by Dr. Amy Johnson, OBGYN, CO

Without Lani I could never have made the progress that I have over the last year.  I have regained the health and well being that I had before a very serious and debilitating injury. In addition, I have seen radical shifts in my physique that I had never been able to achieve before.  But I am getting ahead of myself!

First a little background – my adventure begins in July of 2003. I was on a whitewater kayaking trip in Utah when I severely injured my back. At the level of L4-L5, I compressed 90% of my spinal cord. The actual syndrome is called cauda equina. 

Soon thereafter I underwent a microdiscectomy and had difficulty moving my legs when I awoke from surgery. I began an aggressive rehab program to learn to walk again.

Unfortunately, I then got West Nile meningitis! I was readmitted to the hospital for about 2 weeks. Once again I started rehab to learn to walk and to regain my strength.  At that time I was able to take a couple of steps with a walker.

Now, let’s move ahead a couple of years. 

During the time since the injury I was very consistent with conventional rehab.  I did the exercises they had recommended to improve my core strength. I was walking and hiking.  I could snowboard and kayak but I was still suffering from fatigue and had definitely not regained the strength I had before the accident. Then, something wonderful happened and in 2006 I was introduced to T-Tapp.

I was intrigued and began to T-Tapp.  I noticed that I did not have the core strength I once had.  I was still unable to run very well and could not balance on either leg! Unbelievable,  I had to sit down or lean against something to get dressed. 

Almost immediately I began to see the benefits from T-Tapp. I was beginning to be able to balance and I could feel my core strength returning.  In August of 2006, I climbed Longs Peak, a classic Colorado "fourteener".  Before T-Tapping I would have not had the confidence in my strength to climb this mountain.

Another benefit from T-Tapp was improved relief from pain. I still suffered pain after my injury. I began to discover that the pain I was having was resolving and with time is completely gone. I have to continue to T-Tapp and see a chiropractor regularly but cannot begin to explain how wonderful it is to be pain free and to be able to do all of the activities I love to do!

In May of 2007 I felt that my T-Tapping had hit a plateau. I had gotten tremendous benefits but knew there was still so much more to learn and to gain.

It was then that I contacted Lani and began working out with her via webcam. The webcam is great because I am able to exercise at home when my schedule allows. 

What a difference working out with Lani has made in my T-Tapp journey! I have finally deeply connected with T-Tapp and drastically improved my form. Oh, and lets not forget how much fun I have working out with Lani.

My body is reflecting the increased intensity and hard work.  I continue to get stronger and am finally running without having to think about each step and without having to tell my legs what to do. Recently, my back surgeon told one of my colleagues how amazing my recovery has been.  Originally, he had shared with me that there is never much improvement in situations such as mine after 2 years (ie 2005). 

Without Lani I could never have made the progress that I have over the last year and be able to reach my goal of complete recovery. I continue to gain strength..  I have regained the health and well being that I had before the serious injury.

Thanks, Lani!

Out of Pain and Into Control of My Health!   
by Laura Huerta 

Lani has led me to a place where I am no longer in physical pain on a daily basis.  

I first began working with Lani in December 2001, when she hosted a clinic in San Francisco.  What an eye-opener!  I had purchased several T-Tapp tapes, but the concepts had somehow escaped me.  Lani broke down each movement so that I was scrambling to write down all the valuable tips she was providing.  

With her help, I moved to the next level....but Lani has helped me reach many levels over the past six years, since she stresses how we must each individually work to our max.  This principle, along with breaking down each move, has helped me to reach a level of fitness that has exceeded my expectations.  

As a lifelong runner and weightlifter, I thought I would be healthy and strong into old age.  How wrong I was!  After a rear-end accident, in which I suffered whiplash and severe back pain, T-Tapp and Lani brought me back to health.  Weightlifting was too difficult to continue with my injuries, but Lani helped me overcome the pain and weakness from the accident with T-Tapp.  Every time I am lucky enough to receive more coaching from Lani, my knowledge base is enriched and I feel excited about reaching that "next level" of strength and flexibility. 

Knee Issues, Muscle Imbalance, Scoliosis...My Health History and Background 

I  was born with a muscle imbalance and rickets as a direct result of celiac disease, which my mother also has and which was triggered during her pregnancy with me.  Also, prior to working with Lani, I had knee issues related to the muscle imbalance and to torn cartilage in one knee due to a fall when I was 28.  I also suffered form a lifetime of scoliosis, paralyzed toes, and feet that were so inflexible, they cramped on a daily basis.  

As Lani worked with me, she modified several T-Tapp moves so that my knees could begin to become rehabilitated.  From the beginning, I doubted that my knees would ever improve, but now they are like knees that were never injured or affected by congenital defects.  Over time, my feet became less rigid, and I can't even remember the last time my feet cramped (probably more than five years ago, I would guess).  

The biggest miracle of all was that my lifelong scoliosis corrected itself after T-Tapping for four years.  In the beginning, I felt twisted when I did the movements, and I could see that crookedness in the mirror.  However, over time, the alignment principles that Lani taught me caused my muscles to force my spine back into alignment.  An X-ray showed absolutely no scoliosis!  

I Feel In Control Of My Health!

If asked to name the 3 most significant changes I have experienced from my work with Lani, I think that they would have to be:

1.  My fitness level is optimal--My fitness level is optimal--At the age of 51, I feel as though I'm healthier than I've ever been (even after a bilateral mastectomy and chemo last year).

2.  My attitude has improved:  I stand with better posture, I'm confident that I can meet physical challenges, and I no longer worry about suffering pain from congenital defects or injuries.

3.  Being able to overcome scoliosis through exercise is simply awesome to me!  I feel in control of my health, and I wish I had known how to maintain my health many years earlier.  Back pain used to be simply a part of my life--and chiropractics, as well--but T-Tapp and Lani have changed all that.

P.S. If there is anything more you would like to know about my experience, just write to Lani and she will direct you to me!   ~Laura

Sara S. has had astonishing success with T-Tapp, and wanted to share with powerful changes she experienced as a result! 

Note the above photos; pink shirt photos were taken in September '06;  red shirts 2 months later, and the blue shirts, after 6 months.  In Sara's words....

Lani's "Tappy Holidays" session really taught me that it was "worth it" to do the shorter Basic or "just walk" on some days. Previously I had skipped working out entirely if I didn't have enough time to put in a whole Total or a long walk or ride. That meant I was not always very consistent. The daily habit was wonderful. I have really stuck with doing "something" on most days all year even into this current pregnancy. AND I never in a million years would have tried to eat six servings of veggies and I know that was a helpful new thing for me.

I lost 8 pounds during Tappy Holidays 2006, while also fully nursing the baby, homeschooling and/or caring for the rest of the kids,entertaining friends and family, no dieting and eating treats as we made them for the holiday season (I did try not to completely pig out, and make good choices most of the time, but I didn't skip out on anything entirely... that is for sure).

Anyway - I am thrilled to be starting with Tappy Holidays again. It IS hard to stay motivated sometimes, especially when pregnant and GAINING a pound a week rather than losing! I know that the Tappy Holidays goals will help me be as healthy as possible in my third trimester of this pregnancy and in a good position to Tapp my way back from the birth again if I arrive there strong (however well padded) and with good habits! I especially need the motivation to do the two Totals a week and eat more veggies.

I did not do T'appy Holidays perfectly last year by any means - but I did as much as I could and it was fun to be a part of a group and to check in and report the workouts or a veggie success. Overall, I know I did much more than I would have just on my own.  There was a lot of camaraderie and fun and energy on the weekly check-in lists.  I know that signing on for Tappy Holidays kept me focused on healthy eating and exercise habits that otherwise would have just been pushed out of my life from being so busy in Nov. and Dec.  

...When Tappy Holidays came around I got much more consistent with doing "something" every day. "Just" walking on the weekends or doing the Basic Plus (when previously I would do nothing on Sat/Sun) - I spread the TWOs at least 3-4 days apart (since that is the TH requirement of twice per week) and discovered I could do each workout with more intensity so that now I am always sore after a TWO but I don't do them as often. For some reason that really works for me (less is more?) Then during the second half of TH I did less of it, point wise, but still was getting good results. I think the TH challenge really made me keep going instead of saying, "I messed up this week so I'll just start again next week or...the week after that...or AFTER THE HOLIDAYS"

SO by the end of TH I had lost a lot of inches and pounds and the rest of the year I did not keep doing the Tappy Holidays schedule, certainly not perfectly - but I tried to do something to exercise on any day I could..that was the thing that really stuck with me from being in TH. And I tried to do AT LEAST ONE  intense Total workout, and preferably two of them a week (I did occasionally manage three). I figured if I did one a week I would at least not be losing fitness and ground. On the other days I would try to walk (about 30 minutes) or do the short workout BUT many times I would miss a day and the big key for me was learning that I just had to ignore it and the next day do what I could and not get discouraged by thinking about what more I could have done but did not do.

That all said - I do think I am going to try to keep up with the TH workout schedule year round from now on (that would be the goal...including falling down, dusting myself off and just jumping back in....) and keep doing a spread sheet ...and the veggies (gulp) and the skin brushing (I already always eat breakfast). I like that with TH you get points for what you DO rather than lose points for what you don't do.

I have three beautiful daughters aged 13, 9 and 6 (and four great boys as well) and I want to be a good example to them of eating well and exercising as just a normal part of life, without it becoming an obsession.  I like that during TH, the nutrition element is approached by eating more healthy veggies, rather than with the idea of food restrictions or no-nos or BAD foods or counting calories, etc.  Somehow my sister and I grew up without a lot of "food issues" and I'd like to pass that gift onto my daughters as well.