Testimonials
“I am happy to write this testimonial for Mr. David O’Meara who is one of the persons instrumental in helping me perform at the highest level on the international stage. I have been playing cricket at the international level for the past 20 years. Currently I am the world’s top test batsman, a 2008 Wisden Cricketer of the Year, and the 2008 winner of the ICC’s Sir Garfield Sobers Cricketer of the Year award. The tools required to play at this level for a sustained period of time is a mix of intense concentration, endurance, the ability to soak up pressure and the explosive quickness to tackle a ball being bowled at well in excess of 90 mph in a very hostile environment. That means a cricketer’s body has to be in peak performance condition every moment he is on the playing field as well as possess the endurance to withstand the rigors of a long playing season. It is very difficult to enjoy one’s trade if their body is not reliably supporting them.
When I met David, I had some lower body ailments, chronic inflammation and an injured shoulder. Also the quality of my running was being curtailed by the pain I was feeling in my legs all the up into my hips. Systematically David worked with me to prepare my body to first rehabilitate those parts that were hurt and then created habit forming tasks that allowed me to get explosive performance as the weeks progressed.
My unique challenge was that I am on tour very frequently and therefore I could not interact with David in person as often as I wanted. No problem. David created a custom sequence of warm-up routines, speed and peak performance routines, strength training routines and a set of cool-down routines that I could do while I was on the road. There were neither heavy weights nor unnatural movements in these routines. David’s task for me was to build up the small and large muscles of every joint proportionally such that it is both stabilized and can deliver an explosive response when required. In other words, the bio-dynamics created was such that protection was integral part of performance.
As I push myself for peak performance all the time, I feel secure in knowing that my body is well prepared to handle the stresses induced in the task and that my body mechanics are performing at their optimum. I trust the program designed for me by David so much so that I have started my 15 year old son Brandon (who is an upcoming fierce competitive cricketer himself) on the same program.
David’s approach to peak performance with body protection is very effective for sport activities at all levels and ages. It would surely help many people enjoy the sport they love for longer periods of time and not be discouraged prematurely due to injury.”
I approached David as an option of last resort. To begin with he tailored a simple lifestyle program for me. Taking into consideration my extremely delicate health his program included very low intensity exercises, regular sleep routines, eating habits, tools to handle stress, hydration regimen, instill a sense of fun, and positive reinforcement among numerous other factors. Within a month I was walking a mile at a stretch and within 6 months I started to play social tennis. Over a 4 year period, I was able to add a tremendous amount and complexity of physical activity and to my daily regimen on a gradual basis.
I play highly competitive tennis for 2 hours a day; 6 days a week and high level league cricket on the weekends all thanks to the systematic approaches that were instilled in me by my friend David. My doctor’s are amazed at the progress I made in improving heart health. They told me I did more for myself with lifestyle changes than modern medicine can do for me. My daily medicine intake has been drastically reduced to very low dosage level and my last stress test indicated that my heart had remodeled to allow more robust blood flow to all areas. Moreover, I never feel sore nor do I reach for painkillers after a particularly strenuous exercise session. I am simply happy and tired.
The central theme of David’s work with me was explosive, accelerated performance while maintaining total body protection at all times. He always made me feel that I can perform at the highest levels while having fun. He never stressed any activity which caused pain and suffering. There was no “work thru pain” nor “no pain no gain” principle in David’s teachings. We select a task every week and tailor the body response for the demands of the task by properly strengthening, stabilizing, controlling and coordinating all the muscle groups in the body. If I started to experience pain we would find out the cause of the pain, analyze the underlying mechanics, make corrections and enhance the quality of the activity. In this way I could continue to enjoy the sports of my choice uninterrupted.
Every sport exacts demands of the player’s body. Every sportsman pushes himself or herself to perform at their peak all the time. Often times, this goal inflicts severe stresses on the body if it is not well prepared or if the mechanics used are inappropriate. These stresses can result in injury and prevents the person from further enjoying their chosen sport. David’s approach to body protection excels in that he allows the body to learn the demands of the sport activity and craft a very effective response that both allows peak performance as well as effectively guard against such unexpected injury.
Body protection principles as taught by David simply are the best way to enhance my physical activity levels. I am well hydrated, pain free and able to perform at the highest level without interruption due to injury. I have my dear friend David to thank for giving me back my life!”
My son, Michael, is a high-level college tennis player who David has coached for the last ten years. An essential and unique attribute which has contributed to Michael’s success has been his flexibility and unrestricted range of motion. These traits, however, caused Michael to have consistent pain in his wrists and elbow. After seeking the advice of high paid experts and trainers, who uniformly prescribed a regimen of stretching exercises, David sent us to an exercise therapist [Body Protection Consultant, Juan Ruiz-Tagle] who, for the first time, focused on the unique physical traits of my son rather than simply thinking in a one shoe fits all manner of physical therapy.
Due to Michael’s hyper flexibility, we were told that stretching only compounds the problem by making him too loose and even more subject to pain and over-rotation. Thus, very limited stretching and only particular exercises focused on improving strength was prescribed. Following this advice, Michael found that he no longer was plagued by the elbow and wrist injuries which haunted his path to success and has allowed him to continue his tennis career at college.
David and his staff have an understanding that everyone is an individual with a unique physical make-up and attributes. They also have a total understanding of the demands and stresses confronted by all athletes and the best way to protect oneself and prepare for success. I have recommended David to so many people for advising and assisting in all areas of athletic training. One hundred percent of the time, I receive heartfelt thanks for having introduced David into their lives. I am certain anyone who takes advantage of David’s advice will be completely satisfied and improved.”