Stewart (Stew) Barcelo
Muscle Activation Techniques Master (MATm) Specialist
We are very excited to have you meet Stewart Barcelo (AKA Stew, or The Musclesmith). Stew is with us at ABHC for the summer of 2025, filling in for Sarah Sparks while she is on leave. Stew is actually Sarah Sparks MAT therapist! He comes to us with an registered massage therapy background and over 12 years of MAT experience.
Stew describes MAT as: “MAT addresses the root cause of your pain, not just your symptoms. A detailed range of motion assessment reveals neuromuscular imbalances which might be causing pain, tightness or weakness. Then muscle tests, isometrics, and a unique palpation of your muscle attachments reactivates weak muscles, stabilizes joints, improves range of motion, reduces pain and fatigue, and puts your body in a better place to heal.”
As with all our practitioners, please book a complimentary Meet and Greet appointment or feel free to jump right in with an Assessment.
Fun Fact
Stew is actually Sarah Sparks MAT therapist. But don’t think Stew just treats athletes. Stew says many, many of his clients are just “normal” people in wide range of ages.
About Stew
Stew was born and raised in Okotoks and began his career as a Personal Trainer in 2007 under the mentorship of Power Lifting World Champion, Andrew Dexter. In 2011, Stew became a Registered Massage Therapist. Holding a high respect for massage as a treatment modality for symptom management, Stew sought out new techniques to prevent recurrent injuries and muscular imbalances in the body. This lead Stewart to travel to the USA and become a certified Muscle Activation Techniques Specialist (MATm) in 2014. He has practiced MAT alongside personal training ever since.
Education
Coming…
