"I think a lot of them get injured because their muscles aren't prepared for the way they torment their bodies in different positions. To be able to have those stretched out and prepared makes a big difference," stated massage therapist and holistic practitioner Regina "Hands of an Angel" Burton as she talked about the importance of massage therapy in a fighter's career. Check out what else she had to say about her role with Total Combat and mixed martial arts.
PC: How is it going?
RB: I'm good; just staying busy.
PC: How was the Total Combat fan appreciation party?
RB: It went really good. We had a lot of fun. We had about 6 or 8 different DJs. We had some different giveaways from Alliance. We had a year membership, Throwdown and I gave away a massage; so we had a lot of good giveaways for the raffle.
PC: How did you get involved with Total Combat?
RB: Wow, good question. How did it all start? I have to go back now. I think I started because, first of all, Shawn Fowler is a very good friend of mine. I was actually massaging some of the UFC fighters and Eric and Shawn got a hold of me to sponsor Jeremy Jackson while he was training for a UFC fight. I think that's how it all got started. I started sponsoring Jeremy Jackson for one of his fights as his massage therapist; getting him ready. That's how I kind of got involved in the whole Total Combat. I just took it from there.
PC: Where is Jeremy? Is he still fighting?
RB: He's over in Ventura I believe. I haven't heard anything on him in a while. I haven't spoken to him in a while, but I know he's one of the trainers at a gym up there.
PC: Who are some of your favorite fighters to watch?
RB: BJ Penn is my #1. I know a lot of the old school ones. I don't know a lot of up-and-coming fighters. BJ is my favorite and St-Pierre is another one; of course Shonie for his character (laughing). I don't know, there is quite a few. So many different MMA fighters have their own style and they bring it in their own way. It's so hard to pick and choose because I like them for their personality, their humbleness or their techniques, you know?
PC: Have you ever trained in martial arts or kickboxing or anything?
RB: I did kickboxing about a year ago, but nothing as far as mixed martial arts. I've always wanted to, but I have a permanent injury to my elbow and believe me, there are times when I'm gung ho about it, but I've went through 3 years of trauma with my right elbow. I have nerve damage from massaging and I had 2 surgeries and a year of therapy over it so to re-injure it just scares me.
PC: Yeah, it seems to be really stressing on the arms and hands. Do you give massages all day or do you only take on a few clients and just run your business?
RB: I've been a massage therapist and holistic practitioner for eleven and a half years. I've gone from working in the spas to working on the San Diego Chargers, to private clientele and of course now mixed martial artists. I had someone work for me at one point, but basically it's just me by myself. It's a lot of work. I've gone from working at the Marriot where you get 5 or 6 clients a day to where you do chair massages for 4 hours at a time so it varies. In my office, I won't take more than 4 a day, but I've done 8-hour shifts and 5-hour shifts; whatever it takes.
PC: How does it feel being the hottest grandmother on the planet?
RB: (Laughing) Where did that rumor come from. I guess you could say because I started out at a really young age (laughing). It's important to me to stay in shape. I think I'm young at heart. I just got off of work from a 10-hour shift and now I'm on the road about to go to the gym. I just like to take care of myself. I don't want to look my age and I want to show all of the other women out there that we don't have to look our age.
PC: You do a good job.
RB: Thank you!
PC: Do you diet as well or just workout really hard?
RB: No, I definitely don't diet. I'm the biggest junk food eater you'll probably ever want to meet. I think I just eat in moderate portions really well. I have a sweet tooth and I eat a lot of junk food, but I eat it in portions. I don't overindulge in anything. If I'm craving something, I may have a little bit of it, but that's it. I don't eat a whole pizza. I'll eat 1 piece of it, maybe 2 if I really want it. I don't drink sodas. I don't drink coffee. I only drink water; sometimes juice. I'm not a health fanatic as far as nutritional foods like I should be, but I proportion it well. I stay very active. Doing massage work is very physical. I work at a hospital also, as Shonie told you, in X-Ray so I'm on my feet 8-10 hours a day.
PC: Do you have time for yourself or are you just a workaholic?
RB: I work a lot, but I consider time for myself when I'm doing the MMA fan parties. When I go to the events for Total Combat, it's working, but its fun. I don't actually look at it as work. I would say my downtime is when I'm spending time with my kids and my grandbaby [grandson]. I'm very involved with my kids, being a single mom and my grandson.
PC: I always ask this when I'm interviewing a hot woman for the fellas. Are you single and if so, are you taking applications?
RB: I am definitely single and I am definitely taking applications.
PC: How does that happen?
RB: Well, they either can't seem to keep up with my schedule or one problem I just had, like Shonie just told you, a guy that I just broke up with recentlyÂ…they seem to be too needy. They can't respect my independency or can't handle that I can't be with them every night between my work, my involvement with MMA and my kids.
PC: So fellas, get ya'll game right. If ya'll going to come at her, come correct.
RB: That's right! Bring it on!
PC: How important do you think it is for a fighter to get massage treatment when they're preparing for a fight?
RB: I think during the training process, it's very important because I don think they do the correct stretching, which would be PNF stretching. It's very important and I think a lot of them get injured because their muscles aren't prepared for the way they torment their bodies in different positions. To be able to have those stretched out and prepared makes a big difference. That's something that I really press on them is to stretch and be able to relax the muscles so they're not so tense. I've never massaged somebody the day of a fight, or actually 2 days before a fight, because you want them pumped up and ready to go. The only time I've really worked on someone the day of a fight is if they've had a pinched nerve or get a Charlie horse or something I can handle real quick. Otherwise just during training and after training of course.
PC: Anyone going out to Southern California who's in need of a good massage, go see my girl Regina and she'll hook you up. Thanks for the interview Regina. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
RB: If you're down for the best massage you've ever had, put it in my hands. "Hands of an Angel" repping the mixed martial arts world and I'll be more than happy to help out anybody that wants to come out and see me.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]