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

For many individuals, massage has evolved from a periodic indulgence to a key component of an overall health and fitness regimen. The ability of massage to reduce stress and remedy various physical ailments has convinced many to include a massage therapist on their list of health providers. But the art of massage takes many forms. Typically, a visit to a spa or an independent massage therapist will include some form of Swedish massage or deep tissue massage. These techniques are designed to invigorate muscles by promoting increased blood flow to specific areas and identifying and relieving particular problems.

The application of these types of massage involves long, rhythmic strokes and kneading or circular actions with the hands, palms or fingers. The result is improved circulation, physical relaxation and a reduction in mental stress. Shiatsu massage is also an extremely effective form of massage but with a somewhat metaphysical rationale to support the technique. Shiatsu is a Japanese word that means “finger pressure.” The goal of Shiatsu is to restore the balance of energy in the body.

Proponents of Shiatsu and acupuncture believe that disease and physical infirmities are caused by imbalances or blockages in the flow of energy through the body. This energy is called “ki” which flows through the body along meridians or energy channels. Practitioners strive for a balance between Yin (negative energy) and Yang (positive energy) and attempt to determine where there may be a build up of energy or an energy deficiency. Either will cause problems.

Shiatsu does not use the rubbing and kneading technique of Swedish massage but applies pressure using almost any part of the therapist’s body including arms, legs, fingers, hands, feet, elbows, toes, etc. The therapist locates a particular point along one of the body’s meridians and applies pressure to that area, attempting to restore balance to the flow of energy. The pressure can be applied gently with the fingers or may be applied forcefully with the point of the elbow depending on the location of the point and the severity of the blockage. The therapist may also incorporate stretching, holding or rotating various parts of the body The restoration of the proper balance of “ki” is viewed as a spiritual as well as physical benefit.

The balanced flow of energy offers physical comfort and improved health as well as emotional stability and spiritual well being. In fact, it is not uncommon that a recipient of Shiatsu massage may experience an intense emotional response as energy is released from problem areas and restored to proper levels. Crying is not an unusual occurrence and a good Shiatsu massage therapist is fully prepared for, and completely sympathetic to, this type of response. Shiatsu massage is an extremely relaxing and healing form of massage. It is satisfying to know that besides feeling better, a Shiatsu experience can place us back in balance with the energy flow of the universe.

The modern mum-to-be is a stressed out individual, having to cater to increasing pressures of a fast paced society and work place. Yet at the same time, she knows that her wellness is crucial especially during her pregnancy if she wants a smooth delivery process and the birth of a healthy happy baby.

This increased awareness has led to the search for alternative approaches in addition to traditional health services. Pregnancy massage therapy is one such alternative approach. It has much therapeutic value as it enhances the function of muscles and joints, improves blood circulation and relieves mental and physical fatigue.

Pregnancy Massage can be prenatal, postnatal or during the labour process, although many refer pregnancy massage to just prenatal and post-natal massage to mean massage that takes place a few days after delivery. In a prenatal massage, the massage is focused on reducing pregnancy discomforts and aims to enhance the physiological and emotional well-being of both mother and foetus. A relaxed mother also helps in the development of a brainy and healthy foetus. Also, the massage helps to strengthen and prepares the muscles that are useful for a natural delivery process.

Many women fear a long delivery process. Yet, many desire one that is as natural as possible and without the use of epidural or any other drugs. During labour, massage techniques exist to help shorten the delivery process while easing pain and anxiety. Post-natal massage focuses on toning the new mother’s body, reduce fluid retention and and helps the body be brought back to balance and shape. It also helps to rejuvenate and re-energize the new mother and thus enhance her ability to bond with her baby.

The pregnant female should always first consult her doctors if she is suitable for massage or for any other alternative therapies that they wish to try. Her overall objective is to achieve a good mental state and physical health and to have a wonderful birthing experience.

Massage is a great way to relax and to restore your body’s balance, health and harmony. Pure Fix Massage offers you professional healing practices in the comfort of your chalet or holiday accommodation that will help you to unwind and release your tension after a long day in the mountains.

Indulge yourself with a full body relaxing Holistic Massage that will ease away your tension and improve your circulation, relaxing tight muscles. Help your body to recover from skiing or snowboarding and hiking with the aid of deep-tissue, trigger point conditioning and gentle stretching which is extremely effective for injury prevention and helping to relieve your muscular tension. Call us for bookings and enquiries.

Colic hurts. Any parent who has an affected child will know that there is almost no pain like it the physical and vocal response to the problem can be highly tiring and its very difficult to stand by and cope as a parent. It’s often tough to ask what the hell is going on inside my baby?! When the problem arises, as it’s so common and many health visitors expect parents to be aware of the nature of the affliction and how to deal with it.

The fact is: NOBODY knows what colic is, it was thought for a time to be a intestinal problem, and related to trapped wind, but the only thing that even the medical profession know about the cause of such pain is that is causes up to three hours of crying a day, for more than three or four days a week. Your baby isn’t alone either: 20% of children, males and females, suffer colic as infants; usually when they are but a few months old. Apart from the application of gripewater: a, shall we say, interestingly flavoured product; there was for many, many years no cure for this elusive problem…. Until now… Many parents instinctively rub their children when they are in pain.

We all know that, just as we need to massage our limbs when we get cramp, they need physical stimulation so that blood flow and wind movements can be righted. Baby massage allows for intense and structured contact with colic afflicted babies and has been accredited to the dissolution problem completely. Flowing from the head to the toes, this specialist form of massage sees babies have full, much needed skin to skin contact with their caregiver; a soothing prospect for those suffering pain.

A particularly encouraged technique for parents of colicky babies is the stomach massage, which sees the masseuse rub the babies belly in a gentle, circular motion beneath the rib cage, an action that encourages the correct movement of digested food through the body. Classes teaching baby massage techniques are available worldwide, as many families have now begun to reap the benefits of the special, quiet times massage allows them to spend with their children. The BBC recently ran an article on the enriching quality of the exercise for mothers who have suffered from post-natal depression and their babies, noting that the bonding process can be strengthened by the intimacy of massage.

It has also been suggested that the strong bond developed naturally by the exercise can prevent behavioural disorders later in life, and that the muscle stimulation involved can see children sitting, and even walking much sooner. Available at the majority of Sure Start centres in the UK, baby massage provides at last a positive solution for parents suffering the effects of a colicky child. Righting sleep patterns and ending infant anxiety, it is perfectly simple, and the perfect solution to a huge number of childhood ailments.

Massage therapy is just what is says, therapy that comes from getting a massage. And, yes, it does work! Massage therapy has been used to help promote wellness and health within the body. It allows the body to heal quicker and relieves the tension and the pain that illnesses, severe or not, brings to the body.- – Many people claim that massage therapy helped get them through the tough times of a disease. Diseases like cancer, diabetes, arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, and even PMS can be relieved through massage therapy.

Now, that’s not to say that a good massage will cure these illnesses but it will help to ease the suffering and pain that they cause. Many studies have been done to prove this. They found that women who had massage therapy did not go into premature labor as often. That babies who were premature and given this treatment gained weight faster! It even helps to relieve depression and ADHD in children. – - All of this from massage therapy?

Massage therapy goes back to almost 4000 years as ancient people used it to help relieve the symptoms of illness. It fell off though through the years as doctors used medicines instead. Medicines were more readily available allowing doctors to treat illness quicker. But, studies have shown so much benefit from massage that many insurance companies provide for massage therapy.

Lastly, massage therapy has become a huge industry. Massage therapy is preformed by a licensed massage therapist who must attend massage therapy school and obtain a degree. There are many massage therapy jobs available as the field grows and more and more people see the healing powers behind massage therapy.

Ask your doctor about massage therapy. Perhaps it can help to relieve some of your pain and, don’t forget, stress as well.