Exercise-Intelligence

I’m a competitive runner and triathlete; mid 2:30 marathon best, 9:40 Ironman. I spend hours training, insane amounts of money on equipment and travel, focus on good recovery habits, doing everything I can to achieve optimal performance (and, of course, general good health along the way). But all of this is meaningless if your body is disfunctional, imbalanced, and breaking down. I came to MAT after years of unsuccessful attempts to deal with chronic hamstring and scapular pain through other treatment modalities — traditional physical therapy, cross-​training /​weight training, massage, active release therapy, chiropractic treatment, etc.
In the context of these treatments, MAT was a revelation. Rather than addressing the perceived problem — my hamstring is tight, so stretch it, strengthen it and supporting muscles, etc — it sought the root cause, taking the tightness as a symptom and looking for the muscle weaknesses and muscle inhibitions that created that protective tightness. Where I used to see physio work as «treatments» for problems, I know see it as an essential piece of the training puzzle … akin to performing regular maintenance on a high performance vehicle. That mind shift, as well as the innovative «activation» and Range of Motion based approach of MAT, has made an incredible difference.
Beyond the treatment modality, I can’t recommend Greg and Angela enough. Having moved from NYC I’ve experienced many other MAT practices and practitioners; Greg and Angela have easily the most thorough intake process and treatment planning I’ve experienced. There’s nothing haphazard or improvised. The comprehensive analytical approach reveals the lack of professionalism in most physical therapy. It creates a framework for progress, baselines for where you are and where you hope to be over a given period of time. Perhaps more importantly, it shows how truly invested they are in you as a patient. That relationship and depth of concern is a rare and, in my opinion, incredibly valuable thing.

As a lifelong athlete with a long list and wide range of injuries, finding Gregory Gordon, Ecercise-​Intelligence and MAT was life changing for me.
Working with Greg for a concentrated period, and now periodically, has allowed me to surf. train and compete with less pain, expanded range of motion, and a better overall ability to stay fit and healthy.
I tried acupuncture and chiropractic to assist me. One of my legs is longer than the other, I had several knee surgeries, and when I first saw Greg, one of my arms could only be raised to 75 degrees. Working with him has retrained my body, which was limiting certain muscles and movements to protect prior injuries, and increased my range of motion and flexibility. I no longer live in NYC, but make visits to Exercise-​Intelligence because I find MAT and Greg’s expertise to be critical elements in reaching the potential of my 39-​year old body.
I recommend Exercise-​Intelligence, Gregory, and MAT to ANY athlete. Football and hockey players would undoubtedly benefit from seeing Gregory weekly. I have no doubt that people like Gregory will soon be on the staff’s of all professional teams.
It’s amazing what the body does to protect injuries, and exiting to learn first hand the benefits of Gregory’s expertise
With methodic tests, exercises and treatment, he corrects my imbalances and reduces pain. Exercise-​Intelligence is way ahead of the curve with innovative training techniques. In fact, a licensed trainer and ironman tri-​athlete first recommended MAT to me.
Working with Gregory at Exercise-​Intelligence now prepares me for rigorous training and helps me avoid additional wear and tear and injuries.

I suffered from knee and foot pain for more than 6 years, severely affecting my Military career and general fitness. At 32, a Podiatrist I met with said it was the mechanics of my foot and I would always be suffering. The Orthopedist I met with after taking MRI’s of my knees reported I had thinning of the tendons, was a candidate for surgery with no guarantees, and all was due to the mechanics of my knees. Discouraged, I searched for alternatives. From Tim Ferris’ book, The Four Hour Body, I learned of MAT.
I began working with Chris at Exercise Intelligence, skeptical yet wanting to learn the theory behind the process. It made sense, that our body is a bag of bones connected by tendons and controlled by muscle. According to Chris, the majority of my ailments was more likely due to muscle imbalances rather than deficiencies in my tendons or bones.
Chris began at my hips, abs and lower back, which as he warned, was quite painful; however, the immediate relief was amazing. Within a week my knee pain began subsiding, and by the end of the first five sessions, my knee pain had decreased significantly and my foot pain was beginning to decline. By the second set of five sessions, my foot pain was completely gone and I was wearing normal shoes again, not waking to cramped and painful feet in the morning. I have begun running and working out again, which has improved my entire overall health.
Chris has been an excellent practitioner, being personable, explaining what my body was doing, and how MAT was addressing the problems. I’ve now signed up for a third set of sessions, as we work on the few remaining imbalances in my body, and I feel better now than I have over the past ten years. I have been recommending MAT to my friends and family, and for those in NYC, Exercise Intelligence as the best place to go.