Brilliant Backs

Brilliant Backs Back Pain & Movement Specialist
(DNSET, Z-Health, Pilates, LMT)

09/12/2025

Whenever my back or hip flexors started bugging me on a walk, I’d sit down on a bench or curb and reset with this 👇

Steps:
1️⃣ Sit down + lean back slightly
2️⃣ Find your tube: breathe 360° so diaphragm, pelvic floor + abs connect
3️⃣ Reach your p***c bone forward (turns on lower abs without tensing → releases low back)
4️⃣ Spread shoulders + fingers → reach one hand out, press into it with the other
5️⃣ Feel your underarm switch on (the side reaching forward) and connect it with your opposite hip
6️⃣ If your core is on + back feels expanded, lighten the opposite leg (from the hand pressing forward). If your core lights up, lift the leg fully—keep your knee out ✅

Don’t:
❌ Pull your shoulders back
❌ Tense your t**h
❌ Let your torso shift when you lift
❌ Let your knee cave in (inner thigh compensating)

👉 If something feels off, go back to the basics: expand your back, reach your p***c bone forward, and reset. You can even just think about lifting your leg—this alone helps your stabilizers switch on.

And if your hip flexors try to take over, simply brush them out so your core can do the work.

💬 Let me know how it goes—I love hearing when this clicks for people! 💗

👉 Save this to try out on your next walk 👣

09/10/2025

Most people blame squats for knee pain.
“Don’t let your knees go forward!” they say.

But that’s not the true issue—you’re dumping into your ankles and knees while staying locked in your hips. Almost everyone I see gets this wrong at first. They give in to gravity on the way down, which compresses the ankles and knees, tightens the hips, and pulls on the low back.

Instead → resist gravity.
Stay long.
Reach.

👉 Follow for more tips for a freer & stronger back body 😊

09/08/2025

Forget sit-ups — this is what real core strength looks like 👇

Don’t mind my chipmunk voice instructions 😂

This client has made so much progress with her back since we started together. 🙌

It might not look like she’s doing much, but the way she’s engaged is incredible — honestly, even more connected to her strength than physical therapists, Pilates instructors, and personal trainers I’ve worked with.

Yes, I am pressing on her butt — but what I’m really doing is giving her resistance and feedback, making sure her connection runs all the way from her hands to the tops of her feet.

(And you can’t see it, but I’m pressing pretty hard! She’s dispersing the force beautifully through her trunk and her whole body.) 💪✨

This is nothing like a sit-up.
Here, her bones and muscles are lighting up together — creating stability, strength, and real support for her spine. 🦴

08/25/2025

What if you want to release your low back and intelligently strengthen your core—but lying on the floor isn’t an option? 🪑

This seated version helps you build the basics for easing back pain and hip tension while waking up your deep support system. It even creates more space for the nerves running into your legs. 😉

08/20/2025

Why is low back pain so common in humans? One surprising reason is this:

Unlike our quadruped ancestors, we only stand on two points of support instead of four. That shift meant the diaphragm had to take on a whole new role — not just breathing, but also helping hold us upright.

The catch? This postural job is relatively “new” in evolutionary terms, and it’s fragile. The powerful support the diaphragm provides can easily get lost over time — through stress, sitting, injury, or simply our modern lifestyle.

When that happens, the low back is left to carry the load.

The good news? 🌟 You can get this support back — and when you do, your back feels stronger, freer, and more resilient than ever.

05/09/2025

🚨 Today’s the LAST day to vote for Synergy Studio! 🚨

If you’ve felt the impact of this incredible space—through movement, community, or support—now’s the time to show your love.

Head to https://www.votesouthsound.com and cast your vote before the polls close! Let’s do this! 🗳️

DNS gave me my life back.💫Thirteen years ago, I was walking the hills of San Francisco—learning how to move differently,...
05/09/2025

DNS gave me my life back.💫

Thirteen years ago, I was walking the hills of San Francisco—learning how to move differently, how to truly connect with my body. Those long walks became my classroom. DNS wasn’t just a technique; it was a lifeline.

Now I’m back in this city, running through the same spots—this time with my daughters. 👟💨 Watching them laugh and move beside me, I feel strong, free, alive.

What a joy it is to share this with them. 🤍

📰 The May newsletter just landed in your inbox! It’s packed with everything you need to know—class updates, schedule inf...
05/08/2025

📰 The May newsletter just landed in your inbox! It’s packed with everything you need to know—class updates, schedule info, and ways to stay supported all month long.

🗳️ And don’t forget—voting ends TOMORROW! If you haven’t cast your vote for us yet, now’s the time to show your love and help us shine. ⭐ Vote here: https://www.votesouthsound.com/

Check your inbox, get the scoop, and vote before the deadline!

Enjoyed your experience and want more people to know about it? 😍Vote for Synergy Studio for Pilates/Massage in the Best ...
04/30/2025

Enjoyed your experience and want more people to know about it? 😍

Vote for Synergy Studio for Pilates/Massage in the Best of South Sound! 🏆

https://www.votesouthsound.com
(It’s under Health & Beauty > Yoga/Pilates.)

Synergy is a co-op of Pilates instructors, massage therapists, and an esthetician—a wonderful team of thoughtful professionals and clients, beautiful art, and the nicest reformers you can find (including mine!). It’s truly a dream.

Brilliant Backs has been operating out of Synergy since it opened almost a year ago. Here, I get to offer workshops, reformer classes, individual sessions, and massages—in a beautiful private treatment room or out on the equipment or large open space.

To be able to transform lives in all the ways I want without sacrificing time away from my young kids (as I would have to if Brilliant Backs had its own location) means everything to me.

I’m so happy to be here. 😄

You can vote daily until 5/9!

04/28/2025

How does crawling (and its variations) help with scoliosis and spinal health? 🤔🌀

When you use points of support—like your hands, knees, and feet—you can better influence the spine. 🖐️🦵🦶 The muscle pull naturally moves toward the support points. Instead of tensing inward toward the spine, the body opens outward, which supports deeper stabilization and healthy spinal rotation. 🌟💪

In all the scoliosis courses I’ve taken over the years, I’ve felt nothing that truly affects the spine like DNS does. 🙌✨

If you have scoliosis, it’s also important to check your visual system 👀, vestibular system 🎯, and leg length—all of which play a major role in guiding spinal rotation.

Learn more at www.brilliantbacks.com

04/25/2025

Shani came in with pain running all along her right side—from her foot to her shoulder—so intense it was hard to breathe. 😕

After one DNS session, everything shifted and she noticed a real difference. Now she feels stronger through her pelvic floor, has more energy, less tension, and most importantly—more confidence heading into birth. 🤍

This work isn’t just about relieving pain (though that’s a huge part of it). It’s about helping women feel powerful, supported, and at home in their bodies in every phase of life.

I had to share this sweet note from a client—it filled my heart. 🤍"Marisa is amazing and really knows her stuff. Can’t r...
04/23/2025

I had to share this sweet note from a client—it filled my heart. 🤍

"Marisa is amazing and really knows her stuff. Can’t recommend her enough. She’s really helped me with pain throughout my body (not just lower back) both pre and postnatally... She's a back whisperer."

Helping people feel better in their bodies—especially through big transitions like pregnancy and postpartum—is one of the reasons why I love this work. 💕

Whether you're pregnant, postpartum, or just want your back to feel better—we’ve got a spot for you. 💫 See the schedule here: www.brilliantbacks.com

Address

605 11th Avenue SE
Downtown Olympia, WA
98501

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