About Us
Leading Experts in the Area
Our goal is to give our clients a non-invasive solution to their mobility limitations and pain by using techniques that discover and correct the root of the problem and not mask symptoms.
Many people have questions on exercise, exercise results, muscular function, adaptation, joint function, joint dysfunction, proper progression, injury recovery, injury prevention, flexibility, stretching, diet, etc. At Truth In Function, we answers these questions by looking to the physiology and mechanics of these systems. The answers we give to your questions can always be found in how these systems actually function and how they work together for the particular individual.
The in-depth study of the physiology of these systems, applied biomechanics, kinesiology (starting from any plane), joint structure, the specific individual’s body and their goals are all things that need to be truly studied and applied in order to answer these questions.
A thorough assessment of each individual’s muscular and neuromuscular system should then be utilized in order to understand specifically where the individual is at in terms of muscular, neuromuscular and joint integrity, development and tolerance. This information should then be utilized to properly micro-progress the individual toward THEIR goals with the least amount of risk of injury, compensation, soreness and muscular/joint dysfunction.
Truth In Function does this with individuals in any shape or state working toward any goal whether its joint mobility without pain or competitive goals for athletes. By understanding how these systems function and how to apply this knowledge to the specific individual, our practitioners and trainers can help people move and perform better in their exercise, sport and daily activities to their highest potential with less risk of pain and injury.
MUSCLE ACTIVATION TECHNIQUES™ (MAT™): A REVOLUTIONARY APPROACH and NON-INVASIVE TECHNIQUE DESIGNED TO BALANCE THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.
We are the only facility to utilize Muscle Activation Techniques north of Milwaukee, WI. We have an experienced wealth of knowledge of the neuromuscular system and biomechanics of the body. We focus on the root of the problem by analyzing the integrity of muscular function. We offer proactive, in-depth, quality care. At Truth In Function, your muscular function is our number one priority, and we make sure to meet all your needs not matter what your goal may be. Find out what MAT® can do for you to decrease pain and decrease muscular imbalances and increase your well-being and quality of life.
Developed by Greg Roskopf (MuscleActivation.com), Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT™) is a systematic approach to checking the current state of your neuromuscular system. This information allows the MAT™ Specialist to determine if your body is ready to begin an exercise program and, if so, how to appropriately proceed with prescribing exercises and progressing you.
From the MAT™ Specialist’s standpoint, muscle tightness is secondary to muscle weakness. In other words, tight hamstrings, low back muscles, pecs, etc, are seen as a protective mechanism initiated by your body in order to intentionally limit your range of motion at specific joints.
When stress, trauma, or overuse of a specific muscle occurs, the body often times “shuts down” this muscle, meaning it intentionally inhibits the muscle’s ability to contract properly and generate tension. When this happens, the body has to recruit other muscles to do the inhibited one’s job, i.e. compensation. Due to this increased workload, these new muscles can quickly become overworked and suffer the same fate as the muscle they took over for. Since you now have fewer muscles to manage your joints, discomfort and muscle tightness can occur.
Muscle Activation Techniques™ is attempting to overcome this muscular inhibition by activating inhibited muscles, i.e. improving the ability of these muscles to contract and reestablishing them as viable options for the body to use, allowing for more range of motion at the joints and, more importantly, greater stability and control of those joints.
Muscle Activation Techniques™ can be a valuable tool for a wide demographic of individuals. If you suffer from any type of tightness or discomfort; are a regular (or not-so-regular) exerciser or competitive athlete; have trouble moving or keeping your balance due to aging or injury; have ever had any type of traumatic experience (such as a car accident or surgery) or injury (no matter how small); or want to be able to do what you currently enjoy doing for years to come, MAT™ may be of benefit to you!
- MAT™ addresses the muscular system’s role in chronic pain and injury.
- MAT™ treats the CAUSE of your pain, not the symptom.
- MAT™ prepares the body for exercise, sport and daily activity.
- MAT™ can decrease muscle tightness and increase muscle control and ease of movement.
- MAT™ improves joint stability and strength.
- MAT™ helps you develop proper mechanics to avoid pain and injury.
Expert Trainers - RTS®
Think of a Resistance Training Specialists as ‘Master Trainers’. We can appropriately assess client’s abilities and apply force and progress them in a manner that doesn't cause pain or degradation of their structure. Resistance Training Specialists have the ability to objectively evaluate equipment and exercises for what they really are and what they are actually doing inside the body.
Truth In Function Services
Fresh Start
Stability / Flexibility Training
Muscle Performance / Endurance
Many of you will attempt to make a difference in your activity levels through exercise and diet. You've probably tried to make this change before and have failed to keep it going. Many times, this is due to either aches and pains during exercise, constantly being sore from exercise, being worked above your level, thinking it's too hard and/or just not knowing what to do for YOU.
I urge to start yourself right this time! Come to TRUTH IN FUNCTION and find out what is causing the pains and soreness. Work with highly educated professionals to see what is right for YOU right now! Make the proper start toward your goal to ensure sustainable methods for your life change to create sustainable results and a new sustainable activity level.
Take control this year and get your body moving right without the exhaustion, aches or pains!
Muscle Performance / Endurance
Stability / Flexibility Training
Muscle Performance / Endurance
Whether you're training for sport, to be able to hike on your vacation or play with your kids/grandkids, we can help you reach your goals without pain excessive soreness causing injury or setbacks and allowing you a lifetime of success.
Stability / Flexibility Training
Stability / Flexibility Training
Stability / Flexibility Training
There is a lot of confusion in the exercise and rehabilitation industry in how flexibility is gained and what the repercussions are from doing this improperly. At Truth In Function, we educate you on how muscles function to increase range of motion while maintaining strength and stability of the muscles and joint. By taking this approach, we are actually more effective in increasing the available active range along with how you feel in your movement instantly.
Quotes
An accurate look at your muscle function with our EMG
Stability / Flexibility Training
“If you really want to understand ‘physical’ fitness,
and certainly the risk:benefit of any and every ‘physical’ activity
you must have a basic understanding of and healthy respect for
the primary body altering stimulus (and root of the word physical)… ‘physics’!”
-Tom Purvis
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
–Thomas Edison
An accurate look at your muscle function with our EMG
An accurate look at your muscle function with our EMG
An accurate look at your muscle function with our EMG
The Delsys EMG has the most advanced biomechanical sensors on the market. The innovative technology makes it easier for us to research and make educated decisions based on readings of the human body's movement on each individual client. Monitoring EMG signals can provide valuable insight about the neuromuscular system, leading to increased recovery effectiveness through a better understanding of what is happening inside the muscular system of the individual.
ISOPHIT
An accurate look at your muscle function with our EMG
An accurate look at your muscle function with our EMG
There are hundreds of studies that prove the effectiveness of isometric training to improve strength, flexibility and neuromuscular function. Though this type of training is being ignored in mainstream fitness and hardly utilized in physical therapy, at Truth In Function, we are finding this very important and effective in helping people move again and strengthen muscles around joints that are painful to exercise. We teach our clients how to use these to continue improvement in their muscular function and the importance in why and how we should use isometrics for warming up or cooling down from an aggressive training session/activity.
Isometric training can be critical in properly progressing an individual toward their strength, flexibility, mobility and/or athletic goals!
Group Class Training & Custom Programs
Women's Self Defense
$50 Month
Women's self defense, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu way! This training gives you the tools to defend yourself, builds your confidence, and teaches you how to stay calm in an intense situation.
It is a great workout, too. Class is taught by Sheena Wenzel.
Arete' Martial Arts Academy
$50 Kids / $75 Adult Month
Adult Price includes unlimited classes and 24x7 use of the facility.
Parents that have kids in BJJ are able to use facility during their classes.
Mondays:
5-6pm Kid's BJJ,
6-8pm Adult BJJ
Wednesdays:
5:30-7:30 Adult Arete' Combatives
Thursdays:
4:30-5:30pm Kid's BJJ,
5:30-7:30 Adult BJJ Fundamentals
Fridays:
4:30-5:30 Kid's Striking
5:30-7pm Open Mat
Saturdays:
9-11am Adult BJJ
Custom Running Plans
Custom running plans are available for whatever your running goal might be from beginning to run for the first time, coming back from injury, training for a marathon, or just supplementation to your current program and specific weight and strength training to enhance your output. Contact Laurie to get your free consultation. Prices vary by service.
Meet our Team
Jeff Tardiff, M.S.
Jeff Tardiff, M.S.
Jeff Tardiff, M.S.
Owner, MAT Specialist, Neuromuscular & Biomechanics Expert
Area's highest Neuromuscular and Biomechanics expert.
Graduated from Marinette High School in 2000. Joined the United States Air Force Special Operations group, TACP (Tactical Air Control Party) Which is in charge of bringing close air support behind enemy lines. Jeff graduated wit
Owner, MAT Specialist, Neuromuscular & Biomechanics Expert
Area's highest Neuromuscular and Biomechanics expert.
Graduated from Marinette High School in 2000. Joined the United States Air Force Special Operations group, TACP (Tactical Air Control Party) Which is in charge of bringing close air support behind enemy lines. Jeff graduated with top honors in both the physical and mental aspects of his schooling including Airborne, Air Assault, Survival, and combat Life-savor school. He was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal in 2004 prior to leaving the military to pursue other interest in life.
Jeff went on to use his GI Bill, which is a military scholarship toward college for serving in the military, to graduate both undergrad and graduate school from Globe University in Woodbury, MN with high honors in exercise science. He focused on having a deep understanding the muscular/neuromuscular physiology and biomechanics. He chose this path while developing a passion for helping others move better, achieve their goals without pain or dysfunction and live a higher quality of life.
He is also a competitive martial artist in Kung Fu and Brazillian Jiu Jitsu. He is teaching kids and adults how to utilize the teachings of these arts to properly defend themselves with others around them and to better understand and have better control over themselves. He’s a lifetime drummer and loves music because of the ability to reach or change people and/or bring them together.
Jeff Tardiff is most passionate about being a husband to his wife and a good father to his two children. Cherishing his time with his family is a constant reminder of the importance of being able to stay healthy and mobile. Pain and limitations in mobility can make us miss out on this most valuable part of life and Jeff has a true passion for helping others experience a higher quality of this precious time.
Mike Lavalley
Jeff Tardiff, M.S.
Jeff Tardiff, M.S.
MAT Specialist
Mike was born and raised in Peshtigo, WI, where he attended high school and graduated in 2002 with honors. From an early age, Mike took a great interest in human anatomy and physiology. He’s always been fascinated with the “how it works” aspect of the human body. Mike went on to attend college courses at UW Marinette, and
MAT Specialist
Mike was born and raised in Peshtigo, WI, where he attended high school and graduated in 2002 with honors. From an early age, Mike took a great interest in human anatomy and physiology. He’s always been fascinated with the “how it works” aspect of the human body. Mike went on to attend college courses at UW Marinette, and then at UW Milwaukee with a focus on human biology. Knowing that helping people was what he really wanted to do, but still unsure how, Mike moved to California for a number of years to explore some possibilities.
In 2009, Mike moved back to the Marinette / Menominee area where became a father of two wonderful children, Jackson and Scarlett. Mike continued his search for a career in helping people and in early 2015 his close friend, Jeff Tardiff, told him about the amazing ways he’s been helping people at Truth in Function using a valuable muscle assessment tool and extensive knowledge in biomechanics and physiology. BINGO!
In the summer of 2015, Mike began attending classes in Chicago to learn MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques). MAT is a very valuable tool used to assess and treat the muscular system’s ability to supply feedback to the neurological system in the human body. Mike graduated the MAT Jumpstart program in October of 2015 and continued on to graduate the MAT Specialist program in March of 2017. In April of 2017, Mike joined the team at Truth in Function: Joint Strength and Stability Center.
The quest for education and knowledge never ends, as Mike is pursuing certifications in the Resistance Training Specialist (RTS) program. RTS uses physics and biomechanics to create “Custom Fit Exercise” to progress individual clients towards achieving their goals.
When he’s not working with the talented and knowledgeable staff at Truth in Function, Mike enjoys spending time with his family and making people laugh. He also enjoys playing music with friends, as he’s been playing guitar since early childhood.
Marissa Gannon
Marissa Gannon
Marissa Gannon
Trainer, MAT Jumpstart
RTS® The Resistance Training Specialist®
Marissa is a certified personal trainer with over 15 years of experience. Her education and hands on experience with a diverse client base has allowed her to specialize in all spectrums of an individual’s unique goal. She has worked with ages 13 – 93. Whether you are rehabbin
Trainer, MAT Jumpstart
RTS® The Resistance Training Specialist®
Marissa is a certified personal trainer with over 15 years of experience. Her education and hands on experience with a diverse client base has allowed her to specialize in all spectrums of an individual’s unique goal. She has worked with ages 13 – 93. Whether you are rehabbing from an injury, starting an exercise program for the first time or getting ready for a sport or competition, she has the knowledge and tools to get you there safely. With her education through the Resistance Training Specialist Program and MAT jump start certification you’ll receive appropriate and effective care, direction, and progression. Marissa takes time to explain and teach the individual. She enjoys helping people achieve a well-rounded healthy lifestyle.
Marissa keeps a continuing education and is working on getting her RTS certification. She currently holds MAT Jump Start, ISSA and Metabolic training certifications. She has been featured in US News and World Report articles.
Marissa was a former powerlifter and competed successfully earning a 2nd place. She also enjoys yoga, mud runs, hiking, dancing, and her dog, Eva.
Kari Mansur
Marissa Gannon
Marissa Gannon
Kari joined the Truth in Function team in April of 2018. Kari Is the Office Manager.
She will be the one who will welcome you when you walk through the door, or if you call on the phone between
8:00am-2:00pm. M-T-Thur-Fri.
Kari will help you schedule your appointments and help with any questions you might have to better understand all the
Kari joined the Truth in Function team in April of 2018. Kari Is the Office Manager.
She will be the one who will welcome you when you walk through the door, or if you call on the phone between
8:00am-2:00pm. M-T-Thur-Fri.
Kari will help you schedule your appointments and help with any questions you might have to better understand all the services we offer here at Truth in Function.
Kari is married and has two grown children and comes to us with a business background and prior experience running her own sales business and managing others as well working in banking, as a pharmacy tech and working in the school system.
Kari has a passion for helping others and would like to help you connect with the best person that will help you meet your needs here at Truth in Function
Justin Sieracki
Justin Sieracki
Justin Sieracki
Trainer, MAT Jumpstart
RTS® The Resistance Training Specialist®
Justin has had a passion for fitness and health for 11 years. He started his fitness journey in Crossfit and has competed in serveral Crossfit competitions. Justin has a very intense and aggressive mentality when working out or competing. He met exceptional levels because of m
Trainer, MAT Jumpstart
RTS® The Resistance Training Specialist®
Justin has had a passion for fitness and health for 11 years. He started his fitness journey in Crossfit and has competed in serveral Crossfit competitions. Justin has a very intense and aggressive mentality when working out or competing. He met exceptional levels because of mental drive, but it also became his downfall. In 2016, he injured his shoulder to the point that he couldn't even lift a half gallon of milk. Justin tried various things to heal it, such as chiropractic, massage therapy, physical therapy and cortisone shots and nothing seemed to help with recovery. A friend told him about Truth In Function so he decided to try it. After one session he was so impressed with the results that he was determined to learn more about the science behind it. This new passion lead him to various certifications in health and fitness and a far greater understanding in physiology, anatomy and biomechanics.
Laurie Tardiff
Justin Sieracki
Justin Sieracki
RTS® The Resistance Training Specialist®
Certified REVO₂LUTION RUNNING™ Trainer
Laurie has always had a passion for the sport of running, but didn’t get serious with the sport until 2016 when she signed up for her first marathon. She ran her first marathon in 2016 with a qualifying time to apply and run the Boston Marathon and later ran th
RTS® The Resistance Training Specialist®
Certified REVO₂LUTION RUNNING™ Trainer
Laurie has always had a passion for the sport of running, but didn’t get serious with the sport until 2016 when she signed up for her first marathon. She ran her first marathon in 2016 with a qualifying time to apply and run the Boston Marathon and later ran the Boston Marathon in 2018.
With her love for the sport, she decided to become a certified running coach under Dr. Jason Karp and now has her REVO₂LUTION RUNNING™ certification. She is also a certified Resistance Training Specialist (RTS), a program developed by Dr. Tom Purvis. This allowed her to gain knowledge of biomechanics and provide appropriate strength training to athletes based on their body’s individuality and goals.
One of her favorite things about coaching runners is to watch the athletes grow in strength both mentally and physically and overcome adversity to meet their goals.
Running may be considered a solo sport, but it requires a team effort!
Laurie also enjoys spending time with family, horseback riding in both trail riding and competitive sport, strength training, yoga and being outdoors. As a mom of 3 children, she understands the intricate balance one has pursing personal goals while having a full time career and/or raising a family.
“Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not demanding more from yourself - expanding and learning as you go - you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip.”
You cannot change or control the weather, the event, or the outcome, but you can control and change your attitude!
This is a gift – we get to do this!