SI Joint

Regaining Independence: Mary’s Journey to Freedom

Solcore Fitness & Therapy Review. independence through holistic healing

When you think about independence, you might picture financial freedom or the ability to travel. But for many, independence means something much more personal: the ability to move, explore, and live life without being trapped by pain.

This is Mary’s story.

Finding Freedom from Pain

As an active person, Mary was deeply frustrated when scoliosis and SI joint issues sidelined her. The doctors told her she wasn’t a surgical candidate, and the physical therapy covered by her insurance barely scratched the surface.

Like many people, she was desperate for relief—but traditional approaches weren’t enough.

That’s when Mary found SolCore Fitness & Therapy. She was immediately drawn to our fascia-focused, holistic approach that addresses the root causes—not just the symptoms.

She joined our group classes and began private therapy sessions that worked directly with the source of her pain.

A Path to True Independence

The workouts were challenging, but never out of reach. Step by step, Mary began to rebuild her body.

Her pain decreased. Her mobility returned. Her confidence grew.

After a year and a half of committed work, Mary achieved something that once felt impossible—she completed a rugged 6-mile hike, a milestone that symbolized the independence she thought she had lost forever.

“I achieved results beyond my dreams.” — Mary

Holistic Healing That Works

Mary’s journey is a powerful reminder that when you address your body as a whole system—when you work with fascia, postural balance, and integrated movement—true independence becomes possible.

You don’t have to accept limited movement as your new normal.
You don’t have to settle for treatments that only scratch the surface.

There is a path to freedom.

👉 Watch Mary’s Full Story on YouTube

[Link to full testimonial video]

🎯 Ready to Start Your Own Journey?

If you’re ready to regain your independence and move without pain, we’d love to help.

👉 Click here to schedule your complimentary consult and see how holistic, fascia-focused training can change your life.

Follow the Thread—Where Movement, Fascia, and Freedom Align

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Katy G – When All Else Failed, She Tried Again And Succeeded

The big smile that Katy comes in with is always a joy to see. But situations with her body were trying to take that smile away. You see, 10 years ago, she was injured at work. The pain and limited activity were constant companions. 

She tried PT, Cranial Sacral, and all types of bodywork massage, including Rolfing, Feldenkreis, acupuncture, chiropractic, ergonomic office assessments, and yoga classes, and bought various DVDs specific to back issues. In 2023, I had spine surgery for sciatica and stenosis. She suspected her back would have been worse sooner without these efforts, but they didn’t fix matters.

Activities like gardening, bending, walking, and sitting were severely limited and painful. She had sciatica every day and neuropathy in her shin and foot. The walking distance was short, and her speed was slow. Sitting down really locked up her back and glutes. Standing was more comfortable. Lying prone with ice offered some relief.

Medicare cut off her PT five months after surgery, but she was still not okay. To make matters worse, and her more frustrated, PT had not helped much anyway. She was praying for direction when she saw an ad for a free SolCore Fitness trial class on Facebook (this is our Monthly Free ELDOA class).

She signed up online and attended the free Saturday group class, and since she found it so beneficial, then signed up for the 2-week trial to give SolCore Fitness a fair test. Ekemba Sooh did an assessment of my issues so he knows what is safe to do. Ekemba is active in class, hands-on, adjusting student postures, and he is very aware of our abilities and injuries. She also signed up for some individual sessions to include the manual therapy techniques because “I was desperate to get better.”

After six months of classes, she continues to improve. She walks better, moves easier, can sit longer, has reduced duration, is less frequent, and travels more efficiently. Since she continues to make progress, she is motivated to keep going and continue to improve her body, health, and life. So, She is sticking with the program that got her there.

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The Pelvic Floor: A Holistic Approach to Strength and Mobility

Whether you’re a man or a woman, your pelvic floor is essential for a strong, mobile body — yet it’s one of the most overlooked systems in human movement. Your pelvic floor isn’t just “down there” — it’s the foundation for your spine, hips, and core.

But here’s the truth: Most people don’t know how to train it. They rely on outdated approaches or ignore it completely… until something goes wrong.

So let’s take a look at what your pelvic floor really does — and how to support it through a truly holistic approach.

Click on the image to watch the full video

Your Pelvic Floor: A Dynamic Foundation

Think of your pelvic floor like the foundation of a house. It needs to be solid to support everything above — and adaptable to handle pressure from above and below.

Every day, your pelvic floor supports both:

  • Descending forces — gravity, body weight, internal organ pressure
  • Ascending forces — from walking, standing, lifting, and movement

If your pelvic floor isn’t strong and balanced, your whole body compensates.

Why Most Pelvic Floor Training Fails

Most people only hear about Kegels — and usually just for women. But men need pelvic floor training too. And even then, Kegels alone won’t fix dysfunction.

A true pelvic floor program:

  • Goes beyond isolated contraction
  • Addresses the muscles, fascia, and ligaments
  • Respects the nervous system and joint balance (especially the SI joint)

What Muscles Make Up the Pelvic Floor?

It’s more than just one muscle. Your pelvic floor includes:

  • Levator Ani group (puborectalis, pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus)
  • Coccygeus
  • Piriformis & Obturator Internus (side/posterior pelvic walls)
  • Glute max (deep fibers)
  • Iliopsoas (passing through the pelvis to your spine)

These all work together. But they don’t function in isolation. You must also consider the fascia and ligaments that interconnect everything.

Ligaments: The “Smart Tissue” That Guides Your Body

Ligaments do more than hold bones together. They’re the intelligent sensors that tell your body how to move — or how not to.

Key ligaments affecting your pelvic floor:

  • Cooper’s ligament (connects pelvic fascia to hip stabilizers)
  • Pubofemoral ligament
  • The sacro-recto-genital-vesicle-pubic ligament (yes, that’s one ligament!)
  • Anterior sacroiliac ligaments
  • Iliolumbar & pubic ligaments

These aren’t just structural — they’re sensory. If your ligaments aren’t healthy, your body loses its ability to move smartly.

Fascia: The Connective Highway

Fascia connects your pelvic floor to:

  • Your diaphragm
  • Your spine
  • Your abdominal wall
  • Your hips, legs, and shoulders

That’s why holistic pelvic floor care can’t stop at squeezing muscles. You must address how fascia tensions pull and support the whole structure.

Start Here: How to Rebuild Pelvic Floor Health

1. Begin With the Ligaments

Healthy ligaments guide healthy movement. In my osteopathic practice, I use manual therapy techniques like pumping and double TLS to:

  • Improve fluid flow
  • Activate proprioceptors
  • Reset the tissue’s baseline tone

This sets the stage for real, sustainable strength.

2. Use ELDOA to Reinforce & Integrate

ELDOA (a unique form of fascial tension exercise) is one of the best ways to train the joints, ligaments, and fascia together.

It helps:

  • Open restricted spaces
  • Activate deep stabilizers
  • Improve spinal and pelvic floor communication

3. Strengthen and Stretch the Muscles (Holistically)

Once the ligaments are awake, you can start training the key muscles:

  • Piriformis
  • Obturator internus
  • Glute max (medial fibers)
  • Iliopsoas

Use Hill’s Muscle Model: work the fibers, the fascia, and the ligament to train effectively.

4. Now Add Kegels — the Right Way

Only once you’ve built a strong base should you begin isolated Kegel contractions. And even then, you must avoid compensation patterns.

When doing Kegels:

  • Do not squeeze your glutes, abs, or adductors
  • Train your brain to activate just the pelvic floor
  • Separate contractions from surrounding muscle groups
  • Progress to coordination patterns using glutes, adductors, and diaphragm separately

This is crucial — especially for women during childbirth or anyone recovering from dysfunction.

Final Thoughts: The Pelvic Floor Is a Whole-Body System

Most people treat the pelvic floor like a switch — either it’s “on” or it’s “off.” But the truth is, your pelvic floor reflects your entire body’s condition.

If your SI joint is off, if your glutes are weak, if your diaphragm is tight — your pelvic floor will suffer. And if you ignore it? You’ll feel the effects in your strength, mobility, and long-term health.

Ready to Train Smarter?

If you’re ready to go deeper — not just with your pelvic floor, but your whole-body health and longevity — I’ve got 3 free ways to help:

Let’s stop isolating and start integrating.

See you next week.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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The Untold Truth About the SI Joint (And Why Most Fixes Fail)

The sacroiliac joint—or SI joint—is one of the most misunderstood areas in the body. And yet, it plays a massive role in your ability to move, feel good, and stay injury-free.

If you’ve ever looked for SI joint exercises or ways to relieve SI joint pain, chances are the info you found was generic, over-simplified, or just wrong. And that’s a problem.

A dysfunctional SI joint can prevent you from gaining strength, limit your mobility, and leave you stuck in a loop of recurring pain or injury.

Let’s fix that.

What Is the SI Joint (And Why Should You Care)?

The SI joint connects your sacrum (the base of your spine) to your ilium (your pelvic bones). You have two of them—left and right—and together they form the foundation of your pelvis.

Think of your pelvis as the floor of your body. If the floor is off, everything built on top—your spine, shoulders, legs—becomes misaligned.

Here’s the kicker: SI joint issues are often asymptomatic. You might be struggling with shoulder pain, knee discomfort, or tight hip flexors—and never realize the source is pelvic instability rooted in the SI joint.

Why Standard Fixes Don’t Work

Most practitioners don’t fully understand the SI joint. Some even claim it’s not a real joint or that it doesn’t move. That’s not just wrong—it’s dangerous.

The SI joint is a total joint:

  • It has a capsule
  • It contains synovial fluid
  • It has proprioceptors (tiny sensory “computers”)
  • It’s stabilized by key muscles and ligaments

When this area is off, you don’t just lose movement—you lose the ability to communicate with your body.

A Deeper Look: Movement and Dysfunction

Physiologically, the SI joint has one primary movement axis—called the oblique axis. It helps the sacrum and ilium move together smoothly as you walk or bend.

But when dysfunction sets in, the joint can fall into 20+ different pathological movement patterns, leading to all sorts of compensations, from a false leg length discrepancy to upper-body pain.

If your treatment or exercise doesn’t account for these patterns, you’re just treating symptoms—not the cause.

My Journey With the SI Joint

I’ve been in the health and fitness field for 30 years. I started out like most trainers—using standard methods like PT and corrective exercises. But when I injured my own back (L4-L5 disc bulge with sciatic pain), those traditional approaches didn’t help.

That’s when I found osteopathy. It opened my eyes to how the body truly works: as a holistic, interconnected system.

And the SI joint? It was central to the whole picture.

How I Assess and Work With SI Joint Issues

When someone comes into my studio (or online), one of the first places I assess is the SI joint—no matter what pain they report.

Why? Because if the foundation is off, everything else will be too.

Here’s my general approach:

  1. Assessment – Identify which part of the SI joint is involved (lesser arm, greater arm, apex, base, etc.).
  2. Ligament Reboot – Using manual therapy (like TLS and pumping) to reactivate proprioceptors and restore communication.
  3. Fascial Work – Addressing deeper fascial chains that are often involved but ignored.
  4. Specific Exercise – Not just general glute or core work, but targeted movement based on what your body needs.

Muscles involved include:

  • Piriformis
  • Glute Max (deep + superficial)
  • Glute Med
  • Obturatorius
  • Iliopsoas

But again, it’s not just about muscles. It’s about chains. You have to treat the whole system.

Don’t Google “3 Moves for SI Joint Pain” (Please)

Generic exercises might help a little—or they might make things worse.

Why? Because SI joint issues are specific. The dysfunction could be from one of many regions within the joint or even a combination of them. Without proper assessment, you’re guessing.

And in the body, guessing is a great way to stay stuck.

Want to Learn More?

I share more like this every week—so subscribe, share, and join the conversation. If you’re ready to go deeper:

Don’t let a misunderstood joint hold back your potential. Fix the foundation—so the rest of your body can finally thrive.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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Discover the Hidden Dangers of Anterior Pelvic Tilt

“Duck butt” might sound funny, but anterior pelvic tilt is no joke.

It’s a common postural issue where your pelvis tilts too far forward—and it’s one of the main reasons people suffer from chronic lower back pain, disc bulges, SI joint instability, and more.

I’m Ekemba Sooh, SomaTherapist and SomaTrainer. I had anterior pelvic tilt myself—and it played a major role in my L4-L5 disc bulge and sciatic pain. No trainer, therapist, or doctor ever told me the tilt was the root cause.

They were treating symptoms. Not the source.

Click on the image to watch

What Is Anterior Pelvic Tilt?

Your pelvis naturally tilts slightly forward to support upright movement. But anterior pelvic tilt happens when this angle becomes exaggerated and stuck—creating a “duck butt” posture.

This tilt disrupts your body’s alignment and sets the stage for chronic compensation patterns. Over time, these compensations become permanent dysfunctions.

How It Becomes a Problem

Your body is a biotensegrity structure—meaning it’s designed to distribute force efficiently across the entire system. If one area tightens or weakens, your body adjusts to keep you moving. That’s compensation.

Compensation isn’t bad at first. But if left unchecked, it snowballs into bigger problems:

  • Chronic lower back pain
  • Lumbar disc issues (bulges, herniations, stenosis)
  • SI joint dysfunction
  • Pelvic floor and organ dysfunction
  • Reduced performance and poor energy transfer

It all stems from the inability to attenuate force efficiently—because the structure is compromised.

What Causes Anterior Pelvic Tilt?

Too much sitting is a big culprit. It shortens the hip flexors (especially the psoas) and weakens the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, spinal stabilizers).

Over time, your body learns this dysfunctional position—and your nervous system adopts it as your default.

For some, it’s even genetic. But genetics just mean you have to be more intentional—not that you’re doomed.

Why Most Approaches Fail

Typical solutions focus on isolated muscles. But your body doesn’t work in isolation—it moves as an integrated system through fascia.

That’s why general exercise, yoga, and stretching routines often fail. You feel good temporarily, but your body snaps right back to the same pattern the next day.

Why? Because you didn’t train the fascia to support a new pattern.

The Real Solution: Train Fascia + Function

To fix anterior pelvic tilt, you need to retrain your entire structure:

  • Stretch the shortened hip flexors (especially the psoas)
  • Strengthen the weakened glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles
  • Activate fascia chains, not just muscles, to build intelligent, whole-body control

The best tools I’ve found for this are osteopathic-based etiology exercises—like the ELDOA and my full training system. These methods respect how the body actually works: as a connected, intelligent, adaptable structure.

When to Start? Now.

If you’re in your 20s or 30s—start now and prevent future issues.
If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s—and already feeling pain—this needs to be your primary focus.

You can’t afford to ignore anterior pelvic tilt. It’s not just a posture issue—it’s a performance killer, a pain amplifier, and a hidden driver of long-term health problems.

What to Do Next

If this resonates, here are a few ways to go deeper:

Final Thought

Anterior pelvic tilt is a structural dysfunction—but it’s also an opportunity.

It’s your body’s way of asking for smarter input. When you respond with the right training, you’ll not only relieve pain—you’ll become stronger, more mobile, and more connected to your body than ever before.

Don’t wait until things break down. Train holistically. Train intelligently. Train to support the life you want to live..

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Amber SolCore Fitness and Therapy Success

Sometimes, what you’re doing just stops working. For Amber, it took years of yoga, chronic pain, and a sudden breakdown to realize her body needed something different. This is her story—and how SolCore Fitness helped her shift from injury to healing.

When Pain Overrides the Pose

Amber had been practicing yoga since she was 19. It was more than a workout—it was a lifestyle. She loved the wildness, the philosophy, the breath work, and the physicality.

But over time, yoga shifted. The deeper, spiritual practice faded, replaced by fast-paced, athletic movements. Like many, Amber had flexibility—but not mobility or strength. She could move into poses, but her body couldn’t support them.

Eventually, her back gave out.

“It was the day after Thanksgiving. I stepped out of the car and literally couldn’t move. I crawled up the stairs to my mom’s house. It was terrifying.”

That moment wasn’t random. It was the result of years of compensation, strain, and bypassing the body’s needs. Her long-time bodyworker warned her:

“You’re too stretchy. You need real strength.”

Why Yoga Alone Couldn’t Help

Amber loved yoga. But she realized she had been using it to avoid—not address—her deeper structural issues. Like many, she thought movement alone was enough. But flexibility without strength, and effort without direction, only made things worse.

“I didn’t want to bash yoga. But I had to admit—it wasn’t working. My body needed something more holistic, structured, and biomechanically sound.”

Enter SolCore Fitness.

A New Approach: Structured, Subtle, and Demanding

Amber admits it wasn’t easy at first.

SolCore’s program required consistency and re-learning. The exercises were unfamiliar and subtle—but also deeply challenging.

“It was counterintuitive. I had to unlearn how I’d been moving for decades. But the subtlety was powerful. Within six months, I was 75% better.”

Through personalized training and a focus on fascia, mobility, strength, and proprioception, Amber rebuilt her foundation. The back pain lessened. Her posture improved. Her nervous system regulated.

And maybe most importantly, she reclaimed her relationship with her body.

Lasting Changes and a New Way Forward

Amber still has a desk job. She still feels occasional pain. But now she knows how to manage it. She’s no longer dependent on yoga poses to feel “better.”

She’s walking more, doing breathwork, meditating again—and she can sit in silence without discomfort.

“This has helped me return to the real yoga: presence, breath, and awareness. I found a better balance.”

Her advice?

“Don’t wait until things break down. Be willing to change. What worked in your 20s won’t work forever. Find a system that evolves with you.”

Want to Explore a Better Path for Your Body?

Amber’s story is one of many. At SolCore Fitness & Therapy, we help people get out of pain and into possibility through a method that combines manual therapy, fascia-based training, and deep biomechanical insight.

💬 Curious if it’s right for you? Click here to schedule a free consult.

📄 Want the case study version? Click here to download.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Discover the Game-Changing Solution for SI Joint Dysfunction

SI joint dysfunction can be miserable—constant pain in different places, no clear answers, and “fixes” that don’t work. It’s one of the most stubborn and misunderstood issues in the body. But there is a solution.

Check out the full video below by clicking the image.

Understanding Your SI Joint

Let’s start with the basics.
SI stands for sacroiliac. Your sacrum (the triangle bone between your glutes) connects to your ilium (your hip bones) at two SI joints, shaped like boomerangs.

Many people confuse SI joint dysfunction with low back pain. But they’re not the same—and mislabeling it can send you down the wrong treatment path.

Your SI joint is a true joint with cartilage, a capsule, ligaments (like the anterior and posterior sacroiliac ligaments), and muscular support from the piriformis, glutes, psoas, obturator internus, and more.

This joint moves—primarily in oblique torsions—but it can also develop 20+ pathological movements (and infinite combinations of dysfunction).

Why SI Joint Issues Don’t Go Away

Your SI joint takes on ascending and descending forces through your body. It’s involved when you sit, stand, walk, squat—pretty much everything. So when it’s not functioning well, everything suffers.

In my own case, I had no SI joint pain at first. But a small dysfunction there led to L4-L5 disc compression, sciatic pain, and long-term compensation patterns.

The problem? Most people treat symptoms, not causes. And SI joint dysfunction is often the hidden cause behind hip, knee, foot, and even spinal issues.

What Doesn’t Work (And Why)

  • ❌ Popping it back into place
  • ❌ Rolling on a foam roller
  • ❌ Generic exercise routines
  • ❌ “Fused” joint logic that ignores anatomy
  • ❌ Thinking your SI joint doesn’t move

These approaches either oversimplify the problem or completely miss it.

What Actually Works

  1. Assessment First – You need someone who understands the full range of SI joint pathologies.
  2. Work With Ligaments – Smart ligaments become “dumb” when dysfunctional. Treatment and manual therapy must re-educate them.
  3. Use Targeted Exercise – The most powerful SI joint reset tool I’ve found is the ELDOA method. These postural exercises use fascial tension and soft tissue to normalize the joint and retrain proprioception.

The SI joint doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a complex network—and requires a fascia-based, integrative strategy that honors how the body truly works.

If you were hoping for a one-size-fits-all “SI joint routine,” I won’t insult your intelligence.

That’s not how the body works—and it’s why so many people stay stuck.

What to Do Instead

If you want to address your SI joint dysfunction at the root, here are three free ways to take the next step:

📘 Download the Free Guide:
“How to Move Better, Get Out of Pain, and Live the Life of Your Choosing.”
Instant access. Zero fluff.

💬 Book a Free Consultation:
Tell me where you are, what you’re doing, and where you want to go. I’ll find the holes in your system and help you chart a real path forward. No obligations—just clarity.

You don’t have to guess. You don’t have to suffer. And you don’t have to keep trying things that don’t work.

You just need a system that sees the whole picture—and a guide who understands how to help you work with it.

Let’s get started.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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Michele Byrne SolCore testimonial

Michele Byrne SolCore testimonial

Real Progress from Real Commitment: Michele Byrne’s SolCore Story

When Michele Byrne first came to SolCore Fitness & Therapy, she wasn’t sure what to expect. Like many people, she was used to exercising at home — yoga classes on YouTube, quick stretches, and the occasional bike ride. But after her doctor recommended something more targeted to help with her hip tightness and posture challenges, she gave SolCore a try.

And it stuck.

“I just knew right away this would be good for me,” Michele shared.
“It’s not far from my house, and I had no excuse not to come!”

Michele is an artist who’s spent over 30 years working solo. Just getting out of the house and into a structured environment was a shift — but the results spoke for themselves. She noticed the difference not just during classes, but in the way she moved throughout her day.

From struggling to sit upright with her legs outstretched, to now practicing the 90/90 and figure-four stretches every morning, Michele’s transformation came from consistency, awareness, and dedication.

“Some of the stretches are really difficult,” she said.
“But I feel so much better after class. I’m more aware of my posture all day — and I can tell I’m getting better.”

She had tried physical therapy before, but it wasn’t until she combined specific fascia-based training with a supportive class environment that things really started to click.

Now, she comes to class regularly — Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes Saturday — and even finds herself practicing at home.
That’s a big deal.

Michele’s story is about more than flexibility. It’s about reconnecting with your body and giving it what it needs to function better — through smart training, community, and expert guidance.

📍Ready to Hear More?

If Michele’s experience resonates with you and you’re curious about what this kind of training could do for you, check out her full case study:

👉🏽 Watch Michele’s full story here

✅ Then download her case study here.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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The Way Is Through: Embracing Challenges to Grow

embracing challenges for personal growth through holistic fitness and mindset

Click on the image to watch

The way to the life you want is through the challenges that seem to block your path. And that’s not just philosophy — embracing challenges for personal growth is a real, practical skill. It’s how you evolve. It’s how you change. And it’s exactly what a good holistic health and fitness program is built to support.

Let me share a story and a perspective that might shift how you see both your body and your life.

A Real-Life Example of Courage

Let me share a story about someone who embodied this truth: Maria Vigil, a past member of SolCore Fitness.

Maria battled scleroderma — a devastating and painful condition. Despite everything, she showed up. She trained. She smiled. And at the end of each class, no matter how hard it had been, she would shout with joy:

“Woo Hoo!”

Maria didn’t just work through her physical limitations — she worked through life itself, refusing to let her illness define her spirit.

She reminded me (and all of us) that life isn’t here to make you happy. It’s here to help you grow. That’s not just philosophy. It’s how you meet the obstacles life throws at you — and use them as fuel.

So let’s all find a way to “Woo Hoo” the tough moments in our own lives.

Growth Requires Challenge

I often tell people: you don’t come to a program like mine just to fix back pain or get better balance. You come because you want a better life. You want to do more, feel more, be more. But that means change — and change means challenge.

From a holistic standpoint, growth only happens when your structure supports your function. But most people are stuck in patterns. Not just physical patterns, but mental and emotional ones too. That’s why you feel like you’re living the same year over and over again.

You can break that cycle — but it means going toward what’s uncomfortable, not away from it.

Your Body as a Mirror for Growth

A real program challenges your structure — and your ideas about yourself.

Maybe you’re a beginner just trying to get moving. Great. The challenge is just to start.

Maybe you’re experienced or advanced — but you’re still doing the same routine you did 20 years ago. That’s not growth. That’s comfort. And staying comfortable guarantees one thing: your structure won’t change.

A good holistic fitness program works your muscles, fascia, joints, and nervous system together. It’s not a “just move” mentality. It’s targeted education for your whole body. That includes the parts you’ve been ignoring for years — and that’s where the challenge really begins.

And once you feel how those areas start to come alive… your entire life expands.

You Are More Than Your Thoughts

Buddhist teachings say, “There is suffering. But suffering has a cause.”

That cause? The way we relate to our experience — clinging to ideas of who we are and how life should go. We get stuck in thought loops, emotional ruts, conditioned identities.

But that’s not who you really are.

A holistic practice helps you get under those patterns. It shows you where you’re rigid — physically and emotionally — and gives you tools to evolve.

How You Do Anything…

How you meet the discomfort of a new movement, a challenge in your body, a surprising weakness — that’s how you’re meeting life.

You can either:

  • ❌ Collapse into old patterns (“I can’t do this”)
  • ❌ Judge yourself (“I’m broken”)
  • ✅ Or lean in and say: “This is where I grow.”

Each area of your body needs a different kind of education. That’s why fascia, joints, viscera, muscles — they all get different inputs in our program. When you meet each part of yourself where it needs attention, your structure transforms.

And when structure changes, function changes — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

You breathe better. You think more clearly. You live better.

The Takeaway

You don’t have to wait for a crisis to grow. You just need to meet your challenges head-on and trust that the path through is the path forward.

Maria showed us that. Your own body will show you that too — if you listen.

And remember…

“Woo Hoo!” your way through.

Because the way out is always through.

Maria Vigil

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Joint and Muscle Pain in Active People: Real Solutions

You’re active. You want to stay active. But joint and muscle pain in active people is incredibly common — and frustrating. Especially when you’ve already tried everything: chiropractic care, acupuncture, foam rolling, ART, myofascial release…

And the pain keeps coming back.

Before you chalk it up to “getting older” or “this is just my body now,” there’s one more thing you should try: a root-cause approach that looks at your body as a whole — not just the parts that hurt.

In this post, we’ll break down:

  • The real reasons active people get joint and muscle pain (even when doing all the “right” things)
  • Why most treatments don’t stick — and what your body actually needs
  • What a holistic model looks like — and how to assess yourself

Let’s dig in.

Person educating about joint and muscle pain with holistic approach

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Why Most Treatments Don’t Last

Many people take a linear approach to pain relief. They chase the spot that hurts: knee, shoulder, low back. They get short-term fixes like adjustments, massage, or quick workouts. But they never look at the full picture.

Pain is often a symptom, not the actual problem.

Common band-aids include:

  • Manual therapies that release tension temporarily
  • Strengthening programs that ignore imbalance
  • Stretches that feel good but don’t fix anything long-term

Unless you find and correct the primary root cause, your body will keep compensating. And that’s why the pain comes back.

6 Common Causes of Joint and Muscle Pain in Active People

  1. Overuse Without Balance
    Doing more isn’t always better. Repetitive activity like walking, running, or gardening without balancing out your body leads to breakdown. Your body wants homeostasis — but if you don’t restore symmetry, it starts to hurt.
  2. Unresolved Minor Injuries
    That old ankle roll or back tweak you “walked off”? If it wasn’t re-trained, your body adapted around it. This creates dysfunction and strain elsewhere.
  3. Poor Movement Patterns
    Bad form — even in something as simple as squats or sit-ups — leads to chronic tension and pain. More importantly, your deep stabilizing muscles may be shut off or undertrained, which causes poor control and alignment.
  4. Doing Too Much Too Soon
    Jumping from low activity to high-intensity training (CrossFit, extreme yoga, etc.) without proper progression overwhelms the body. It’s not about the activity — it’s about whether your body is ready.
  5. Dehydration and Stress
    Lack of hydration makes fascia stiff like beef jerky, not supple tissue. Chronic stress keeps you in fight-or-flight mode, locking your muscles and nervous system in a painful loop.
  6. Poor Posture and Body Positioning
    Plumb line off? Gravity line disrupted? SI joint unstable? These are red flags. If your base (pelvis and spine) isn’t in balance, no amount of therapy or exercise will stick.

How to Identify the Real Root Cause

If you want relief that lasts, you must address the primary lesion — the root issue that’s throwing everything else off.

Here’s how to start assessing it yourself:

  • Posture Check: Take a photo from the side. Are your ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle aligned?
  • Movement Observation: Have someone watch you squat, walk, or perform other activities. You may feel “normal,” but your brain often normalizes dysfunction.
  • Activity Review: What do you do most often? What areas of your body are doing the most work? Those overused chains are often the source.

Once you identify a likely root cause, focus on normalizing that area — restoring mobility, strength, awareness, and function. If you choose correctly, many secondary issues will resolve more easily.

Why a Holistic Model Works

The most effective way to resolve joint and muscle pain in active people is to use a holistic model that integrates:

  • Movement assessments (not just static posture)
  • Manual therapy to address fascia, joint alignment, and soft tissue
  • Corrective exercise to restore deep stabilization and proper motor control
  • Lifestyle shifts including hydration, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation

This is how we work at SolCore Fitness & Therapy. We don’t separate the body into disconnected pieces — we work with the whole person.

When we understand your history, how you move, how you’ve adapted, and what’s missing, we can finally address the real issue — not just the symptoms.

Next Steps

You deserve to move, live, and train without nagging pain.

Here’s how to take action:

All the links are in the description. Pick what fits — or try all three.

Building a foundation for a better life.

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