Blog - Fluid Movement + Massage

Creative, Low Tech Workout Journal

April 30, 2017July 3, 2025anne

What system do you use to track your workouts?

One of my ladies has been struggling with keeping a consistent self care schedule. She is very smart, organized, driven, and runs her own business, so she can set her own schedule. Over the past year she has been coming in to see me about once a month for a movement + massage session. Her goal was general relaxation, and to reduce the chronic tightness and pain in her neck. While she was going to weekly yoga and Nia classes, and walking, she was doing no specific strength work or release work for her neck.

Together we went through a few gentle, easy, neck release moves, and the Five. During her massage we worked on general relaxation with a focus on her neck. She agreed to do her exercises at home, for five minutes twice a week. I emailed her exercises and sent her on her way. When she came back the next month she was disappointed that despite coming up with a plan, she was not about to find the time to do her exercises.

In October she decided to put a reminder on her phone, and when the bell went off she would do her exercises. She did do her exercises a few times that month, then she would just start ignoring the alarm when it went off. She then picked two days (Sundays and Wednesdays), but when I checked in with her she was still struggling with consistency. She felt frustrated that she could be so organized at work, yet fail what seemed like a simple task – take care of herself by doing just a few easy exercises twice a week (does this sound familiar ladies?).

Last month I emailed her to check in, and she was so excited to tell me about her new system. She came in last week with this beauty:

Y’all know how I love a paper calendar right? Oh man did this bring joy to my heart! She gives herself a green sticker for her classes, a yellow sticker for walking – half sticker for short walks, full sticker for walks over 10,000 steps – and a red sticker for her strength work on her own. She is on a roll for April!

Her calendar is simple and easy to use, and is a colorful visual reminder of her success. With a quick glance she can see what she heeds to do to round out her program for that week.

What I love about her story is she was motivated to learn new exercises, she saw the value in adding strength work to her current cardio and flexibility routine, she was motivated to do the work (reduced neck pain and tightness), but still faced roadblocks. Rather than getting frustrated and giving up, she found a solution that works for her!

What do you use (phone apps, paper journal, organizer) to track your workouts? Leave me a comment below about what has helped you be successful…

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She works with her clients one on one, and in small groups to build strength and mobility, and alleviate chronic pain.

Contact her today for your complimentary consultation (503) 705-4762.

Correct Toes®: An Easy Solution to Foot Issues

April 25, 2017April 25, 2017anne

What are Correct Toes®?

Soft, flexible toe separators that encourage your toes to move back into their natural alignment. With progressive and consistent use while active and weight bearing, toes align and feet strengthen, restoring your foot’s original position and function. You can wear these during yoga, a hike, or while strength training.

Why Do I Need Correct Toes®?

Buy Correct Toes® from Anne McCraine Do you suffer from hammer toes, bunions or plantar fasciitis? Correct Toes® help the foot rehabilitate from the negative effects of conventionally shaped footwear.

Correct Toes benefits include:

Correct many common foot & leg problems
Increase athletic performance, decrease injuries
Improve strength & flexibility of toes & feet
Enhance balance and stability

What Makes Correct Toes® Unique:

Created by Portland sports podiatrist Dr. Ray McClanahan
Made of durable and flexible medical-grade silicone
Promotes balance and optimal foot and toe circulation
Can be used on bare feet, over toe socks, or in healthy footwear
Is a reasonably-priced alternative to orthotics or surgery
Designed to prevent or address many foot and toe problems

Would you like to try a simple, low tech solution for your foot issues? Let’s set up a fitting to see if these are right for you!

Healthy Feet Workshop Saturday May 20th

April 24, 2017July 3, 2025anne

Have your poor feet spent the winter crammed into boots? It is time to give them some well deserved TLC.

Join us Saturday May 20th for Fluid’s Healthy Feet Workshop!

If you suffer from bunions, plantar fasciitis, hammer toes, or general foot pain this class is for you!
If you wear heels, dress shoes, soccer cleats, climbing shoes or traditional running shoes on a regular basis this class is for you!
If you are not able to stand or walk barefoot without pain this class is for you!
If you have relatively healthy, pain free feet, and want to enjoy a day of foot pampering with your Fluid family this class is for you!

Anne provides all equipment. You bring your feet, your loved ones, and the shoes you wear most often. You will learn how to make good choices about your footwear, and foot care so that you can continue hiking, running, traveling, and living your life pain free!

Want to come to class for free? Post a photo of your feet on Fluid’s facebook page from now until Wednesday May 17th. Anne will pick one lucky winner who will receive a free pass to this class, and a goody bag.

Who: You!
What: Foot soak, healthy feet/ healthy shoe discussion, strength and flexibility exercises, self massage, and myofascial release work.
When: Saturday May 20th, 12:00 – 1:30 pm.
Where: Fluid’s Sellwood studio 1644 S.E. Clatsop Street, Portland, Oregon 97202.
Why: Reduce foot pain, learn how to strengthen and stretch your feet and ankles, and visit with your Fluid family.
How much: $25 per person, (or $40 for two people).

Anne will also have foot care goody bags, therabands, myofascial release balls, Correct Toes and Toe Socks for sale.

This class will sell out so contact Anne today to reserve your spot.

(503) 705-4762

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She works with her clients one on one and in small groups using a combination of movement + massage to aid in pain relief.

Client Case Study – Couples Training Love Story

April 23, 2017April 23, 2017anne

I have several couples who train with me – some together, some separately. Training together works well if both partners have similar goals, schedules, and learning styles. Also, if they don’t mind allowing me to focus more on one partner during the session; say if one partner is injured, working on something specific, or has questions about how best to approach an exercise and needs a little more time and attention from me.

I have also had many clients who have recommended me to a spouse (or friend or coworker) for awhile. “You really should go see Anne, she can help you with your shoulder pain, back pain, weight loss, meal planning, stress reduction…” I love it when the friend or family member does finally come in to see me and they say “Wow, I should have done this years ago!”

Here’s an awesome love story for you about one of my couples. Nancy has been my client for ten years. She has taken Pilates classes; done private training and massage; organized family Pilates classes with her adult daughters and their friends; traveled with me to Hawaii for one of our group vacations; and she even invited me to her daughter’s destination wedding to offer massage and yoga classes to the wedding party. She truly is a gem and I have appreciated getting to know her.

Over the years, I’ve visited with her husband James at different family events. Right now he is unable to train with me due to his travel schedule, but the two of them have been talking about exercises that could help reduce his inflammation and pain. He has specific limitations that preclude traditional strength training, specifically hand issues that do not allow him to grip weights. He also sees the value in adding strength work to his already active lifestyle. In other words, he is ready, motivated, and willing, but not sure where to start. When Nancy came in for her movement + massage session last month, she challenged me to come up with a short strength session that I could show her so that she could teach him. It had specific requirements: exercises that didn’t require traditional strength equipment, no weight bearing on his hands, and it needed to be fun so he would want to continue to do the work.

Looking at her current program (exercises she was already familiar with), I thought about which ones would be suitable for him, what we could add to round out his program (core, back, legs and upper body), and I talked to her about her motivational language to make this fun for him. For example, he is a gear head, so when cueing Flight, a back extension exercise, she could ask him to imagine a hood ornament.

mermaid hood ornament

After he completed his workout, I suggested she reward him (steak dinner, foot massage, etc.). We kept it to ten exercises, and I included in the list a few that she and I had done together so she would be familiar with them, thus comfortable teaching the moves to him.

This is a perfect example of how couples can work together to be positive influences on each other. Without nagging or haranguing (and using gentle positive reinforcement), Nancy can provide her husband with simple solutions to help him relieve his pain and stiffness, thus improving his quality of life.

After checking in with Nancy this week she has this good news to report:

James is doing his exercises with purpose and enthusiasm. They’ve become part of his plan to “get healthy” along with some dietary changes and more cardio.

Who do you know who could benefit from a movement makeover? Can you send your special person my way? Call (503) 705-4762 or email me (Anne@FluidPortland.com) and I will be in touch with your person to set up a complimentary consultation. To receive the latest news in the land of Fluid (healthy recipes, The Monthly Five, workshops, and other events) please subscribe to my monthly newsletter over here on the right ->

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She works with her clients one on one and in small groups using a combination of movement + massage to relieve pain, build strength, and reduce stress.

The April Five

April 5, 2017July 3, 2025Anne

1) Warrior II:

(Side lunge with front knee bent, back knee straight)

Step right foot forward between your hands, step left foot back and press left heel firmly into the mat.
Stack your shoulders over your hips (hips and shoulders face the side wall) and reach arms out to the side.
Bend your front knee right over your ankle, as if your knee were looking over your front toes.
Hold for one minute then switch sides.
Hip stretch, balance, leg and back strength.

2) Leg Pull Back:

(Reverse plank with leg lift)

From seated, lift hips up into a reverse plank with hands under your shoulders and fingers facing forward.
Exhale as you lift your right leg a few inches off the ground; inhale as you lower your leg back to the ground. Alternate slow leg lifts for one minute, keeping hips stable.
Shoulder flexibility and strength, core strength, hip stabilization.

3) Swan Dive:

(Roll down the front side of your body with control)

Start from a plank position with knees down, hands under your shoulders.
Slowly roll your legs, pelvis, lower belly then lower ribs onto the mat.
Press through your hands and lift your belly as you lift back up to a neutral spine.
Keep abdominals turned on; think of getting longer instead of gripping with your glutes.
Strengthens spine extensors, arms, and tummy.

4) Double Leg Kick:

(Kick both heels to your bum, then extend arms, legs, and back)

On your tummy, hands behind your back, looking over your right shoulder.
Exhale as you kick both heels towards your bum, then inhale as you extend arms and legs and lift your chest off the mat.
Exhale, relax back down onto the mat, look to your left and let your elbows drop to your side.
Repeat alternating kicks, then back extension for one minute.
Shoulder and leg strength and flexibility, Back strength, coordination.

5) Rolling Like A Ball:

(rolling on your back with control)

From seated, lift your feet and hold on to either the backs of your legs or ankles.Knees turn out like a frog.
Slowly roll back onto your upper back, then back to seated without touching feet to the ground.
Pull your belly button to your spine to make your roll as smooth as possible.
Core strength, spine flexibility, control.