The Dave Clarke 'Five'

 

Dave Clarke came recommended to me – he is an advanced clinical and sports massage therapist living locally. I headed to
his clinic at LA Fitness in Burnham (he also runs a clinic at The Marlow Club) to see what all the fuss was about and even experience a treatment for myself…

 

'Many people routinely spend hundreds of pounds having their cars serviced,
yet they invest very little in maintaining themselves,’ says Dave. ‘I advocate that regular maintenance is better than waiting until there is a problem. Massage is
important for your general health. It would be ideal to start with weekly sessions for up to six weeks to see a difference, aiming to then increase the periods between massages up to a month.’ 

   Massage is especially valuable for us mums and mums-to-be. Dave says: ‘During pregnancy, your body goes through many changes in order to accommodate the growing baby. These changes can lead to discomfort,
such as lower backache and neck and shoulder pain. I can use massage
to help your body to relax, aid circulation, improve the breathing pattern
and, by relaxing and stretching the muscles, aim to improve posture.’

   Massage is also beneficial to mums like you and me with aches and pains caused by carrying kids, bending over to strap them into the car and so on
– those twinges we all know so well! Which is why I jumped at the chance of
having a trial session with Dave… I was hoping he could work his magic that
I had heard about.

   But Dave hasn’t always been a massage therapist. Previously, he was an accountant specialising in corporate tax. ‘It was a desk-based, high-pressured job, and as a result, I am well acquainted with the aches, pains and niggles that sitting looking at a computer screen all day and feeling stressed can produce.
I received massage for a number of years and appreciated the benefits that can be derived from it.’

   After 31 years in his high-powered career, Dave finally decided to give it up to do something he was passionate about – and he has never looked back. He completed a BTEC Level 6 Professional Diploma in Advanced Clinical & Sports Massage at Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training. ‘I am now a member
of the Federation of Holistic Therapists and listed in the FHT's Complementary Healthcare Therapist Register,’ he says. ‘I spend a lot of time reading and learning in order to develop and stay up-to-date. I have trained at Jing over the last few years, successfully completing their Certificate in Advanced Clinical Massage
and Certificate in Advanced Myofascial Release, having previously qualified in 

International Therapy Examination Council in Holistic Massage. I have also undertaken training in sports taping, which helps with support during rehabilitation.’

   So now Dave spends his days manipulating the body’s soft tissues to aid relaxation and to help combat stress, or prevent and relieve pain and to aid recovery from injury. And I was his next client! In his comfortable consultation room at LA Fitness in Burnham, Dave gathered a few background details from me about any physical niggles I’d been having – mainly lower back pain – and when I explained I carried my youngest daughter around on my hip for much of the day, he said that would certainly aggravate the problem!

   He left the room while I undressed and lay down under a soft towel on the treatment couch. He then returned and proceeded to use a variety of techniques to work on the areas identified in the consultation process. It was so relaxing I felt my eyelids droop… 

   Dave says he doesn’t go in for the ‘no pain, no gain’ approach. Instead, he uses five techniques, named The Dave Clarke Five:

1. Myofascial release 

2. Trigger point therapy 

3. Deep tissue massage 

4. Soft tissue release 

5. Stretching & Table Thai

   He told me his clients arrive in ‘bits and pieces’ and leave feeling ‘glad all over’. And I found he was telling the truth. I certainly felt like I’d had a much-needed MOT and was ready to return to my children relaxed and rejuvenated. Now I’m starting to see his point – I will no longer look upon having a massage as a luxury for special occasions, I will make the time to invest in myself so that I’m a happier, healthier mum.

 

Dave has practices at The Marlow Club and LA Fitness in Burnham.

To contact him, call 07903882334 or visit 

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