Alexander
Massage & Fitness
Raynor Massage
"A massage is just like a movie, really relaxing and a total escape, except in a massage you’re the star. And you don’t miss anything by falling asleep!”
– Elizabeth Jane Howard
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Raynor massage is a world-renowned multiskilled holistic approach to massage therapy that focuses on releasing deep-seated tension and stress from the body. It was developed in the 1990s by Brandon Raynor, a Canadian born massage therapist now living in Australia. It draws on Eastern philosophies and Western evidence-based knowledge, combining techniques such as acupressure, reflexology, shiatsu, assisted stretching, spinal adjustments, breathwork, aromatherapy and more to provide a truly remarkable and transformative complementary treatment.
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Meridians, thought of as as energy channels in Eastern philosophy, are very similar to recently discovered bands of connected fascia known as Anatomy Trains
Image credit: Chinese meridians by KVDP
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Raynor Band Theory
Most tension in the body forms in bands (similar to the energy systems in Eastern philosophy known as Meridians in Chinese massage, Sen lines in Thai massage, and nadis in Ayurvedic massage, though all slightly different they are very alike, and are thought of as energy channels or flows that can become blocked). In the West, we can see these bands as composed of muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and fascia that work together for posture and movement.
The tension a therapist can feel as they work along these bands can result from underuse, overuse, injury or emotional stress that we hold in muscles. This tension can put pressure on nerves or result in a buildup of toxins, such as lactic acid and other waste products, that can cause health problems and complicate other pathologies.
As a side note: Fascia, which was once dismissed as tissue without a useful function, plays an integral role in connecting all our bodily tissues and organs together (research, mostly in the last ten years, has improved our understanding of its importance). It is a viscoelastic 3-dimensional collagen matrix that wraps around muscles and through muscle fibers, separating, connecting and lubricating at the same time; rather like a net holding everything in place while allowing muscles and muscle fibres to glide over each other. We now know that there are distinct trains (aka lines) of fascia which closely resembles the bands in Raynor massage and energy flows in the ancient philosophies (the latter were mapped out thousands of years ago). For example, the superficial back line extends from the panta fascia, up the back of the body, and over the head to the eyebrows and is very similar to the Water Phase Meridian. It is usual for discomfort in one area of a band to originate from tension further along the same band. So pain in the back or hips can also benefit from a head, neck, calf or foot massage on the same band (referred pain).
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For more on fascia see: https://fasciaguide.com/
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Meridians (back)
Superficial Back Line
Muscles of the Back
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Meridians (chest & arm)
Deep Front Arm Line
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Superficial Front Line
Deep Front Line
Myofascial Spiral Line
During a Raynor massage session, the therapist uses their hands, elbows, forearms and wooden tools to apply pressure to specific points on the body, targeting areas of tension and promoting relaxation. This deep pressure helps to release knots* and adhesions** in the muscles, allowing for improved blood circulation and increased range of motion. It can help improve flexibility, posture, and overall well-being.
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*Knots can feel like a tightness in the muscle, and may also feel lumpy and bruised. They are usually a type of muscle spasm that causes part of a muscle to contract.
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**Adhesion is where fascia becomes tight or thickened and loses flexibility. Its collagen fibres stick to each other, making it less efficient at protecting and lubricating muscles causing them to feel stiff and sore.
Knots and adhesions are caused by the usual culprits: underuse, overuse injury and stress. (note: underuse will eventually weaken the muscle to the point that simple tasks become overuse and more susceptible to injury).
Fascia, like muscle and everything else in the body, repairs and adapts the most while we rest. When we spend long periods in a fixed position, the body adapts to make this form the new norm. If we sit a lot without stretching and exercising regularly it affects many muscles and joints, altering the way we stand and move. Raynor massage can help reverse those changes by breaking down unwanted adhesion and help restore normal funtion. Having a balanced health and fitness routine can also aid recovery and avoid future recurrences.
A key benefit of Raynor massage is, in addition to relieving physical discomfort, its ability to address emotional blockages. As we all know, discomfort and pain is the body's way of letting you know something is wrong. Nerve endings send signals to the brain to prompt action. Acute pain, like that from stubbing a toe, may be short-lived but registers well enough that we avoid doing it again. Likewise, mild discomfort from sitting on a hard surface eventually makes us do something about it. But mild chronic discomfort caused by tension in the body, whether from stress or the after effects of an injury, can keep the brain distracted and unable to function at its full potential for a long time. Especially when our efforts don't stop a persistent or recurring discomfort.
This low-grade discomfort can have a considerable detrimental effect on the brain's cognitive abilities, ultimately affecting mood and day to day life. It often results in the suppression (or blocking) of beneficial feelings such as joy and wellbeing, and the inability to let go (or blocking the release) of less desirable emotions and frustrations.
It is also well known that scent can change and improve mood. Raynor massage, by combining the effects of aromatherapy and deep pressure to relieve tension, is highly effective at removing these emotional blockages throughout the body.
By working on both the physical and emotional levels, this massage therapy can help restore balance and harmony within the body, leaving you feeling lighter, revitalised, and more physically aligned.
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