Z-Health

Hozumi Kessler's Bio

Hozumi’s motto is “To move well is to live well”. Firmly grounded on the latest research, she applies her knowledge of neuroscience to movement exercises to get people out of pain, prevent injuries and improve performance. Her definition of performance goes well beyond physical fitness – it encompasses a whole array of improvements, ranging from improving gait, posture, breathing, memory retention, and reading comprehension and speed.

For her, there is no cookie cutter approach, but rather an individualized, whole-body approach to solve problems. By constantly assessing and reassessing the response of the individual’s nervous system, she can cater to the specific, unique needs of the individual in order to move better and feel better. In a session with Hozumi, you will be the center of attention. You will be working your eyes, jaws, fingers, toes, moving every joint to become fully mobile because that is the key to achieving the seemingly impossible - to regain the vitality you once felt and to live your life fully.

Jason Garrard's Bio

Jason has the uncanny ability to combine Z-Health and CrossFit… into Z-Fit. He holds certifications as a Certified Personal Trainer and as a Z-Health Master Trainer. Jason has been training CrossFit and semi-pro athletes for three years, but pursued his Z-Health education and Master Trainer certification to become a better coach, walking the journey of lifelong education and self-improvement.

Jason has a desire to help the broken CrossFitters that he comes across, usually those who have been left behind by their original coaches. Also, he seeks to improve performance and safety in CrossFit gyms throughout his area and teach others about the awesome potential of Z-Fit.

Jason Wood's Bio

A former Professional Wrestler, Jason discovered a young “knack” for recognizing the importance of health, fitness, and quality movement. Now, with over a decade in the health and fitness industry, Jason has picked up experience and certifications through American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Health Fitness Specialist (HFS), Russian Kettlebell Instructor (RKC) Top 10, American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Instructor, Cardiac Rehabilitation Internship at Stamford Hospital, and Z-Health Master Trainer.

Jason uses his high energy and positive attitude to bring results to his clients. Currently living in Denver, CO working as a assistant to the fitness director of the city, Jason can be found training clients, studying, or working on his own athletic skills.

Jay Armstrong's Bio

Jay Armstrong is known as an exceptional movement coach. He runs The Kettlebell Club in Houston, TX. With his unique combination of Tae Kwon Do, Kettlebells, the Z-Health, and other athletic experience Jay provides unusual insight that will help any athlete improve dramatically.

Most clients have some form of restricted movement. This is a type of aging. The ability to move well is synonymous with youth. What Jay does for his clients is help them turn back the clock on their body and regain the fluid, functional mobility of their youth. With this new freedom of movement, an energetic athlete is release who is capable of achieving a wide variety of new personal goals.

Jay loves to help people improve. Jay believes that whenever someone improves, they feel better about themselves. This improved sense of self-worth creates self-confidence and will lead increased opportunities in life. Jay’s passion for work, play, and life are contagious and has a positive influence on those around him.

Jennifer Waak's Bio

Jen is a recovering management consultant who realized that helping people was more fun than making money for Bill Gates. She now works as a health and movement coach, working with clients from NFL linemen to stay-at-home-Moms. She tends to work with clients that traditional medicine has left behind, helping them find new options on their journey to wellness.

Jen absolutely loves watch the changes in her clients, see their confidence grown, and watch them try new things – to have them develop a love of movement, and no longer believe that slowing down and developing aches and pains is simply a part of the aging process.

John Mendes' Bio

John Mendes is a Z-Health Master Trainer, Kettlebell Instructor, and Certified Personal Trainer from Connecticut. He is also a student at Central Connecticut State University where he is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. John trains clients of all ages and abilities and considers every one of them to be an athlete. Through a combination of Kettlebells and Z-Health, John helps his clients reach high levels of performance, improves their body composition, and helps eliminate aches and pains for good. Z-Health has completely changed the way he views health and fitness. His favorite quote from R-Phase is “All progress starts by telling the truth.” He says, “The truth is your nervous system is in charge. Train it and you will begin to change the way you look, feel, and perform.”

Jordan Vezina's Bio

Jordan is a movement specialist, world recognized authority on the use of the Russian Kettlebell, and the owner of Average To Elite Performance in Palo Alto, CA. Jordan works with a wide assortment of athletes, chronic pain clients, and everyday folk who are looking for the shortest path from where they have been to where they want to be. Find out more about Jordan at www.averagetoelite.com

Katie Bigelow's Bio

Katie Bigelow is a student and researcher in the Psychology Department at North Carolina State University. Current research includes nutritional effects on cognitive development in aging adults. In addition to her current studies in psychology, Katie holds a Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology from Emory University. Katie is a Z-Health Master Trainer and Russian Kettlebell Certified Level 2 Instructor (RKC 2).

A lifelong athlete, Katie’s athletic career diminished after a debilitating injury that required multiple surgeries, later developed into a chronic pain disorder. Katie first came to Z-Health in search of pain-relief. Z-Health Performance Solutions eliminated her pain, and also improved her athletic performance. Katie combines scientific research with personal experiences to create lifelong health and athleticism for her clients.

Ken Froese's Bio

I am passionate about using movement training to enjoy a better quality of life.

I believe that you can feel much better than you feel right now. If that is your goal, I can help you achieve it. Whether your issue is chronic pain or a desire to improve your athletic performance, you can learn how to help yourself through Z-Health.

The gym is not your only option for movement and exercise; a new sport or activity may be a better fit. It is crucial to take into account the individuality of each client; your needs, your goals and your nervous system.

In addition to being a Z-Health Master Trainer, I have the following certifications: Level II RKC kettlebell instructor with certification from Pavel Tsatsouline; AKC kettlebell instructor with certification from Valery Fedorenko; Functional Movement Specialist with CK-FMS kettlebell specialization from Brett Jones and Gray Cook. I have assisted at numerous RKC certifications, including a private certification for the Marines at Camp Pendleton. I also coach many fellow trainers, seeking a better way to train themselves and their clients. My clients also range from pro fighters to actors to the elderly. I love what I do, and when I'm not doing that, I love to hike and skateboard with my daughter. My goals are to plan a trip to Denali with a group of Z trainers and to take up surfing.

I am happy to work with you in person or through video conferencing.

Kenneth Jay's Bio

With a deep interest in both philosophy and science Kenneth was forced to make a choice about his future. After thinking deep thoughts about unemployment Kenneth chose the scientific route and this brought him to a masters degree in exercise physiology. Kenneth continues to do scientific research when he is not implementing Z-Health movement coaching with people from all walks of life; either in one-on-one settings or at workshops and seminars all over the world. With a strong background as a strength and conditioning coach for several Olympic level athletes Kenneth tends to work with elite athletes from competitive sports and has coached several World and European champions as well as Olympians.

What inspires Kenneth the most is helping his clients being the change that they want and creating a different and better life in a healthy body, mind and spirit with no limits to what can be accomplished.

Kenneth is based in a small country across the big pond next to Sweden and just below Norway but travels to the states so often that Z-Health is considering billing him for use of their storage space as he always orders shoes and protein bars to have them delivered at Z headquarters and to bring back to Denmark.

You can contact Kenneth by emailing him at KJ@KennethJay.dk, friend him on facebook, follow him on twitter and by visiting his website www.KennethJay.dk.

Kent Johnson's Bio

Kent Johnson is a licensed massage therapist with the following certifications: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Egoscue, Chek, Active Release Techniques (ART). Kent won six National Powerlifting Championships, as well as a place on the U.S.World Powerlifting Team in 1995. Kent has a B.S. in Health and Physical Education and Pre-Physical Therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s in Applied Anatomy and Physiology from Boston University. Kent applies his immense experience and knowledge to a functional and performance therapy model for all of his clients.

Leah Davison's Bio

A life-long athlete, Leah Davison has participated in competitive gymnastics, swimming, and Olympic-style weightlifting. She began her training career coaching gymnastics and swimming, focusing on adolescent athletes. After being certified in the RKC and AKC kettlebell training methods, she was introduced to Z-Health Performance Solutions. Leah works throughout the United States with a wide array of clients, from desk jockeys to world-class athletes, helping them get back to work and back on the playing field through Z-Health pain relief and performance enhancement techniques.

Leslie Cordova's Bio

Leslie Cordova is an athletic performance coach, specializing in training female youth and young adults. She has trained Heisman Trophy winners, All-Americans, and National Championship teams at Notre Dame and the University of Southern California. She trains in the South Bay of CA. Leslie has worked with hundreds of youth, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes, as well as everyday people committed to their fitness goals. She has a B.A.in Exercise Science, M.A. in Education, and M.A. in Kinesiology: Sports Management. Presently, she is working on her PhD in Sports Psychology and is a professor of Health at LAHC.

Lou McGovern's Bio

Louis McGovern operates Essential Strength, a coaching company with the aim to deliver the highest quality education and training available for athletes of all ages, sizes, and abilities. His passion is to help people enjoy better performance, health, and fitness - no matter what their sport or lifestyle. A Philadelphia native, Louis currently resides in San Diego, California.

Luis Hernandez's Bio

Luis Hernandez is a Z-Health Master Trainer who has helped hundreds of clients increase athletic performance, improve overall movement and manage pain and physical ailments. His athletic training began as a competitive fighter at the age of 6. By age 12, he had earned a black belt in TaeKwonDo and went on to become an accomplished boxer, winning 3 Gold Glove Championships and the Southern New England Championship title. He has also competed in over 50 kickboxing fights.

Luis has been employed as a Functional Health Coach and a movement specialist for over 15 years. By applying the sciences of biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, motor learning and neurology, he performs individual health assessments for his clients and develops entire health programs that integrate personal training and supplementation aimed at the enhancement of movement, function, and athletic performance in the areas of sport, recreation, work and exercise.

Matt Bush's Bio

Born and raised the son of a preacher man, Matt spent his early years in Atlanta, GA learning how to train, practice and compete in a number of sports. He is now a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player and coach. After escaping the Southeast to attend college in Los Angeles, CA (putting a B.A. and a Master’s under his belt), Matt began practicing Z-Health as a client in 2005. He relocated to Phoenix in 2010 to work with the Z-Health corporate office and is heavily involved in many aspects of Z-Health’s growth. Matt is also one of Z-Health’s Master Instructors, traveling the world and teaching others about Z. He’s packed more into his few years in this industry than most can in a decade, and has dedicated himself to combining his deep background in public speaking and teaching with the application of neuroscience to athletic performance and pain relief.

mc schraefel's Bio

dr m.c. schraefel, phd, cscs, fbcs
Hi. Thanks for visiting these bios. If you've found this page it may be because you're looking for someone who will be able to help you with a query about your training, pain or practice. Maybe you want to improve your golf swing, target accuracy or deadlift pr's; maybe you've heard Z-Health helps with pain, and you're wondering if that will work for you, but it just feels a little funny reaching out in the dark. What's the next step? Here's a scenario of how this might go if you're considering reaching out to me. You've seen my credentials here (phd, research in human performance, certified strength & conditioning, & nutrition coach, kettlebell coach, Z-Health Master Trainer) and maybe read an interview. From here, you might check out a few pieces on my blog begin2dig about coaching philosophy, movement practice, vision, managing training fatigue, getting out of chronic pain. Based on this, you decide you would like to see how we can work together: you send an email telling me a little about your concern with your swing, your knee, your lift, et cetera. You ask about rates.

I reply along with some ideas of what we can do, like a movement assessment, whether in person or via webcam (you've seen some of my client reviews so you know folks i've worked with this way are happy with the results). With my reply, you also get some forms where you can tell me more about yourself so your session can be as effective as possible. And that's how we begin.

My goal is to help you find an active path for you to perform better today, from our first session, and in a way you can test for yourself immediately. Please email if you have questions. Look forward to hearing from you.

MG Pogue's Bio

MG Pogue, MA, ATC, Z Master Trainer, NREMT-B, CES

The human body has always fascinated me. I love how the body moves and I am passionate about learning how to assist in its healing and increased optimal performance. I am a Certified Athletic Trainer with a Masters degree in Kinesiology. New and intriguing movement problems are presented to me daily. I have a knack for educating and improving body movements in my injured athletes-clients and to rehabilitate them in a speedy manner as well as increasing their optimal performance. In order to do this proficiently, I have studied many systems of movement and rehabilitation as well as the most current therapeutic interventions. I find the cutting edge use of neuroplasticity in conjunction with an understanding of the body’s biomechanical model to be the quickest and the most effective of the techniques currently available. My strong desire to share these techniques with my peers has led me to teaching Sports Medicine classes at both Foothill College and San Jose State University. In my spare time I do research on the brain and it’s functions and I love a good mystery novel with strong, female heroes. I have raised two wonderful young-adults and I have been happily married for 27 years. My husband and I live in the beautiful Bay Area in CA.

Michael Golden's Bio

Michael Golden is the Chief Instructor at Plus One Defense Systems in West Hartford, CT, where he educates students in Jujutsu, Aikido, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Kung-Fu, Karate, and Defensive Tactics. Those in his classes—who range from novice to expert and from ages five to adult—know Mike for his exquisite eye for athletic movement, rigorous attention to detail, patience, and accomplished ability to communicate ideas and cue technique.

Mike has been training how to break people since 2000, but he’s also been vigorously pursuing the tools to fix them since 2005. Convinced that every dysfunction and maladaptation of the human body and mind can be changed and improved with the right skills, Mike embarked on a journey of relentless study, persistent personal practice, and self-experimentation to overcome multiple disabling conditions. With an extensive knowledge of neurology, metabolism, and kinesiology (and the skill to back it up), he now consults for professional athletes, personal trainers, physicians, massage therapists, and children with neurobehavioral disorders, just to name a few.

To see how others have benefited, visit http://www.teamplusone.com/2009/11/z-health-leave-your-pain/ for testimonials from students, clients and parents.

Paul Ciske's Bio

Paul assists his clients in accessing a state of Well-Being which gives them the capacity to excel at the life, recreational, and sport activities of their choosing. He accomplishes this through: techniques for re-balancing the neurologic and muscular systems; movement training; and the work of Conscious Embodiment. His passion for looking at essential truths has led him on a path that has created a wealth of experience from which to draw upon in providing his services. These accomplishments include: a Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Michigan, Master level Muscle Activation Techniques® Specialist, Master level Resistance Training Specialist®, Master Trainer level Z-Health Performance Solutions Professional Trainer, certified Conscious Embodiment Facilitator, accredited T’ai Chi Chih instructor, and long term student of meditation. He is also the inventor of the CISKE™ Comfort Cushion, an adjustable head, neck, and back cushion which configures into innumerable shapes to support the body. Paul’s intention is for all of us to fully enjoy our lives by ‘moving well and living well’.

Phil Swain's Bio

As a trainer/coach for over ten years, Phil Swain's experiences cross state lines, multiple skill disciplines, and various occupational environments. Having been extraordinarily successful in the fitness and coaching industry, Phil has worked with amateur athletes, weekend warriors, elderly, and Olympic level competitors. Phil credits education, hard work, and luck for allowing him to excel. He believes, "Education is everything when combined with curiosity, experimentation, and application". A combination of these three skills and neuroscience is Phil's recipe for improvement. He currently resides in Austin, Texas where he is kept busy by his wife Melissa, dog Cassius and...clients.