Bulletproof Body Mechanics & Musculoskeletal Mastery

Then this 6 part series — From Head to Toe — May be for you

• Why is the average cost for a professional Bodywork program between 10 and 20K but so few practitioners are making a long lasting, lucrative career?

• Why is the average burnout rate among Licensed Massage Therapists 2 to 5 years?

• Why is overuse and injury so common among Professional Hands-On Healers?

What if you ….

• Became truly effective in eliminating a client’s pain and dysfunction,  could give them the depth they want, all without stressing yourself in the process?

• Could give a deep tissue massage all day, every day (upwards of 6 hands-on hours a day) without burning out, feeling fatigue or injuring yourself?

• Could learn the O’s, I’s and A’s of Musculoskeletal Anatomy effortlessly in a way you would remember for the entirety of your career?

• Understood intimately how muscles release so you would never have to “dig it out” or “muscle” a bodywork session ever again?

• Could learn techniques from head to toe in order to work smarter, not harder and have a full book of clientele?

That would be incredible, you would be unstoppable in your business!  Not only that, you could work as much or as little as you wanted without an external factor like burnout, injury an inability to earn a decent living taking you out of the game.

You Can do all of this and More!

Part One – Face | Jaw | Neck 

I can tell a great deal about a bodyworker’s skill simply by how they work the neck!

When you understand how muscles release and know exactly where you are in space, you can release the neck effortlessly without overworking.  The client will experience a “deep tissue massage” but you will be giving very minimal effort with maximum relief.

Common mistakes bodyworkers make in this region of the body:

• They rake over transverse processes (T.P.’s) not realizing they are doing this, which causes micro abrasions and more discomfort than necessary.  This can cause more neck dysfunction. 

• They give too much downward pressure or stretch the neck in a way that is counter productive likely because they are unaware of the A’s of the different layers of neck muscles. 

• They curl their fingers and use strong thumb pressure in thick neck muscles, which can cause thumb and finger pain for the practitioner.  

• Move too fast, switching techniques too rapidly and therefore are unable to get the release this area desperately needs.

• They use oil or lotion, too much and too often, which prevents connective tissue release.  

• They neglect the anterior neck and muscles of mastication, which are important for treating most dysfunction in the neck like whiplash. 

The neck can be delicate as it is the most vulnerable and mobile series of joints in the body.  Everyone’s neck is tight, but knowing what is causing what muscles to be tight, knowing what layer of muscle you are on, where the O’s, I’s and A’s are for each muscle and muscle group in the neck will get you return clients again and again for good work in the neck is rare indeed! 

Part Two – Shoulder | Arms | Forearms | Hands

Common mistakes bodyworkers make in this region of the body:

• They use oil from the beginning of the session, making fascia work impossible to achieve, limiting their ability to be effective with reducing nerve pain in the shoulder and arm

• They do not work the shoulder in the side lying position, which is by far the best way to treat dysfunction in the shoulder and arm 

• They are not skilled in basic fascial techniques like “pin and stretch” in order to gracefully and easefully reduce dysfunction, especially nerve dysfunction in this area

• They are unaware of the nerve anatomy in this area to properly treat muscle vs. nerve dysfunction

Part Three – The Back – Postural Disorders & Spinal Injuries

Most massage therapists do not understand how to make effective and lasting changes for most postural disorders such as sway back, scoliosis, head forward posture and kyphosis.  Furthermore, many do not understand how to treat back injuries like herniated and bulging disks or people with complex issues like post spinal surgery and spinal fusions.  

Contrary to what you may have learned in massage school, we CAN treat complex back issues but there must be a mastery in both technique and anatomy.

Common mistakes bodyworkers make in this region of the body:

• They learn of a spinal surgery or injury and simply “gloss over” this area instead of treating it because of uncertainty as t how to treat it
  

• They do not understand how antagonistic and synergistic muscles release, greatly reducing some of the most common postural issues like head forward posture

• Do not work the Fascial structures before using oils

• They tend to “dig it out” instead of gradually releasing painful and stiff muscles

Part Four – The Hip – From Sciatic to Psoas

Common mistakes bodyworkers make in this region of the body:

• They do not treat the gluteal region well due to a client wearing underwear

• They often treat the posterior hip without also treating the anterior hip for balance

• They forget the O’s, I’s and A’s of important muscles in this area like the deep lateral rotators.

• They are overprotective and do not to treat hip adductors properly

Part Five – Thigh | Leg | Foot

Many practitioners, newer and seasoned alike, do not know what to do with knee, foot or ankle pain.  What are the root causes of a particular joint dysfunction and how to treat them?  How does one assess cause and treat underlying issues so people can move freely without pain?  We will address that and more in this class.

 Common mistakes bodyworkers make in this region of the body:

• They rake over the I.T. band bruising the vastus lateralis, which is deep to the ITB, thus hurting their client in the process

• They make their clients winch in pain when they use elbows pressure indiscriminately in their clients hamstrings and quadriceps

• They forget the O’s, I’s and A’s of important muscles in this area and their bony landmarks and ligaments necessary to be effective in treating common injuries
  

• They do not understand clearly how the ankle, knee and hip are intimately related in lower body joint issues.
  

Part Six – Series Integration | Individual Problem Solving | Marketing