Intu-Flow 1

Curt Yunk

Massage Principles 1

Mrs. Smutko

10/29/2010

Intu-Flow Longevity System

Intu-Flow Combines scientific health research of today with the ancient somatic

wisdom of the past (Rmax 2009). Conventional fitness programs fail in that they do not

address the aches and pains which we accumulate daily as well as the fears and the

traumas we store throughout life (Rmax 2009). The Intu-Flow longevity system teaches

the connection between immobility and mental/emotional barriers, and how to liberate

yourself from fixed, limited, and painful movement with healthy, low impact, sustainable

movements that promote moving the joints to there full range of motion (Sonnon 4). I

chose this movement therapy as my modality because of the bad joints and lack of

mobility I had from years of playing football and power lifting. After reading about what

the program is supposed to do, the benefits received from doing it, and how simple and

complex the program design is, I decided to try it and am now in the process of trying to

get certified in it.

Intu-Flow is an effective joint mobility program which produces many benefits.

One benefit is whole body tension release. Based on the principle of biointesegrity, our

fascia is interwoven around our body to balance stability and mobility (Sonnon 110). Our

fascia is like a sweater. When the sweater gets snagged by the hip, you can feel the
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tension or pull in the shoulder. When our body’s fascia overcompensates because of

stress, it forms snags in it. The site or area in pain may or may not be the source of the

injury (Sonnon 111). Simply stated, when the tissue becomes overwhelmed by stress

(mechanical, physiological, or emotional), they loose their ability to adapt and

compensate. As a result the myofascial matrix responds by altering stored tension and

elastic potential of the tissues, pulling in one place and creating strain some where down

the track (Sonnon 110). Over time, myofasica hardens into thick, leathery straps in order

to maintain the imbalanced structure (Sonnon 116). This results in immobility.

In an imbalanced matrix, some muscles pull to tightly while others are to loose.

These chains of tension form snags in the sweater we call compensations. In a

compensation pattern, one or more myofascial bands remain in an inhibited state and

need continuous assistance from other myofascial bands in order for the body to continue

functioning. Being that movement in our body is expressed at joints, if we have a global

movement problem because of tension in our fascia, then there is a local movement

problem as well (Sonnon 115). Mobility addresses the source issues of tension in the

myofascial matrix. By chasing issues (through particular exercise selection and sequence)

to the source, we release the sites from the ongoing compensatory strain while eventually

liberating the source tension to allow it to heal through the body’s natural healing

process(Sonnon 115). So, if we experience pain, tightness, weakness, and so on, we can

assume we have a movement problem. This can be detected via the process of mobilizing

an area and thereby discovering uncomfortable tension and breath holding. Regardless of

weather the problem is a symptom or the source issue, the structural dysfunction can be
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addressed through movement and breath work. This will re-educate the body to move

with out pain, and exhaling through the discomfort (Sonnon 116).

Another benefit that the Intu-Flow longevity system does is increase

concentration and focus and heighten sensory awareness (Rmax 2009). If you break the

word Intu-Flow down you get two words, intuition and flow. Using intuition in training

helps increase concentration and focus and getting into flow helps heighten sensory

awareness (Sonnon 125).

Intuitive training allows for a person to have 100% of the benefits from mobility

training because it’s governed by a person’s subjective experience of movement. Intuitive

training develops the ability to differienate form, exertion, and discomfort subjectively

based on a scale of 1-10. The person then uses that knowledge as the determinant factor

in progressive resistance (Sonnon 125). Using your intuition to rate form is making sure

ones mechanical performance, which is making sure your moving technique is right and

your breathing through the movement. Using your intuition to rate exertion is making

sure you are pushing yourself enough to progress but not enough where it turns into a

conditioning exercise. Using your intuition to rate discomfort is making sure your

moving to the tension, not through the tension (Sonnon 125).

Intuitive training can be compared to filling up a bowl to understand how it

works. Technique is a bowl, discomfort is a crack in the bowl, and effort is water coming

out of a faucet. If form is high enough (8 or higher), and discomfort is low enough (less

or equal to 3), then a person should be able to hold a effort of 8-10(Sonnon 126). Intuitive

training is hard because people are not used to tapping into the mind/body. Keeping form
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8-10, discomfort 1-3, and effort 8-10 is how Intu-Flow can help increase a persons

concentration and focus and allow a person to get into flow (Sonnon 126).

By doing intuitive training correct, then one can enter the state of flow. This is

because intuition is intertwined with being in flow. Flow in a physical state is being able

to gracefully move through the six degrees of freedom (Sonnon 21). The six degrees of

freedom are moving up/down (heave), front/back (surge), side/side (sway), tilt up/down

(pitch), twisting (yaw), and tilting side/side (roll) (Rmax 2009). Flow in a mental state is

when a person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing, characterized by a feeling of

energized focus, full movement, and success in the process of activity (Sonnon 23).

Combining physical and mental flow into an overall state of flow, one can get a feeling of

distorted sense of time, merging of action and awareness, concentration on a limited field

of attention, clear goals, and a sense of personal control over the situation (Sonnon 24).

Some people refer to this state as being in the zone. So if you can move gracefully with

proper form, you can find yourself in a physical state of flow (Sonnon 23). A physical

state of flow can’t be done with out being in a mental state of flow. To get into a mental

state of flow one must use there intuition. If a person can use your intuition to concentrate

and sense your form, exertion, and discomfort; then you will find yourself in a mental

state of flow (Sonnon 24). By getting in a total state of flow, a person will feel a

heightened state of sensory awareness.

Another benefit that Intu-Flow longevity system does is enhance joint health and

increase energy (Rmax 2009). As a joint is moved, you decompress the stuck areas,

allowing fluid that provides lubrication and nutrition to reach those areas. If you don’t

move your joints, they are in the process of daily suicide. The only way a joint can get
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nutrition is through mobility, so if you don’t move each joint through its entire range of

motion or try, the tissue is going to starve. By bathing the joint in synovial fluid, the joint

decompresses, gives the connective tissue nutrition, and energizes the person (Sonnon

121).

When a joint lacks mobility, that area loses the ability to move. Basically in a

nutshell, lube it or lose it. The lubrication squeezes out of the area and loses its shock

absorption ability, the joint becomes compressed (Sonnon 128). If each joint is not

mobilized and decompressed, the joints will not receive the nutrition and lubrication

critical for health. They will not be able to ship out toxins. Joint salts can progress to

calcifications. Adhesions can form, restricting range of motion and power. This

degeneration of the connective tissue accelerates the aging process, resulting in dry,

brittle joint surfaces, and significantly increases the risk of sudden, acute injury (Sonnon

123).

When working right, each joint individually and collectively behaves like a shock

absorber (Sonnon 123). The shock wave will cause a slight, temporary compression but

then automatically decompresses back like a spring (Sonnon 123). In contrast, a

dysfunctional joint compresses as the shock wave hits it but cannot spring back to the

proper spacing (Sonnon 123). This results in extra pressure on the tissues in the joint

capsule. Such pressure leads to a host of problems or injuries. Mobility practice

decompresses the joint capsule of each joint as well as washes the connective tissue with

ground substance to return its natural resilience, elasticity, and shock absorbent quality

(Sonnon 123).
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Joints are mobilized when thawing degrees of freedom. Thawing degrees of

freedom releases a person’s energetic currency (Sonnon 71). With greater movement

potential, you have more energy not only physiologically but emotionally and mentally as

well. Thawing degrees of freedom allow the lubrication to flood the joint and bring

energy to that person (Sonnon 71). Each movement carries a specific emotional

component (Sonnon 3). This can be seen in examples in life. For example, when getting

excited about something such as getting a first kiss, a person feels energetic and loose

because there emotionally happy. If someone receives news like they got dumped, they

feel down and don’t want to move. Enhancing joint mobility discharges the emotion-

blocking energy because mood and mobility are linked. Each sophisticated movement is

accompanied by greater psychological clarity (Sonnon 3). Each more sophisticated

movement allows synovial fluid to enter the joint and enhances energy and mood (Rmax

2009).

The program design is based on self-physiotherapy (Rmax 2009). The body is

taken through different movements that take the body main joints (jaw, neck, shoulders,

elbows, wrists, mid back, lower back, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, and fingers) through

different ranges of motion to determine dysfunction or hitches in movement where

limitations were found (Sonnon 152). We don’t feel this loss of complexity in basic

ranges of movement because we use them everyday. We can increase the sophistication

of the basic range of motions by combing different actions together, such as flexion with

rotation (Sonnon 152). By doing this we can experience hidden restriction in our

movement coming in the form of pops, cracks, and snaps in our joints (Sonnon 152). By
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increasing our movement sophistication, we send lubrication and nutrition to the joint and

restore free mobility in that joint (Sonnon 152).

The program has progressive movement patterns that progress from simple to

complex. The program or the movements has three levels and a total of six motor

sophistications (Sonnon 122). The three levels are recovering, coordinate, and refine in

that order (Sonnon 122). The recover level restores the bodies basic ranges of motion, the

coordinate level creates greater sophistication in mobility, and the refine level creates

motor development in highly sophisticated movements (Sonnon 122).

The recover level consists of the first two motor sophistications. The first two

motor sophistications are ranges and circles (Sonnon 122). Ranges move the joints in the

body’s basic movements, which are front to rear, or from right to left (Sonnon 153).

Circles move the joints through all the ranges by continuing to move the joint from front

to right, to rear, to left, and back to front again (Sonnon 153).

The coordinate level consist of level three and level four motor sophistications

(Sonnon 122). Level three motor sophistication is called infinites and level four motor

sophistication is called diagonal infinities (Sonnon 122). Infinites consist of diving circles

in half (front and rear/right and left). We now can move the joint in figure eight

movements. This can be accomplished by moving left to right and moving front to back

(Sonnon 153). Diagonal infinites consist of dividing the basic circle into four quadrants.

We can now move the joint in figure eight movement’s diagonally across the quadrants.

This can be accomplished by moving front left to rear right and moving front right to

rear left (Sonnon 153).

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The refine level consists of level five and level six motor sophistications (Sonnon

122). Level five motor sophistication is called clovers and level six motor sophistication

is called waves (Sonnon 122). Clovers allow us to move our joint through each quadrant

in sequence. This is accomplished by moving front to left, to right, to front, to rear, to

right, to left, to rear, and back to front (Sonnon 153). Waves allow us to make movements

between multiple joints fluidly. An example would be lifting the shoulder, then elbows,

then wrists, then fingers, like rolling a wave of the ocean (Sonnon 153).

Certification in the Intu-Flow longevity system is primarily on the west coast. It is

offered as part of a three part joint health program or individually. Certification takes

place in a three day format where a person must pass a physical requirement test and

written test. Preparation and study material for the certification test comes in the form of

DVD and book that they send to the person taking the certification. The price for

certification cost $2,195. After completion of the physical and written part of the

certification, a one month journal journalizing the person’s intuition ratings is required to

complete the certification test (Flowcoach 2010). If the person passes all three they will

receive there certification in Intu-Flow (shorter format) or Circular Strength Training

(bigger format).If a person fails the certification tests, they can then take the certification

test again for $900 the next time it is offered (Flowcoach 2010).

Movement is important in life. Immobility occurs because of held tension due to

physiological, mental/emotional, or physical traumas. By improving the quality of

movement one can release full body tension, increase concentration and focus, heighten

sensory awareness, enhance joint mobility/health, and increase energy (Rmax 2009).

Some other benefits include decreased accelerated aging of the connective tissue,
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decreased pain from compressed joints, decreased onset of osteoporosis and

osteoarthritis, increased intramuscular coordination, increased kinesthesia, decreased

recovery time, increased movement speed, and a feeling of reclaimed independence due

to decreased emotional fear (Rmax 2009). Combining the best from both eastern and

western traditions, Intu-Flow provides pain free movement and healthy longevity,

producing energized results (Rmax 2009).

REFERENCES

1. Intu-Flow. October 22, 2010. http://rmax.tv.com/intu-flow

2. Courses. August 21, 2009.

http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?page_id=4

3. Sonnon, Scott. (2008). Free to Move with the Intu-Flow Longevity System.

(Rmax.tv Production: Atlanta) pp.1-155