Daily Self-Care Tips for a Strong, Fit Body with Physical Therapist Jen Esquer

Welcome to The Betty Rocker Show, the place to be to nourish your mind, love your body, and rock your life.

Today we’re diving in with Jen Esquer, PT, DPT – an internationally-known physical therapist who specializes in mobility and helping people overcome chronic pain and maximize physical performance.

Perhaps you’ve had an injury in the past, or noticed that you have some limitations in your squats or lunges. Getting your body to activate fully is sometimes beyond the help that an online coach can provide, and you’ll see me regularly refer people with injuries or specific conditions to a hands-on physical therapist because of the customized care they can provide.

While we never want to get injured we often don’t think about preventing injury when it comes to training, but that’s exactly what a great physical therapist can help you do. It’s one of the reasons I continue to see my PT in person, many years after my injuries have healed. I want to prevent future injuries, get maintenance and guidance on patterns that I have and continue to work within a strong body.

Jen Esquer has been featured in Shape magazine, Self magazine, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness and recently graced the cover of Oxygen magazine. As the founder of The Mobility Method and The Optimal Body, she brings a unique whole body approach to strength, mobility, and pain-free living.

Jen is a highly-skilled physical therapist and I’m so excited for her to share her best tips with us today!

This episode will provide you with valuable information to empower you in your self care and provide you with the tools and resources you need to take care of your amazing body.

From her site “ As a self-proclaimed “mover,” Jen has spent more than 2/3 of her life upside down. She graduated with a B.S. in Kinesiology, and received her DPT degree from Loma Linda University.

After schooling, she went on to accept a job at VERT Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation in Santa Monica. Through VERT and furthering her education, she was able to meet some amazing individuals who further fueled the expansion of her knowledge base. Her mission is to help those who are willing to listen to their body, reverse aging, eliminate pain and establish sustainable health.” 

In this episode you’ll discover:

How Jen Esquer got started (2:07)

• How using Instagram grew her business
• How she wanted to empower her followers

What to do if you’re experiencing pain in your body (5:30)

• The importance of awareness
• Why cookie-cutter plans can be detrimental
• The importance of working with someone in person
• How your lifestyle impacts your pain
• The importance of building a strong foundation for your body
• What to look for in a practitioner

The importance of mobility for resilience (10:30)

• The Mobility Method
• The importance of mobility
• The difference between mobility and flexibility

How to be proactive with your self care (15:00)

• How to work mobility into your day
• The importance of listening to your body
• The importance of being consistent
• The all or something approach to self care
• Why it’s the healthcare provider’s responsibility to educate you on the process
• Rock Your Life Online Community

How mobility can help with chronic pain (21:50)

• The most common issues she sees
• Why it’s important to try something new
• The importance of your breath
• The importance of “talking” to your nervous system
• The importance of repetition for lasting change

How your breath impacts your nervous system (27:13)

• What happens in your body when you breathe
• The importance of exhalation
• How to breathe for a relaxed state
• The importance of your rib cage for breathing
• How to breathe in stressful situations
• How stress impacts your breath

How to assess your mobility (32:53)

• Jen’s free YouTube videos
• The Mobility Method
• Where in your body you want to be more mobile
• Why your site of pain isn’t where the issue is

The importance of body awareness (35:59)

• How your alignment can impact your breathing and vice versa
• The importance of applying body awareness to your movement patterns
• How awareness can impact your entire life
• The importance of listening to your body
• The 4 Pillars of Health

Jen’s program The Optimal Body (42:20)

• How it helps you assess your body
• What’s included in the program
• How it can help you build awareness in your body
• How to build your “optimal body”

What women need to know when it comes to mobility (45:00)

• Why leaking after a baby is common but doesn’t have to be normal
• The importance of seeing a pelvic floor specialist
• How Diastasis Recti can differ from woman to woman
• Find a pelvic floor therapist
• The importance of advocating for yourself

How to connect with Dr. Jen (50:46)

• Her Youtube
• Instagram: @docjenfit
• Her Website
• The Optimal Body Podcast
• The Mobility Method
• The Optimal Body

Coming up next week, we’re going to take a look at our bodies and minds from another perspective and look at the long term effects trauma can have. So many of us live with trauma and internalize it and it ends up manifesting in our bodies as pain, disease, eating disorders, and so many more things.

I’ll be joined by the founder of the Institute for Transformational Nutrition, Cynthia Garcia, who shares her incredible journey from pain to power and gives so many insights about the frameworks we can all access to walk through the fires we face, step up to a higher level, create a rich life of meaning and joy, and really heal ourselves in the process. This is a show you won’t want to miss!

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