Effective resources for maintaining health and wellness, fitness and rejuvenation are abundant here in our Berkshires. From prepping for competition to recovering from illness or injury, growing numbers of clients look to the support of local professionals, including personal trainers, nutrition experts, and a variety of other specialists in wellbeing. Following is a brief review.
J. WEINRESS FITNESS
As a licensed massage therapist for over 15 years and a certified personal trainer for 20, the owner of J. Weinress Fitness in Great Barrington finds his services remain in high demand among people “from all walks of life,” as Jonathan Weinress observes. “I’m the in-house massage therapist at Berkshire South Regional Community Center, and a personal trainer there. I love working there and have been there more than 10 years. I also provide services to clients privately at my home, where I have a massage therapy office. As a massage therapist, oftentimes I work with people to address musculoskeletal issues and soft tissue damage. I’ll see them after they’ve gone to physical therapy, and do everything I can within my scope of practice as a massage therapist to help people with some very specific issues. Some of the most common issues we see in the industry are lower back, neck and shoulder issues, often related to overuse syndromes, or sometimes due to previous traumas to the body, such as car accidents, falling off ladders or slipping on the ice. I also see all sorts of sports injuries. Sometimes these different injuries have been sustained a number of years previously.”
Weinress has extensive training in multiple modalities and techniques of massage therapy, including a specialty in working with fascial connective tissue, a continuous sheet of tissue that permeates every nerve and muscle fiber from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. In addition to helping clients who require therapy due to various issues, Weinress also works with people “just for straight-up relaxation, as well as personal training. It’s not always rehab. Sometimes it’s just about helping people be in good condition for their lifestyle choices,” he says. Weinress understands why many people might hesitate to reach out for professional assistance when it comes to achieving health and wellness goals, and enjoys the opportunity to help new clients overcome their fears. “When we’re worried or scared, those fears inhibit us. I definitely get it,” he says. “If you’re having doubts, I strongly encourage you to speak with a qualified professional about conditioning and staying healthy. It’s so much better to get that education than to be terrified about talking to somebody and end up heading in the wrong direction.”
ZENQUEST MARTIAL ARTS CENTER
Open to students of all levels of interest and experience, Zenquest Martial Arts Center in Lenox offers programs that not only help
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people carry themselves with confidence and respect, but provide benefits for mental and physical fitness as well. “Students don’t hesitate to support each other and work together,” says Mark Flynn, who shares the duties of owner and head instructor with his wife, Connie Flynn. “It’s a team atmosphere, like a big family.” The center offers instruction in a wide range of martial arts, including many disciplines originally practiced in distant parts of the world. For instance, Uechi-Ryu Karate is a striking style developed in Okinawa. Muay Thai is a kickboxing style from Thailand, while Gracie Jiu-jitsu is a grappling style developed in Brazil. The origins of boxing may be traced to the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East. Kubodu, meanwhile, is a form of classical weapons training based primarily on the weapons of the feudal period in Japan.
DR. STEPHEN D. TOSK
Many patients know a chiropractic consultation is often an essential step toward recovering from an injury. However, even people with simple back pain, neck pain and headaches would be well advised to visit one of the most respected chiropractors in the region, Dr. Stephen D. Tosk of Berkshire Chiropractic Services in Pittsfield. With more than 35 years of practice in the Berkshires and extensive experience treating a wide range of injuries and health conditions, Dr. Tosk is committed to seeing new patients as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours of calling to make an appointment. “We have a policy of no charge for a consultation,” he says. Potential patients can simply come in, sit down and learn whether it’s possible to go forward. “Bottom line, is it a chiropractic case or is it not a chiropractic case? The first thing we do is take your history and do a thorough examination to find out what kind of problem it is, and see if it is something that would respond to chiropractic care. A lot of people have a misconception that if we do get to perform treatment, it’s painful. It’s not painful. We use low-force techniques, and we use instruments that are very safe and effective. If yours is a chiropractic case, nothing will help as much.”
One of the most popular programs at Zenquest Martial Arts Center, Hybrid Self-Defense, combines techniques from different martial arts to enable students to succeed in practical self-defense situations. The Flynns tapped into their own 50-plus years of combined martial arts experience to develop the program, which includes the premise that the student will be dealing with a larger, stronger opponent. Plus, Mark Flynn adds, “We have a new and improved self-defense program for women, and we’re folding that into our Hybrid Self- Defense classes as well. The classes are good for kids going off to college, or for anyone who’s interested in learning the ‘Reader’s Digest’ version of important escape techniques and things like that.” Zenquest Martial Arts Center also offers instruction in Mixed Martial Arts as a discipline, and is home to a highly successful competitive fight team.
If a patient’s case is not suitable for chiropractic treatment, Dr. Tosk makes sure to send the person to another appropriate practitioner. However, in many cases an early consultation can make a pivotal difference. “If someone has been in a motor vehicle accident, they need to be evaluated from a chiropractic standpoint,” he says. “Most times, what happens is you go to the emergency room after an accident and they’ll do x-rays or CAT
INDEPENDENT MOBILITY
As Robert A. Dastoli has observed countless times since founding Independent Mobility in 1995, helping a person regain the freedom to leave the house on their own is a life-changing experience. “It’s a ‘get out of apartment free card,’” he explains. “So many people live alone in their homes, but they don’t want to stay inside all the time with four walls bearing down on them. Just getting out for a couple of hours is therapeutic. Going places on their own, whether visiting friends, the doctor, post office, library or park, even going to the mall or watching their grandkids play baseball, is an incredible way to enhance their life.” With a central location in Pittsfield, Independent Mobility specializes in both sales and rentals of a wide range of mobility products, including power chairs, scooters, lift chairs, wheelchairs, walkers, companion chairs and stair lifts. Made by top American manufacturers such as Pride Mobility and Invacare, most machines are available either new or reconditioned. “A lot of people look on
Berkshires’ Best Buys, Business & Beyond • February 7-20, 2017 Continued on Page 12
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