Madoc, our own resident coach/Chinese Medical Practitioner/man about town will be offering a couple of simple services to help gym members work out their gnarly parts. Gua Sha, Cupping, Ear acupressure, and traditional Chinese herbal lineaments and salves.

He has a special price for CrossFit Portland members for a 3 pack of Gua’ Sha, ear pressure or Cupping for $45.00. That is only $15 per session, for treatments being conducted in the Crossfit Portland Treatment room. The treatment room is located upstairs, straight back from the kitchen, come give it a peak if you have not seen the room yet.

He is available the following days. Please contact him via email, runyng@gmail.com, to schedule an appointment.

Mondays from 9am-noon
Wednesdays from 9am-noon
Fridays from 9am-noon

You’re asking yourself, what exactly are these things?

Gua Sha and Cupping are both forms of myo-fascial release techniques. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the two modalities are used for a variety of reasons, from treating asthma, to getting rid of colds, to dealing with muscle aches and trauma. Aches and pains are what these services will focus on.

Gua Sha is commonly known as “scraping,” and involves a tool, pressure and friction. Some practitioners use Gua Sha tools made from exotic materials such as jade, water buffalo horn, or tortiseshell, but the common tool is a soup spoon or coin.

Cupping is often done using heavy glass or bamboo cups, and fire, or a valved cup and a suction pump, to create a vacuum within the cup. The cup is then applied to the patient. The cup sticks via suction. The cup can be left in place, or moved, depending on condition being addressed.
Ear acupressure is similar to ear acupuncture, but instead of needles, a small probe is used to stimulate the acupuncture points on the ear. Ear seeds can also be applied to the points to provide continual stimulus.

Madoc has been around Chinese Medicine for much of his life, as the son of an Acupuncturist, and now as one himself. He graduated from the Master’s degree program at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in 2008. In addition to Acupuncture and Chinese Herbalism, Madoc has studied and practices Tuina (a Chinese bodywork form), Zen Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang (Taoist Abdominal massage), and is a Qigong teacher with the Ling Gui International Healing Qi Gong School.