Blog | Mangawhai Osteopathy

The Shakti Acupressure Mat – find your health through plastic nails!

by Benjamin Giles | August 25, 2019 | Ben's Blogs, Feet, Movement, Pain | 0 Comments

The Shakti Acupressure Mat. A question I get a lot is ‘are the Shakti mats any good?’ Firstly, for people who haven’t heard of the now pretty popular Shakti Mat. It as an acupressure mat that simulates lying on a bed of nails. A method used in eastern...

Ice is out! No more icing your sprained ankle.

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | May 24, 2019 | Health, Pain, Training and Events | 0 Comments

I am an endurance athlete. Most of you know that. I loved icing my muscles after training, racing and whenever I sprained a joint. I LOVED IT!!!! When I came to New Zealand six years ago I was confronted with the idea, from a wise student of...

How to breathe

by Benjamin Giles | April 5, 2019 | Ben's Blogs, Breathing, Health, Mental Health, Pain, Sleep | 0 Comments

The Importance of Breathing As part of my research thesis, I studied the diaphragm muscle (primary muscle of respiration). This included different breathing patterns and their profound sequalae on health outcomes. Most people have heard of the term...

Ben’s fascination with the science of golf.

by Benjamin Giles | March 28, 2019 | Ben's Blogs, Golf swing, Life Goals, Movement, Posture | 0 Comments

My fascination behind the science of the golf swing Some of my earliest memories are following my dad around on several golf clubs throughout Vienna. To be frank, I mainly went with my dad to the golf club to eat Twix’s out of the pro shop and wait for...

Jacquelyn is swimming Lake Taupo 40.2km tomorrow – Tuesday 5th March 2019

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | March 4, 2019 | Life Goals, Training and Events | 0 Comments

Just received the news. My Lake Taupo 40.2km swim starts at 3am tomorrow! Send me your prayer requests and I'll carry them with me - well, on a piece of paper in the boat next to me! Just 13-15 hours of meditation! ** I ended up doing the...

The sacrifices it takes to swim Cook Strait (or strive for any big goal).

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | January 26, 2019 | Cook Strait Swim 2019, Life Goals, Mental Health, Training and Events | 3 Comments

May I start with an excerpt from my current favourite book entitled 'Swimming in New Zealand' by Annette Lees. 'You've got to be a bit crazy to do swims like this. I feel fear, yes. If you're alone in the ocean, in the dark, with the waves crashing down on you, yes. ...

My 18 minutes in the snow in my bikini – Cook Strait cold training.

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | June 7, 2018 | Cook Strait Swim 2019, Health, Mental Health, Pain, Video Posts | 0 Comments

Handy to have your friend the photographer with you at all times! All photos courtesy of Michelle Hyslop Photography. Click here for more details. I was in Ruapehu this weekend and worked towards my cold water training in the...

I’d like to give up right now. Update on Te Moana-a-Raukawa/ Cook Strait training.

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | April 29, 2018 | Cook Strait Swim 2019, Mental Health, Video Posts | 0 Comments

Sometimes you just feel like giving up. This is the opposite to a pep talk. It's real. It's how I feel right now. I feel like giving up. Balancing a business, swim training for 20-30 hours a week and enjoying your family and friends - not easy. This is...

Cook Strait Swim – an update on the challenge of my life.

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | December 31, 2017 | Cook Strait Swim 2019, Training and Events | 0 Comments

My life is spent swimming these days. Combo of 6 hours in the pool, 6 in the ocean, 2-3 sessions in the gym each week. It's only pre-season. The work is yet to come. My new mantra: 'I'll just keep on going until I get there'. Today: 9 km ✅. Feeling good. Gorgeous...

Hair clips and bra straps to change your neck and shoulder pain forever!!!

by Jacquelyn Schirmer | November 27, 2017 | Health, Movement, Pain, Video Posts | 0 Comments

Quick Tips of the day. Tip A: Try keeping your hair away from your forehead because it stimulates the sensory nerves of your face and tells your brain to take notice! Also, if it’s on one side of your face we tend to compensate by tilting the head to the side. If you...