It’s been too long. Summer “vacation” is here (I’m using the term vacation liberally here) and I’m trying to get back into some activities that I have been neglecting: training, leisure reading, and writing (here and manuscript writing). I hate to have to start off with this thing that’s been on my mind but I just can’t help myself.Quite some time ago I wrote a post (more of a rant, really) about how much Ashley Black pisses me off. To summarize, she made up her own field of fasciology, which to the educated world is just called anatomy, and uses this as propaganda to sell a tool that can be helpful when used moderately, but when used incorrectly is apparently quite harmful. She makes lots of unsubstantiated claims based on unsupported theories. I’m sure I’ve said this a million times, but as someone who has spent so many years learning how the body works saying that someone like her irritates me is an understatement.

Anyway, I received this email a few months ago:  We have reason to believe that this review page was created in collusion with various other sites, reviews, blogs and posts to defame and harass Ms. Black. Ms. Black has been threatened and targeted by a group of women as well as her ex husband. Her private information has been exposed, including her home address. Not only is the content defamatory, but it is also a violation of her privacy. She is harassed daily and has even received death threats. Fearing for her safety, it is imperative that we get these online publications removed. Your publication is very well known and respected. Please do not degrade your publication by being a part of this smear campaign. Please, for the sake of security we ask that you help us and kindly remove your article.

To be clear, my post has nothing to do with an organized campaign of harassment and defamation and if Ashley has been threatened physically or in any other way that’s not ok. I have no idea who her ex husband is, or whatever other sites/reviews, etc. are involved in this situation.  However, I will not take my post down. I understand if Ashley is worried about negative publicity. She is exaggerating what her device can/will do and fabricating scientific theories to back it up, and I have the right to criticize her for it. It’s one thing to make and sell a device and I have no problem with that. I do have a problem with her twisting the meaning of scientists’ work to support her propaganda, and trying to silence any criticism of it. It’s not like she’s the only fitness person to do this, but since I’m conducting real research on myofascial release I can’t help but take it a little personally.

After putting up the original post I was contacted by someone who used her device as recommended and whose skin completely detached from the underlying tissue. Why? Because the connective tissue that holds the skin to the stuff below it is the same tissue that causes the dimply look of cellulite when you get a lot of fat under your skin. So I guess her claims that her device gets rid of cellulite are technically true…but this is why I’m so critical of unsubstantiated claims. Sometimes the consequences of making things up are real, serious, and can permanently affect someone’s life and health. I think fitness professionals should be held to some higher education/certification standard to be called professionals. More education leads to better, safer practices, and although we’re not doctors shouldn’t we also first, do no harm?