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Posts tagged Chris Spears Massage
Chris Spears Massage
May 4th
Whether you’re an elite athlete, weekend warrior, casual gym-goer or anywhere in between, regular massage will rejuvenate your body and your mind. Get to know massage therapist Chris Spears and her specialty massage practice in Austin.
What is Chris Spears Massage?
Chris Spears Massage was founded to help people meet their fitness goals and enhance their athletic performance by relieving muscular tension and pain, while increasing range of motion and recovery time. I focus on specific muscle groups to address each clients’ individual needs.
Using a variety of techniques, my goal is to increase blood flow to the muscles which will reduce chronic pain, increase restricted range of motion and break down scar tissue in the muscles. This prevents injury, allows the body to recover more quickly, and enhances performance.
Why did you start Chris Spears Massage?
In my previous life, I was in IT Sales for 5 years. When the thought of sitting indoors, staring at a computer screen all day became more than I could take, I looked towards a career that would be more fulfilling. I needed to feel like I was making a difference in peoples’ lives and helping them to achieve their goals. When I went to massage school to obtain my license, it was always a goal of mine to own my own business. I first began working at a well-known deep tissue clinic to gain hands-on experience, then when the time was right, I founded Chris Spears Massage and never looked back!
How long have you been in business?
My one year anniversary for opening Chris Spears Massage is coming in September. This first year has flown by! I’m looking forward to many more years serving the Austin athletic community.
Where are you located? What’s your schedule?
Chris Spears Massage is conveniently located in Central Austin, near UT Campus and Hyde Park, just off 32nd Street. I work Monday through Friday all day and into the evening on certain days. Usually I take on clients 1-2 Saturdays a month, as long as I’m not working an athletic event around town.
What is you massage style/philosophy?
My work is a combination of various styles of massage; Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue massage, and Trigger Point Release. No two bodies are the same, so no two people will ever receive the same massage; every session is unique. I understand everyones’ needs are different as well, so I customize each one of my sessions to how my client is feeling at that moment, what type of training they’ve been doing, if they are preparing for an event and their specific physical goals.
Who is Chris Spears Massage for? (what’s a typical client profile?)
I work on a wide range of individuals and different body types. My experience has been with both elite and amateur athletes competing in various activities such as cycling, running, Olympic lifting, Triathletes, Yogis, Weekend Warriors and Desk Jockeys. My clients also range greatly in their age, ability and lifestyle. Massage is one of those wonderful practices that truly benefits everyone.
What are the benefits to getting a massage?
Massage has been proven to aid in injury prevention and recovery, which is important regardless of occupation and athletic ability. Typically within 2-3 sessions, clients can experience greater range of motion, increased flexibility, reduced inflammation, enhanced performance and pain relief.
Besides the physical benefits listed above, massage is also a great stress reliever, leading to greater relaxation and better, more sound sleep….things we could all use more of!
What should a new client expect at their first session?
First, I want to learn about their physical activity level, what type of sports/hobbies they are involved with and if they’ve had any injuries in the past. It’s also important for me to learn about the goals they have set; whether it’s training for a specific event or maintaining a strong, healthy body in general. Postural analysis and functional movement exercises also aid my efforts to learn more about my clients.
Typically post-session, I like to demonstrate stretches and/or strength exercises, focusing on a particular ‘problematic’ muscle group. I offer my recommendation of a treatment plan and check in with my clients to make sure their expectations were met after each appointment.
Client Testimonials
Chris Spears is one of the best massage therapists I’ve seen in Austin. She listens to my needs, and focuses her massage on areas I’ve mentioned are troubling me. She has strong hands and gives an extremely firm and deep massage when needed. Her massages are effective at loosening up tight muscles and tendons. Chris is friendly and you can tell she enjoys her job – she puts real effort into her massage and isn’t just going through the motions. I see measurable improvements in my running performance after a session with Chris. I recommend her to anyone who wants to stay injury free while training hard.
~ Chris Kimbrough, ROGUE Elite runner and 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, Austin, TX
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Chris is a wonderful massage therapist. What I like about her is that she is an athlete herself and understands what active people need in terms of massage therapy. I’ve been a client for over a year and hope to be as long as I need massage. When my muscles are all knotted up, Chris can apply really deep pressure that helps the healing process. Her knowledge of anatomy physiology is also great. When I tell her where I am in pain and how I caused it, she always knows just what to do to fix it.
I first went to her for a shoulder injury that doctors had even failed to identify what was wrong. She was the first person able to make it feel better , but what I really liked is that she was so determined to help. Getting massage from someone who loves what they do makes all the difference.
~ Dude S., Austin, TX
About the the owner, Chris Spears
After graduating from UTSA, I went straight into IT Sales, moving up the corporate ladder for 5 years. I finally reached a point when my job wasn’t fulfilling me emotionally and I knew it was time to explore other options. With the support of a very patient husband, I began my career transition to massage three years ago and have never regretted my decision. I love that I get to interact with my clients face to face and am presented with new challenges on a daily basis.
Being an athlete myself, I can relate to my clients’ athletic needs and understand how pain limits one’s ability to perform. I have a diverse athletic background, playing both volleyball and softball while in school, and later transitioning to running half marathons, participating in various bootcamps around Austin and developing a regular Vinyasa yoga practice. After spending 5 years in a cubicle stuck behind a desk, I can’t get enough exercise outdoors!
Favorite types of fitness activities/workouts
When I’m not working to make my clients feel good and strong, you can find me running the Greenbelt with my dog/pace setter, on the yoga mat or lifting weights at Dane’s Body Shop. I love that my career requires me to stay strong and healthy and I hope to inspire my clients to do the same.
Favorite places to eat in Austin
There are a couple criteria that have to be met when it comes to picking a place to eat: they must be local and serve locally sourced, natural ingredients. Olivia’s, Snack Bar, East Side Cafe, Blue Dahlia Bistro are just a few favorites….I could go on and on when it comes to food. I love to eat!!
One fitness accessory or clothing you can’t live without
Lululemon anything. Ever since I was introduced to their leggings and running shorts, I haven’t worn anything since. I’m fortunate that in my line of work, it’s perfectly acceptable to wear workout clothes to work!
Connect with Chris to learn more about Chris Spears Massage
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MyFitList brings together the latest information on hundreds of local fitness businesses in Austin. We’re your resource for inspiration and information for getting and staying fit. Search hundreds of Austin fitness groups and services like running, triathlon, bootcamps, yoga studios, gyms and more all in one place! Check us out at www.myfitlist.com
Kinesio Tape
Oct 31st
Natacha Pisarenko/AP
You’ve probably seen athletes on TV with their shoulders, knees, and backs taped with bright colored strips. Professional beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh is one that comes to mind. She made being wrapped up with tape look pretty darn tough and cool. But besides potentially psyching out your opponents, we wanted to learn more about what this therapeutic tape can do.
So we asked Chris Spears, of Chris Spears Massage, to give us the low-down on this relatively new therapy method.
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What Is Kinesio Tape?
Kinesio Taping is a method in which a thin, stretchy therapeutic tape is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused tired muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/ day basis. It is not a restrictive type of taping; allowing for full range of motion so a person’s biomechanics will not be affected.
Who Can Use Kinesio Tape?
Kinesio Tape is safe and effective for anyone to use, whether you’re an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a desk jockey that has spent too much time at the computer.
Kinesio Taping takes a completely different approach to athletic taping than the rigid, immobilizing sports tapes most people are familiar with. Kinesio Tape is made of 100% high grade cotton so it is skin friendly, having 140% elastic (same elasticity as human skin). It is latex-free and safe for sensitive skin and may be used with a wide age range, from pediatric to geriatric.
How Does It Work and How Long Will It Last?
The technique involves applying tape directly over an injured area, as well as around it’s perimeter. There is no compression on the skin, making it ‘light to the feel’ and allowing comfortable wear over a 3-4 day period. It’s water-resistant fabric wicks away moisture and allows patients to bathe or even swim as usual.
In most cases, the muscles should be held in a stretched position while the tape is applied. The natural elasticity creates a microscopic lifting action of the skin, which activates both neurological and circulatory healing mechanisms. Because it increases lymphatic drainage and blood flow, a kinesiology tape application can rapidly relieve swelling and inflammation, as well as accelerate the healing process. Other properties allow it to relieve both acute and chronic pain, which all injured athletes welcome. As pain and inflammation recede, normal muscle activation can be restored, returning strength and coordination to injured areas, as well as a full range of motion.
What Problems Does Kinesio Tape Address?
A wide range of issues may be treated by application of Kinesio Tape, such as: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, patella tracking, ankle sprains, tennis elbow, shoulder and knee conditions, lower back strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, along with numerous other sports injuries…you get the idea by now.
My Personal Experience:
I’ve used Kinesio Tape on different body types and clients that have varied activity levels and seen measurable results each time. I’ve treated clients that suffer from TMJ who grind their teeth at night, clients that hold their stress in their shoulders/neck and can’t turn their head to the side it’s gets so bad, and others that have past knee issues to reduce inflammation and swelling in the joint. As a Massage Therapist, my forearms can get extremely tight after a long day, so I even tape myself and can feel the effects within an hour as the bound fascia is lifted and fresh blood is circulated through my tired arm muscles.
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Chris Spears Massage is located just North of the UT Campus, off 32nd Street and Guadalupe in a Texas Historic Landmark turned boutique offices. Specializing in Deep Tissue and Sports Massage, Chris uses a variety of techniques on clients to help them meet their fitness goals. New clients can enjoy $20 off their first session when they book a 60 or 90 minute appointment.
A bit more about Chris Spears: Early on in my career I was fortunate to have worked with some of the best Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists in Austin. The experience and techniques I learned from them have been valuable in growing my work as a solo practitioner. I truly love what I do and feel passionate about helping my clients enhance their performance and gain a deeper understanding of their body mechanics. Always being drawn towards the clinical side of massage, I constantly strive to stay current on effective techniques I can use to assist my clients. I’m committed to serving those who want a natural, higher quality of life…pain free!
Check out Chris Spears Massage on MyFitList: http://www.myfitlist.com/find/detail/www.cspearsmassage.com
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MyFitList brings together the latest information on hundreds of local fitness businesses in Austin. We’re your resource for inspiration and information for getting and staying fit. Search hundreds of Austin fitness groups and services like running, triathlon, bootcamps, yoga studios, gyms and more all in one place! Check us out at www.myfitlist.com