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Beyond his professional training as a physical therapist and soft-tissue specialist, Ming developed his profound understanding of the body through his experience as a champion bodybuilder and practitioner of Brazilian jujitsu. He explains:
 Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, I was the only Chinese-American boy in my neighborhood, constantly getting picked on by the other kids. Then in 1977, when I was 14, I saw a picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the book Pumping Iron, and it changed my life. I said to myself, "Wow, if I looked like that, I'd never get picked on again!"
Bruce Lee was also popular back then. He was Chinese American too, and he fought people with his fists. So I thought, what better way to protect myself than to build up my muscles, so people would fear me, and I wouldn't have to fight them? I started to train. By the time I was 16, I had gained 40 pounds of muscle, and all the tormenting stopped. In fact I suddenly had new friends—the same guys who used to attack me—full of questions about training. And I never had to fight anyone.
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I became a bodybuilder, and won many titles, including Mr. Teenage New York, Mr. New York, and Mr. Empire State. I was ranked nationally and featured on magazine covers.
In 1984 I graduated from Columbia University with a chemistry degree. Initially I planned to go to medical school, but realized that my passion was to work with people's bodies. Bodybuilding had given me a good understanding of how the human body worked, and I wanted to make it stronger and better. So I went to New York University Physical Therapy School and in 1987 began working as a conventional physical therapist. But all the time I knew in my core that something was missing. |
In 1991, Ming retired from bodybuilding. In 1996, he began to train under Renzo Gracie, a Brazilian jujitsu black belt and no-holds-barred fighter, earning a blue belt. Then a severe injury threatened a major setback to his career.
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During a competition, I injured my left shoulder so badly I thought it was irreparably damaged. I had standard physical therapy for it, but the results were terrible. My arm remained very weak, and I was in severe pain. I tried ultrasound, electric stimulation, ice packs, and ibuprofen—exactly what doctors recommended and what I myself advised my patients to do—but nothing worked.
Then I met a chiropractor who said, “I can help your shoulder in a few sessions.” Naturally, I laughed. I believed my doctor, who had said I needed surgery. But I let the chiropractor give me two 20-minute treatments. In two days, the shoulder was significantly better.
What the chiropractor did was treat my fascia, using Active Release Techniques, a type of therapy that targets this tissue. And I realized that fascial therapy was the missing link I’d been seeking—not only for myself, but for my practice. |
Ming began to study fascial therapy (a study he continues to this day). Once he added this method to his practice, his patients healed far more rapidly than before. Meanwhile, he restored his shoulder to 70% of function—but, he says, "I wanted it to be still better."
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Then I met Dr. Guy Voyer, the originator of a series of special stretches that release tightness in the fascia. Learning fascial stretching trans-formed me and my work. I used the stretches for my shoulder, and got it to 95%.
I also added stretching to my practice, creating my own stretches and modifying many of the originals. They’ve really boosted my cure rate. All my patients now get a stretch program as homework. |
It was a patient named David who helped Ming realize that these magical stretches could also be a powerful form of self-therapy. During treatment for severe back pain, David had to go out of town for two months. While he was gone, he continued the program of stretches Ming had given him—and found that these stretches, all on their own, totally eliminated his pain, even before his trip ended. (For David's complete story, see this excerpt from The Permanent Pain Cure.) Ming says,
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I saw that the stretches could work on their own, without hands-on treatment, as long as you drink enough water, eat the right diet, and take the right supplements along with them. And you don't need a gym or equipment—they're with you wherever you go. So I decided to offer them to everyone.
I truly believe that the Ming Method can make 40–50% of orthopedic surgeries unnecessary. No one should take powerful painkillers, or agree to surgery, before giving it a shot! |
Ming has a private practice of his hands-on treatment, Ming Manual Therapy, in New York City. Contact him to schedule a personal session.
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| Buttocks Muscle Stretch, a fascial stretch that affects the gluteus muscle. It helps you walk better, helps prevent lower back pain, and makes lifting heavy objects easier. |
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