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As you might have noticed, this is the third podcast I’ve done with the folks from Human Garage. The first two were with the founders, Garry and Anela Lineham. Their stories and experiences are vastly different, yet they came together to create this extraordinary place of learning and healing.
Today, I’m moving the conversation toward the “how” of it all — in other words, what’s “under the hood” at the Human Garage. I’m doing this by talking to two of their Master Motion Mechanics: Alexander Rizk and Brian Donahue.
Alexander Rizk
Alexander Rizk is a retired professional soccer player. A career-ending injury left him debilitated and in chronic pain. After years of failed treatments, he decided to find his own solution. He attended school for medicine, therapy, nutrition, and human movement. Through these pursuits, he discovered a reliable path to treat his body naturally and, finally, he experienced a full recovery. Pain-free, he felt compelled to help others achieve better health and find happiness within.
Brian Donahoe
As a massage therapist fresh out of college, Brian Donahoe was determined to build upon all aspects of the body’s rehabilitation processes. He sought additional training as a strength coach and Pilates instructor while also mastering full-body active release techniques and fascial treatment. But, it wasn’t until joining Human Garage that he returned to his energetic roots and organ-meridian studies, which spawned new treatment practices. Seeking and treating the source of misalignment is a deep vocational drive for Brian, and ensures that Human Garage will always work to find a better way to heal.
This is a conversation about the body, the brain, neurology, fascia, chakras, organs, breathing, efficiency, healing, and maintenance. We cover way too much in the conversation to try to describe it here — though, there are detailed show notes below.
Enjoy this one —I certainly did!
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Episode Notes – #136: Brian Donahoe & Alex Rizk
- Mission – to find out the true source of pain and dis-ease
- How physical pain in one part of your body is often a symptom of a physical, mental, or emotional blockage somewhere else.
- Emotional pain is as tied to a physical injury as physical pain. Oftentimes, by the time they’re being treated, they are indistinguishable.
- Physical injury erodes confidence, causing doubt and anxiety. It can create a crack in your armor… suddenly that thing that was easy, you can’t do any more without difficulty or pain.
- Why perfected biomechanics and posture is so important to the value of an athlete and how it affects his/her performance longevity, susceptibility to injury, and long-term performance.
- How minor little tweaks increase the risks of more minor little tweaks… like dominos falling.
- How adrenal fatigue that you might not even notice affects your performance since with it, your body must now pay attention to it, which means NOT paying attention to something else.
- The brain is wired for efficiency, safety, protection, not for optimum performance.
- The hardest movement for the brain is contralateral movement. The slightest shift outside of normal alignment is something your brain must deal with – which becomes a task that occupies and prevents it from dealing with other things.
- How long can you have an imbalance without experiencing pain and how does that affect treatment and recovery?
- Modern life, with its massive requirement for finger and thumb dexterity, is creating a massive distraction for our brains.Because it’s occupied, it can’t focus on things it might otherwise.
- Your brain’s job is to constantly monitor and adjust. When preoccupied by pain, it can’t do that.
- How many things are we not aware of that is actually going on right in front of us?
- The history of playgrounds. They used to be designed for REAL play. They were risky and they taught important lessons to kids.
- How squishy surfaces don’t provide the ground reactive force needed for proper neurological feedback for walking and running.
- What if, instead of buying all sorts of safety gear, we were to teach our kids how to fall?
- How your body is like your computer, and your brain is like your CPU. When you get the little spinning pinwheel, or your phone locks up, perhaps you need to shut down some of the programs. Same is true for your body.
- Masters of perception are able to see and notice things – patterns, behaviors, energies that are invisible to those whose brains are preoccupied with other things.
- CrossFit Open workout 18.4
- Techniques of “tuning-in” using touch, vibration, words, sounds, and then listening for the answer.
- How therapy should address your body in many different positions, not just lying down.
- The year in space experiment in the International Space Station
- Pressure and Gravity – the two forces that affect us from the moment we’re born.
- When the diaphragm functions incorrectly, it affects the normal and proper internal functioning of many of our organs.
- Circadian rhythm of the organs
- Balancing body’s pH with saliva pH and how to change it in your body.
- The soccer injury that ended Alex’s professional soccer career.
- How Alex’s injury and his desire to heal himself lead to his studies, healing career track, and ultimately to the Human Garage.
- The chain of events that lead Brian’s discovery of the Human Garage and subsequent employment.
- The unique therapeutic environment of the Human Garage.
- How trust and acceptance manifest themselves in life and in treatment.
Connect with Brian Donahoe & Alex Rizk
- Instagram: humangaragela
- Website: www.humangarage.net
- Facebook: humangaragela
- YouTube: Human Garage
Have a question? Have feedback? Want to connect?
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If you enjoyed this podcast, here are some others to check out:
124: Jill Miller — Erase Pain, Improve Mobility and Live Better in Body and Mind
130: Maryann Berry – How You Are Your Own Best Healer
Andy is a certified CHEK Practitioner and holistic lifestyle coach. He holds a spectrum of certifications from CrossFit and is also a Vivobarefoot certified running coach. He has trained as a Zen buddhist and graduated with a Master’s degree in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica.
Andy founded CrossFit LA one of the first and most successful CrossFit training centers in the world and the first to be featured in national media. He is the co-founder of the Whole Life Challenge, Inc, currently its president, and is also a consultant and life/business coach. Andy lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Julia, and son, Dashel.
