Back when I lived and played rugby in Hong Kong I used to see an acupuncturist in an office based in the middle of Hong Kong, Central. He was an Australian born Chinese, who learned his trade in Australia and practiced in Hong Kong. He was one of the best acupuncturist I had seen, and I had seen my fair share! In his waiting room, there was a poster that asked, "is your center, centered?" I always wondered what, exactly, that poster meant. I never asked the acupuncturist the meaning behind the poster - mainly because I thought I should be smart enough to figure it out on my own - but for as long as I sought treatment I always wondered what it meant to center your center. I realize this is all very riveting stuff but when you're twenty-three, living in a foreign country and having the time of your life, it is only during those quiet moments, waiting for treatment, that you have the time to ponder all the big questions like, is my center, centered? As well as age old questions like, who am I playing this week? What extra training sessions should I do? And a personal favorite of mine, what day is it? As the years went by I finally figured out exactly what day it was, but from time to time my mind would still drift back to the one unanswered question, "is your center, centered?"

I'm now thirty-five, happily married and father to a beautiful baby boy. Nowadays I find myself pondering big questions like, what should I cook for dinner? Does Aiman need his nappy changed? And did I remember to record The Daily Show? Yes, the pace of life has slowed down somewhat, but it is in this slowing down that I finally began to find the answer to the question posed over a decade ago - is my center, centered?

Immediately after the surgery on my back I couldn't stand for very long before the pain kicked in. I spent the first week after surgery lying in bed or on the couch, I would have to roll onto my side and push myself up with my arm just to sit up. If I needed to stand, I would have to take a breather in the sitting position then squeeze my abs to brace my back before attempting to get to my feet. Unable to do much lying flat on my back, I practiced squeezing my abs in a bid to build strength in my core, when I started walking again (which was more like a slow shuffling), I made an effort to pull my shoulders back and squeeze my abs while I walked. I began to notice that I was actually getting stronger, so I practiced squeezing my abs while driving, sitting, lying in bed and during just about every other activity I did throughout the day. I knew if I was going to make a full recovery I needed to exchange old bad habits for new good ones - trust me, after you have major back surgery you are starting from rock bottom and I had nowhere to go but up!

One of the new habits I got into was squeezing my abs during just about every kind of physical activity I did. I have made significant improvements in my posture and my lower back is much more supported - all from just squeezing my abs - I did not do a single sit-up or crunch. The many benefits of a strong core are what have caused me to be such an avid supporter of a regular yoga and pilates practice. I believe that all athletes - particularly young athletes - should work yoga and pilates into their regular training regimen. I know this might be a tough sell ... I remember being a young man in a big city and the last thing I wanted to do was sit in a yoga class harnessing my chi, but if all athletes viewed yoga and pilates as just another aspect of cross-training I know they would be stronger, more balanced and less prone to injury.

It took me over a decade but I finally understand what my acupuncturist's poster meant. A strong core is essential to an injury and pain free body -- it only took a debilitating injury, years of pain and major surgery for me to finally center my center. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes and start working on centering your center. Now focus and start squeezing those abs!

1. Restructures and realigns your skeletal system.
2. Improves balance and body awareness.
3. Decreases muscle soreness and relieves joint stress.
4. Corrects muscle imbalances.
5. Improves circulation.

Just to name a few..

If your anything like me, whenever I hear or read anything about mind, body and soul, I'm always a bit skeptical about what's being offered. Despite my skepticism, I've always been fascinated by the small amount of our brain power we actually use and how certain tribal people have the ability to meditate themselves into a trance and walk over hot coals without being burned. Controlling the mind has always been connected to controlling fear or behavior both positive and negative, but connecting the body to the mind is something I had never experienced and was really surprised when it finally did happen. I was not expecting or looking to find that connection and when it did happen, I felt like my mind and my body had always been in the same room but never got close enough to actually meet. I knew once it happened, that I was in uncharted territory and I was excited to charge on and learn more.

How did it happen? The best explanation I can give is that my mind and body finally met after hours of self myofascial release! We all have tight, knotted muscles all over our bodies and we just don't know where they are and what affect they are having on our posture, the way we walk, exercise, sit and sleep. They lay silent beneath the skin continuing to tighten and negatively impact our skeletal structure until you reach down one day to pick up the newspaper and your back goes out ... sound familiar to anyone?

Self myofascial release gives all those tight muscles a voice and finally a way for your body to speak to your mind. I promise if you spend hours rolling around on odd sized balls from your head to your feet, your body and mind will meet! They will build a relationship and share a common goal - releasing tension and allowing you to live a more active lifestyle!

Combine this with a level one yoga or mat pilates class or, if you have a chronic muscle problem like I did, start with a restorative yoga class and I can assure you that you will notice a difference in your body almost immediately!

It's time to get connected...

My practice of self-myofascial release began with me rolling around on a baseball, a softball and your garden variety 4" PVC pipe! I know it doesn't sound too sexy, and at the time I didn't feel too sexy either. Truth be told, it took months before I got into a regular practice of self-myofascial release. For me, like most, rolling around on hard objects just didn't sound right and was definitely not in the mainstream, so I didn't give it much time or thought. It was not until I had tried everything, spent a ton of money and was living in constant pain that I started regularly practicing self-myofascial release.

After suffering with sciatic and neck pain for years, I had run my body into the ground. Finding a trigger point (i.e., a tight muscle) was not hard to do, I just needed to sit, stand or lay on a ball and I was on a trigger point! My self-myofascial release practice started by doing just that, I would place a ball on the ground, lay on it for a couple of minutes, breathe deeply to relax, wait for the muscle to release then move to the next spot. After the first week I could feel my pain decreasing and my mobility increasing. As the weeks went by I was able to roll on a ball from my neck down to my low back and I could feel my body changing. As the months went by my body and mind were getting better aquatinted - the daily rolling out was connecting them both. I finally knew where I was tight and what I needed to do to release the tension.

My collection of balls and odd shaped rollers grew with my need to gain access to deeper trigger points. I also bought a "Theracane," the green hook shaped object that is great for releasing tension in your neck and shoulders. Some of you may be wondering why I don't have a foam roller, which is known as the prop of choice for self-myofascial release. The foam rollers were simply too soft for me and provided no real benefits. My problems were deep tissue and the foam roller is better for soft tissue problems. For the same reason I don't use tennis balls for self-myofascial release, which is another common prop recommended by physical therapists.

Despite my large collection of balls, rollers and other devices, I always felt there was something missing. There were very few products that were geared specifically for self-myofascial release, and those products that were on the market, were simply too soft to effectively activate and release my trigger points (i.e., foam rollers). It was this absence of effective self-myofascial release products that led me to develop Bula Balls which consists of five balls of varying sizes and firmness specifically designed to activate sensitive trigger points.

But until Bula Balls are out on the market (which should be in the next few months!), you should get started with your own practice of self-myofascial release. Use whatever props work best for you, if tennis balls and foam rollers get the job done, then that is what you should use. But, if your like me, you will need something harder, such as baseballs, softballs and PVC pipes to really see the benefits of self-myofascial release. So head down to your local sports store or raid your kid's toy box and get started. Your body will thank me for it!

Pain is your friend was my mantra as a young rugby player trying to crack the big leagues and run with the big dogs, I needed to be bigger, stronger, faster and earn the respect of my peers to win the confidence of my coaches to make the cut. I had set a tall order for myself and had made many sacrifices, it was all or nothing - overcoming my fears and breaking the pain barrier time and time again was the only way to succeed. I knew if it wasn't hurting - I wasn't working hard enough. No pain, no gain..

When we're born, the first thing we feel is pain - its how we know we are alive. The pain of our first breath of air, the pain of hunger to eat, pains from growth and the pain of loss. Pain, in all its forms, guides us, pointing us in the right direction so that we can react accordingly to avoid further more serious forms of chronic pain. Unfortunately, more often than not, we are not listening to what pains us and we reach for the easy out which is usually pain medication. Prolonged use leads to all sorts of serious problems like dependance, illness and ultimately, surgery, facts which I know all to well.

The pain management industry is huge and continues to grow at an alarming rate, you can't watch television, listen to the radio, read a newspaper or browse the internet without a pain medication ad being shoved down your throat. In America its reported that the leading cause of Americans taking sick days is due to sciatic back pain, pain which I suffered with for years. By living with my pain for so long I ultimately did more damage to my body than if I had addressed the pain head on. I had lost sight of my mantra, "pain is your friend." Instead, I tried to ignore the pain and dial it down with pain medication so that I could work my way though it. I now know that this is impossible.

If you want to fix any problem you need to find the root cause. When it comes to muscle pain in your neck, back, shoulders, feet and hips, the root cause is tight restricted fascia.

My speedy recovery from surgery stems from seeing one of the best surgeons in the country, quality pre and post surgery physical therapy, including self-myofascial release, and treating the surgery like any other sporting injury which consisted of me spending a lot of time icing, hydrating and resting.

My postural improvements, the reduction of muscle pain and my ability to be running around on the beach and living an active lifestyle comes from re-aquatinting myself with my old friend, pain. My practice of self-myofascial release is allowing me to revive my battle-beaten body. I can now say that my body is finally back to normal and I have overcome the injuries that have plagued me for so long. I look forward to living the healthy active lifestyle that I have grown so accustom to and I want to help other know there is a better way.

The "Massage"

I thought I was going to see Karl for a deep tissue massage but in actuality, I had no idea what Karl's treatments were all about and although massage was part of Karl's treatment, it certainly was not the main ingredient.

The hour and a half session started with me standing on a 2" hard rubber ball, first under the knuckle joint of my big toe and working my way down to my little toe, then down my arches and finally under my heel. Never having done this before, the round ball felt like I was standing on something sharp, I was learning fast this was not going to be a pleasurable hour and a half "massage"

From there it was on to what would become my "favorite," rolling a 20 kg lifting bar down my leg with an extra 15 kg on each side. My muscle was sandwiched between my bone and the thin foam covering the weight bar. This "massage" technique was extremely painful, but also extremely effective.

To get the best results from this kind of myofascial release you will need a weight bench. Sit at one end and place your leg on the bench, point your toes to the ceiling, squeeze your abs, relax your shoulders, point the top of your head to the ceiling and get in the best postural position possible. Then have a trained professional, i.e. Karl List, place a 50 kg weight bar on the top of your thigh, where it meets your hip. The next bit is really important, without pulling a face or losing your composure, have the trained professional roll the bar down to your knee, very slowly and then back again. Do this 3-4 times then change legs.

At this point in my "massage" I began to feel beads of sweat gathering on my brow. "Holy Shit" I thought to myself, "what is he doing!!" Trying to remain cool and not lose my composure I kept quiet and endured the pain. Next, we moved to the stretching mats, finally, I thought, I can lay down and have Karl do some traditional "massage," I can close my eyes and relax while he works on me. Think again, while laying face down Karl placed a 5" ball under my abs just to the left of my belly button, then he placed a smaller ball under my right shoulder. My muscles were tight to start, but as I breathed into them I could feel them begin to loosen. Karl was working on my calves while I was lying on the balls, and by working I mean he had the tip of his elbow buried into my calf all the way down to the bone. Then he shifted gears and started working on my hamstrings, while he was doing this he had all his weight on my back which was forcing the ball I was lying on further into my abs. My eyes were wide open and sweat was streaming off of me. I was trying to stay relaxed, but Karl was not making it easy!

An hour had passed and I was sweating like I was doing a work out, I remember thinking "this guy is insane, when is he going to stop!" To Karl's credit he gave me my moneys worth, he was relentless and did not let up until he felt he had sufficiently worked my muscles. Karl's methods are unorthodox, intense, extremely effective and are unique to him. If rugby is described as a collision sport, then Karl is the number one body shop man.

I later found out that I had ruptured a disc in my lower back two years earlier. I had been suffering with sciatic pain for that entire time and thought thats all it was. After just under three months of seeing Karl once a week and practicing self myofascial release between our sessions. I was pain free and returned to play out the American Super League rugby season. This alone speaks volumes for Karl's deep understanding of the human body and what has lead me to refer to him as the closest person to Master Yoda I have met. Karl has gone further than any one trainer or therapist I have met, and there is still so much more that I can learn from him. Karl is the inspiration for the creation of Bula Balls, and is why I can speak from experience when I say that self myofasical release really works!

Do or do not there is no try..

Karl List
List Integrated Systematic Training
www.KarlList.com

After two weeks of obeying to the every whimper, shriek and scream like the world is about to end from my baby boy Aiman, its only natural that one neglect ones self. No more touch rugby on the beach, afternoon jogs, relaxing restorative yoga classes, long hot relaxing baths, I have even fallen behind on my routine self myofascial releasing...

Oh, I know, woe is me, the stay home dad that sleeps in and whose biggest part of his day is cooking, cleaning and a weekly shopping trip COSTCO. But believe me, this shit is not easy!!

Trying to decipher the different cries of a newborn is not easy, is he hungry, needs his nappy changed, does he have wind, need to be soothed or is he just f@#king with me?? How do single parents do this and still work full time?

I got to bed last night at 11, woke up at 12:30 and spent the rest of the night watching/helping Kristina trying to sooth the lil' guy. We finally got to sleep around 9 am and slept till 1 pm!

Thought I would take some time in the afternoon to roll out (SMR) while my man child slept, its amazing how much tension has returned to my body after such a short time. I'm sure those of you reading this with kids know exactly what I'm talking about!

I can hear the boy screaming now, it never stops.. and I'm loving every minute of it.

Can I get an Aiman..!

Rugby is described in the coaching manuals as a collision sport (one moving object or person striking violently against another)
a game of colliding vehicles..

Oh.., I'd like to see that again..!

Trauma like this on the body takes its toll. Many people out there wonder why athletes put themselves through such punishment. But the truth is, sitting at your desk all day with bad posture or working in a repetitive factory/manual lifting job will, over time, do the same damage to your body as a collision sport.

While professional athletes have the best medical/physical therapy support staff and are in the practice of recovery training often just hours after their games, nothing comes close to daily self myofascial release to help their bodies to overcome traumas like these. The same holds true for everyone suffering from muscle pain and stiffness.

Sick hit..!

Karl’s reputation as a highly skilled innovator and top personal trainer at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California has made him one of the most sought after fitness experts in the industry. With more than twenty years experience as a personal trainer and a celebrated career as natural body builder, Karl has been featured in several publications including Mens Health, Live Fit, Muscle & Fitness and Ironman, to name a few. Karl's degree is in Physical Education and Lifetime Health & Fitness and along with his other qualifications he is a IDEA-Master Level Trainer. However, I had no inkling of any of Karl's qualifications before I met him.

I was referred to Karl by another trainer at Golds, Danny Henry. Danny is the strength trainer for the Santa Monica Rugby Club men's team and after one of our sessions I asked Danny if he could refer me to a good deep tissue masseur. At the time I was still battling the pain associated with the neck and back injuries I had been suffering with since early in my rugby career. To help with the pain I booked regular massage treatments and was having a hard time finding anyone good. Danny quickly gave me three options ranging from good at $80 per hour, to very good at $100 per hour and finally the best at $150 per hour, my initial reaction was something like, holy shit $150 an hour!! Does it come with a happy ending?? At the time I was paying around $60 per massage and the jump to $150 seemed like a bridge too far, but at the same time it felt like I was throwing $60 away every time I got a shit massage, so I decided to give Karl a call.

After calling and leaving a message, I received a call from Karl's wife Jodi a couple of days later to line up an appointment. Before the call finished I asked, "so what's the address?" Jodi told me that Karl works from Golds and to just meet him in front of the squatting racks. Confused, I asked if he had a massage bed at Golds. Jodi told me that I would understand once I got there. After hanging up the phone I remember sitting there thinking what the F$#K, this better be some F$#king massage!!

The day of my appointment I turned up to the gym early and saw Karl finishing up with his previous client and sure enough, there was not going to be any fold out bed for me to get comfortable on or any privacy from the rest of the people working out in the gym, it was all going to happen in front of the squat rack. What have a got myself in to?!?

A couple of minutes go by, Karl finishes up with his pervious client and we meet for the first time, Karl has a slight build, lean, athletic and about 5 foot 5. The introductions are barely over when Karl says to me that I look like a "bent nail." Still reeling from the fact that I was paying $150 to get a "massage" in the middle of a crowded gym, I was shocked to hear Karl describe my body exactly the way it felt, like a bent nail. Karl was able to diagnose me without knowing anything about my history and without touching me at all. No one else has ever described my body in that way, though I knew immediately that Karl knew what he was talking about and would probably know what to do to help me overcome my injuries. My interest picked up and I wanted to know more. From the start, it was clear to me that there was much more to Karl List than meets the eye.

Can I get an Aiman...!

Waiting wondering anticipating,
tension anxiety stress,
waiting waiting waiting.

Compassion empathy concern,
love support encouragement.

Deep breathe and puuusshh,
quick breathe and puuusshh,
quick breathe and puuusshh...

Breathing pushing visualizing,
encouraging supporting motivating.

36 hours of laboring,
45 minutes of pushing and everything
in-between, out comes baby Aiman!

Its a boy, its a boy,
can I get an Aiman..!

Cut the cord, check on mum,
check on baby both doing good.

Adrenaline still pumping,
everyones OK ... growing calmer.

Time passes overwhelming,
joy joy joy, happiness love..

Proud daddy,
I have son..

Can I get an Aiman!!

Fascia is a seamless web of connective tissue that covers and connects the muscles, organs, and skeletal structures located between the skin and the underlying muscle and bone structures. Fascia is a specialized system that has an appearance similar to a spider's web or a sweater.

Fascia is a very densely woven covering that interpenetrates every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate coverings, it is actually one structure that exists from head to foot without interruption. In this way each part of the entire body is connected to every other part by the fascia, like the yarn in a sweater.

Injuries, stress, inflammation, trauma and poor posture can restrict the fascia. And since fascia is an interconnected web, restriction or tightness to fascia in one area of the body will, over time, spread to other parts of the body. Like a snag in a sweater, fascial tightness can create displacement in other parts of the body which will eventually create restrictions and tightness in the new location. Minor fascial restrictions and tightness can, in this way, eventually snowball into major systemic problems.

The goal of Bula Balls (self myofascial release) is to release fascia restriction and restore tissue health, intended for pain relief, increasing range of motion and balancing the body.

We've booked the hospital, packed our bag, installed the car set and decorated the nursery ... nothing left to do but wait ... and wait ... and wait ....!

Benefits of Self Myofascial Release!

• Restructures and realigns your skeletal system.
• Improves balance and body awareness.
• Decreases muscle soreness and relieves joint stress.
• Corrects muscle imbalances.
• Improves circulation.
• Helps in maintaining normal functional muscular length.
• Helps speed up the rehabilitation process.
• Increases flexibility.
• Its easy to do and can be done in the privacy of your own home ... even in front of the T.V.!
• Knowledge is power, self myofascial release gives you the knowledge to finally gain control over your chronic aches and pains.

Take action, get started and get balanced!

Thank goodness ... Kristina's mother has arrived! Now we're ready. Bring on the baby!

She will be able to talk me through this.... ahhhh... Linda's support is just what Kristina (and I!) need.

Breathe Riaz...

Breathe...!

In about one week, give or take a couple days, my wife, Kristina, and I will become parents for the first time. We will be waiting for the big day to find out whether we have a son or daughter, and are so excited. Being a father is something I have wanted for many years, and having grandchildren is something that my parents have wanted for a lot longer! A close friend of mine always says that you have to kiss a lot of frogs before finding a princess, and I kissed my fair share!

When I met my wife, our relationship was doomed from the start. Neither of us gave it a chance to last more than a month, but like the little engine that could, our relationship continued to move forward and surprised us both. There are mornings when I wake up before Kristina and look over at her and wonder how I got so lucky - I am the happiest I've been in years, I am experiencing a deep felt love that I never knew existed and, God willing, I will very soon have my dreams of fatherhood come true in the shape of a healthy bouncing bundle of joy!

As a younger man I would always ridicule men who publicly gushed their feelings of love and devotion towards their wives and girlfriends. Under my breath I would joke that the guy had dropped his nuts and would hope that he did not forget to pick them up before he left. A man needs his nuts!

Now it seems the shoe is on the other foot and I am that gushing fool ... I better keep an eye on my nuts! But, for the record, dropping your nuts feels great and I am so glad to have finally made a real connection with someone very special.

To my darling wife who has helped me get though one of the darkest times in my life - your total love and support has nurtured me back to health and your patience and guidance has helped with the creation of Bula Balls.

Love you till the end. xx.

After years of playing professional rugby, one of the world's most physically demanding sports, I have suffered my fair share of injuries and have done some of the oddest things to manage the pain - there is a painful story for another day regarding suppositories!

Along the way I have learned many things about my body's ability to heal and mend itself, along with all the different therapies that can help speed the healing process.

I was introduced to self-myofascial release (or SMR) many years ago (in the shape of a tennis ball), but never took it seriously. It wasn't until I began suffering from chronic sciatic pain which ultimately started to rule my life, that I was forced to take a serious look at SMR. Over the last twelve months I have made many personal discoveries about how the body works and can heal itself and how these discoveries can help anyone suffering from sciatica as well as neck, back and shoulder pain.