Massage & Yoga Portland

Your abdomen deserves attention, too. ❤️

Abdominal massage can be an incredibly grounding addition to bodywork, and this area is often overlooked.

✨ Why work the abdomen?

Gentle abdominal massage can help:
• Encourage relaxation and reduce abdominal muscle tension
• Support comfortable digestive movement
• Improve awareness of breathing and diaphragm movement
• Address tension through the abdominal wall and surrounding fascia
• Promote circulation to the tissues being worked
• Create a greater sense of connection between the ribs, abdomen, pelvis, and low back

And here’s something we sometimes forget: your core isn’t just your abs. The diaphragm, abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, spine, hips, and breath all work together.

Abdominal massage doesn’t need to be aggressive to be effective. Slow, intentional work can be incredibly calming, and for the right client, it can be an important piece of whole-body massage.

💆🏼‍♀️ Don’t skip the belly. It’s part of the body, too.

A bit of fun with posing now that I’ve settled in a category - FIGURE!! So excited. Let the posing play and practice begin! 🤪🤩😍💪🏼

TRIGGER POINT THURSDAY: Meet Your SCM

That rope-like muscle running along the front/side of your neck? That’s your sternocleidomastoid (SCM), and it does a LOT of work.

The SCM helps you:
✨ Turn your head side to side
✨ Tilt your head toward your shoulder
✨ Assist with neck flexion
✨ Stabilize your head and neck
✨ Assist with breathing when you’re working hard

Between phones, computers, driving, stress, and everyday posture, the SCM can feel tight, tender, and overworked.

🙌 Try this gentle release:

Turn your head slightly to one side so the SCM becomes easier to find. Using your thumb and index finger, gently grasp the muscle itself along the side of the neck.

Apply light pressure and slowly work along the muscle from the collarbone up toward just below the ear. You can pause on tender areas, breathe, and allow the tissue to soften rather than digging in. As you slide up, you can also torque and bend the muscle from side to side.

⚠️ Keep it gentle! The front and sides of the neck contain important blood vessels, nerves, and other sensitive structures. Avoid pressing deeply or directly into the throat, and stop if you feel dizziness, nausea, numbness, tingling, a strong pulse, or other unusual symptoms.

Try 20–30 seconds per area, then follow it with a gentle neck stretch.

Save this for your next neck-and-shoulder reset. 💙

☕️💪 PROTEIN COFFEE - how and why??

Need your caffeine and your protein? Meet one of my favorite easy ways to sneak a little more protein into the day: Protein Coffee!

HOW I MAKE IT
Brew your favorite coffee or use cold brew

* Add 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder
* Add in your creatine or other powders that you use
* Add milk or milk alternative (if you want)
* Blend, froth, or shake until creamy
* Add ice if you want🧊

PRO TIP: Mix your protein powder with a little cool milk or water FIRST, then add your hot coffee. It helps keep everything smooth instead of clumpy!

💪 WHY ADD PROTEIN?
✨ Helps support muscle repair and recovery
✨ Makes your morning coffee more filling
✨ Helps you work toward your daily protein goals
✨ Super easy for busy mornings
✨ A great option alongside breakfast or as a post-workout pick-me-up

Getting enough protein is a BIG part of training, and I’m all about finding simple ways to make it happen. I know it can be hard to hit those numbers sometimes. So here’s an easy way to add 20 more grams for your day.

Save this one for tomorrow morning! ☕️🏋🏼‍♀️

DAY ONE 🏋🏼‍♀️💪🏼

Today officially marks Day 1 of training toward a goal that feels equal parts exciting, intimidating, and completely outside my comfort zone… 🫠🙃

✨ I’m training to compete in a bodybuilding competition! ✨

I’m not starting at the finish line. I’m starting exactly where I am, and I’m going to share the process along the way.

The workouts. The strength gains. The posing practice. The meal prep. The sore muscles. The wins. The frustrating days. The progress photos. And probably plenty of “what did I get myself into?” moments. 😂

This isn’t about becoming smaller. It’s about seeing how strong, disciplined, confident, and powerful I can become.

Today’s workout wasn’t perfect. It didn’t need to be.

It just needed to happen. Here are some highlights from this morning. I’ve never filmed workouts before… so I’m still figuring out angles and being discrete. 🫠😳🤪

Day 1: DONE. 💪🏼🔥

Follow along as I build toward the stage. One workout, one meal, one rep, and one day at a time.

🏋️‍♀️ ROAD TO THE STAGE STARTS NOW ✨

I’m officially training for a bodybuilding competition that’s happening in May 2027, and I’m bringing you along for the whole journey.

Over the next several months, I’ll be sharing:

💪 Workouts + exercises
🏋️‍♀️ Strength training + progress
🥗 Meal prep + recipes
🍳 What I’m eating (and trying to avoid)
👙 Posing practice
📈 Progress updates
😅 The challenges, wins, & everything in between

This is about more than stepping on a stage. It’s about challenging myself, building strength, learning what my body is capable of, and showing up consistently. Even on the days when motivation isn’t there.

There will be sweat. There will be meal prep. There will probably be a LOT of glute days. 😂

And I’m sure I’ll learn a few things along the way.

Want to see what it takes to go from Day 1 → Stage Day?

Follow along. 🔥

Flexibility Friday: Elephant Walks 🐘

Tight hamstrings? Stiff hips? Meet one of my favorite dynamic stretches: Elephant Walks!

Unlike a long, static hamstring stretch, elephant walks alternate from side to side, and that gives each leg a chance to lengthen while adding gentle movement through the hips and posterior chain.

HOW TO DO IT:
✨ Start in a forward fold with your knees bent
✨ Keep your hands on the floor, blocks, or your thighs for support
✨ Slowly straighten one leg while keeping the opposite knee bent
✨ Switch sides and keep alternating
✨ Move slowly and stay within a comfortable range
✨ Try 8–12 reps per side

WHY I LOVE THEM:
🐘 Mobilizes the hamstrings
🐘 Warms up the backs of the legs
🐘 Encourages hip mobility
🐘 Adds movement without forcing a deep stretch
🐘 Feels especially good after sitting for long periods

Flexibility reminder: You don’t have to touch your toes! Bend your knees, use blocks, and work with the range your body gives you today.

Save this one for your next leg day, mobility session, or post-desk reset.

Breathe. Move. Lengthen. 💙