This past weekend, the Affiliate program got presented in the southern hemisphere as the PRI  integration for Fitness and Movement was hosted in Sydney, Australia!!  I traveled over 10,220 miles (or over 16,447 km) and the very long plane ride across the south pacific was well worth it! Sydney was such a fun city, and it was a pleasure to spend some time with the PRI Australia group.

 I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to share the PRI science with this area of the world.  It is exciting for me to watch attendees connect to a deeper dimension of PRI because I believe it’s in those deeper dimensions of PRI that the magic happens and gaps are bridged.  Attendees from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Georgia and various parts of Australia were all represented. Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Pilates, Yoga, and Exercise Specialists were all in attendance, with the class being about half and half. Half being exposed to PRI before and the other half were brand new to the science. Needless to say it was a diverse group --- yet all united to learn more about the diaphragm and its influence on posture.

Regardless of credentials and training, this course is enlightening to help us all remember how to program Respiration and Alternating Reciprocal Activity to enhance Tri-Planar performance patterns (i.e “Functional Fitness”)

 We hit the ZOA hard and discussed it’s role in managing hyperactivity and unnecessary muscle tension. The exercises I introduced focused on shaping the ZOA three dimensionally with respiratory abdominals, along with promoting  expansion, movement and flexibility of the ribcage.  I then emphasized the 5 steps of programming for shaping adaptation and better integration for symmetrical compound lifts.

  The 5 steps in this course are presented to help create a framework for programming and organizing how exercises are presented to clients and patients. The 5 steps also help in organizing core stability and symmetry from the diaphragm level outward.

I loved seeing the passion and ah-ha moments as attendees connected with the material and got new resources and insights to help progress their clients and patients. I think we will see PRI quickly continuing to grow in this area of the world. Thank you to Mark Obrien and Jason Thomson for hosting. Special thanks to Mark for the hospitality and opening up his brand new facility for us to use. Fit Plus Well is such great hidden gem just south of Sydney. And Jason, thank you for sharing your passion, your insights (nuts, I will always remember your nuts cue) and helping with much of the logistics of the weekend! 

My visit to Australia was fun and I hope to get to come back one day! I could definitely live in Sydney - beaches, city and mountains were all right there. Beautiful coastline. Thank you to all who helped organize the event! Cheers!!

Having the opportunity to reflect on some of our PRI Non-Manual techniques that originally were put together back in 2003, with the understanding, consent and support of my gracious patients is always a privilege. A proud one. These photos of patients that have now become engrained and etched in our minds were taken more than 25 years ago, and not with a cell phone. As grainy as some are, and as imperfect as some now appear, they will always be the photos the Institute will use with the respective non-manual technique they are paired with; because they are related to stories, to people with behavioral and biologic history, and to individuals with hope as they struggle to understand and appreciate the steps and desired outcome associated with the technique that they will forever be infamous for. A few weeks ago Josh Olinick PT, PRC who works in Cary, North Carolina saw a patient that came to his clinic for a PRI re-assessment and intervention program. She was seen in 2004 by myself and agreed to have her photo taken for one of the PRI techniques I designed for her and this Institute. Josh, looked at her, and said, “Don’t I know you?” After further discussion, he realized who she was and what technique she was associated with. He sent us an updated picture of her performing the same technique she has been unassumingly known for. It was terrific that she found Josh, and more terrific that he could communicate and approach her the same way that she was treated when I assessed her 15 years ago.

The other person I reflect on every time I have given this workshop (this was the third time), and every time I will give it in the future, is Bobbie Ninneman, oops I mean Rappl.  She was my “Patient Program Coordinator” back in 2003, before she became the Institute’s Clinical Education Coordinator and now our Director of Clinical Development and Public Relations. Her oversight and insight is as important today, as it was then; no matter how many children she and her husband Mark raise. Her ‘children’ and my ‘children’ are also these people and these associated techniques and wording that tie them together. They are stories, events, chapters, accounts, and initiatives that change other people’s lives and processes. These techniques will remain consistent and constant, no matter, who and how many try to change the pictures, wording or association with other activity. Evolution depends on recognition of what started the journey and these techniques make me sentimental and grateful. I am grateful for Bobbie and all the “Bobbies” of my life that preceded anyone’s use of their guidance, consistent content and hope they offer.

Dan Houglum, who knew me before I started the Institute, and is now a faculty member teaching Myokinematic Restoration, summed up his weekend like this...
"The actual activity selected is not as big of an issue as I had originally thought. The real issue is can I reference the activity properly for them so they can sense what the need to sense in that activity. It was so great to be sitting next to Dave because he pointed out that every activity has so many potential 'referents' and 'references' in them, that you can use the same activity for two different patients, but use and reference the activity completely differently for each person to achieve the necessary outcome for that individual."

A few other testimonials shared by course attendees this past weekend...

     "This course should be a requirement for people who use PRI Non-Manual techniques. This course changed how I will practice a lot. Awesome course. Thank you so much!"

     "What an amazing course! Every PRI-minded person must take this. I had no idea how some of the techniques were meant/executed. Thank you very much!"

     "The reference/referents discussion will completely change my patients' experiences with the non-manual techniques.

If you are interested in learning more about the many 'referents' and 'references', and how to integrate them with the PRI Non-Manual Techniques, then I would highly recommend attending this workshop! It will be offered twice again in 2020 (both times in Lincoln, NE), so that I can have my side-kick, Jen Platt assisting me. Jen and I are already looking forward to it, and we hope you will consider joining us!

The Non-Manual Techniques Collection for the Cervical Revolution course is now available for purchase as a Digital Download! The digital download collection includes PDF handouts for the PRI Non-Manual Techniques which are discussed and included in the Cervical Revolution course. Some techniques do crossover from the Primary Courses Non-Manual Techniques Collections, however many of the techniques are new to the Cervical Revolution course, and have never been available for purchase on a CD or Digital Download.

The Cervical Revolution Non-Manual Techniques Collection has three sections, and a total of 26 techniques:

• Non-Manual Repositioning (5)
• Left Sidebending Repatterning (9)
• Right Torsion Repatterning (12)

CLICK HERE to purchase the Cervical Revolution Non-Manual Techniques Collection for only $35! *Please note: you must complete the corresponding Cervical Revolution course prior to purchasing this product.

It was a humbling experience to be on the campus of the Naval Academy teaching Myokinematic Restoration the weekend following Memorial Day. It's a weekend that will resonate with me for a long time for a variety of reasons. I have three relatives who have served in the Navy, so to be on that historical campus was truly a privilege.

It was also a privilege to be able to deliver PRI concepts to a fantastic group of diverse movement professionals. We had ATC's from the Naval Academy as well as from other institutions, LMT, Strength Coaches, PT's, and DC's. Mike Barnard, DC, it was truly an honor to meet you and I thank you for your questions and contributions to the course. With such a diverse crowd, we were permitted to expand our conversation points around many scopes of interest and practice.

Our course was held in Akerson Tower at the football field. During our course, the artificial field turf was being pulled up and removed. It was an apt backdrop for our course because, not unlike the football field, PRI was peeling off layers of preconceived notions in the minds of the course attendees. Once the truth of human asymmetry was revealed and the ramifications of it, we were able to start delivering a new layer of Myokinematic and neuromechanic foundation that they will be able to build on top of moving forward in their PRI journey.

Another unique revelation for me this past weekend occurred when fellow PRI Faculty member, Louise Kelley, and I met for dinner, and she brought her husband, Bruce. I can confirm, Bruce does exist, and we had a wonderful time Saturday night.

My thanks to Nate Nester, Jill Tender, Laurie Johnson, Ryan Carr, Greer Mackie, Vikram Somal, Christine Von Ulrich, and Johnathan Blake for their questions and their willingness to allow us to learn from them. Johnathan is going to be in attendance next weekend when Louise Kelly teaches Postural Respiration in Boston, which is going to be awesome! Cindy Anderson, PT, PRC, was invaluable during the lab portions of the class, as well as providing her valuable insight to delivering PRI concepts.

Progressing through the L AIC pattern, potential pathology that can result, and which muscles can and cannot work because of the position they are in is a lot for anyone new to PRI to digest. But we had many, many attendees who were able to digest the "why", so progressing into the testing and treatment portions of the class were relatively seamless. We were afforded a lot of time for lab, which allowed the attendees to experience getting onto their L side for the first time in a long time. This particular Myokin class will stand out for me because of where we were, the time of year, the symbolism of the football field turf being peeled away, and how stellar the class attendees were. It was a privilege to be among you.