Register
Log In
Home
January 13, 2015
Offline
Module 1
I just started my training this morning with the introductory video. As a yoga instructor, much of the information already resonates with me, such as: moving with breath, working intuitively, and working with energy lines in the body, rather than breaking the body into joints, bones, muscles etc.
One part of the first video that stirred my interest was the mentioning of the energy field called "hara"
The extent of my energy medicine training is only what I know from Reiki training and yoga, which was based mainly on the 7 major chakras in the body. I am excited to dive a little deeper into the energy lines in the body in the upcoming videos. I was happy to learn that the practitioner's positions are all very similar to yoga postures that I feel comfortable in, and practice daily. I understand the idea of proper alignment as a practitioner, and how to ease our bodies while we work. I feel as though if we are intuitive with our bodies, this treatment may even be beneficial for us as well, similar to a yoga practice in a sense- but while connecting with another person.
Looking forward to the next video!
January 13, 2015
Offline I just posted my first module discussion in the forum, but realized I am to keep that thread alive for all of my discussion topics, as not to crowd the site. I see how to edit the post itself, but how can I edit the title so that it reads: "Jada's Complete Thai Massage Course", rather than "complete thai massage module 1"
January 13, 2015
Offline In the introductory email, it mentions forum posts and progress reports. Is there a format or an outline you would like us to use for a progress report? What are you looking for in this? Is it simply a journal log of our hands on experiences, or ?
June 28, 2010
Offline 
Hi Jada, welcome to the Complete Thai Massage course. As a yoga instructor this should be a perfect fit for you. There are lots of yoga instructors here in the forum, so you are in good company! 
You got a little mixed up with your forum posting. So far you started three new topics in different places and different forums. I moved them all to this topic, and from now on all your posts should go right here under this topic.
It looks like you should re-read the certification tutorial where this is explained in more detail.
Also please take a moment and read the Certification Check List:
I already corrected item #2 and #3 for you by including your name in the topic title and adding the module number to your post.
I also changed your display name from pranahatayoga to Jada, and I added your name to your profile. The forum and profile information should match the certification registration, otherwise it gets all mixed up.
So now I organized, fixed and consolidated it all for you, and all you need to do is just click on "Add Reply" to create new posts.
I am looking forward to reading your future posts and assisting you whenever necessary.
January 13, 2015
Offline Module 2
*Ok, thank you very much for organizing that for me. I suppose I will get used to it with time. So, everything I post no matter what goes in this thread? What about if I am wanting to reach out to others? Can I post on their threads, and can they post in this one?*
-I have been practicing the Chi-Machine, and am loving the energy that I feel from it. What a bonus to receive a little energy from the process! One little thing I did notice while practicing this, was that if I had a more firm hold on the legs, and almost moved them energetically TOWARDS the hip socket, that was when I was able to get the hips to move (therefore the whole body to move.)
This was not done with any force or muscle effort, it was more of an intentional, energetic direction if that makes sense.
So far I have only been able to practice the chi machine on my smaller children, but my husband finally gets home from work tonight and I will be able to test it out on him. He is a large man, and very muscular so I am interested to see how the body weight changes (or doesn't change) the experience. If I were to make an assumption, I would think the weight should not make much of a difference as long as my posture is correct, and it feels right in my body.
I will update you tomorrow after I try it on him, and let you know anything that is different or the same.
Have a wonderful weekend,
June 28, 2010
Offline All your certification progress reports go in this thread. You can of course post in other member's threads, and they can post in your thread as well. Actually I encourage connecting with others. It's just that the posts which count towards the certification have to be in this thread exclusively. Otherwise I have one heck of a time finding them and piecing them together.
I am interested to hear how the practice will work with your husband. There is no question that some techniques are more difficult to do on much larger and heavier persons, and some techniques can't be done on such persons if the therapist is small and light.
Those scenarios will all be covered in depth throughout this course. If you learn how to work with your body weight and correct ergonomics, you will be pleasantly surprised how much effective work can be done in Thai Massage even on much larger clients.
January 13, 2015
Offline Well, I was able to practice the Chi machine on my husband several times, and to my surprise there was no difference at all even though I was dealing with 140 pounds more weight! I find that a bit releiving, as I wasnt sure how I would succeed with larger clients, when I am only 110 pounds myself.
January 13, 2015
Offline Module 3- foot massage
this is definetly not as easy as you make it look in the video! I have practiced this on my husband and have watched the video a few times. I find it challenging to find a natural circular rhythm with my body, as well as changing the 1,2,3 hand positions in a way that is gentle and flowing. I look forward to finding that rhythm, and I understand it will take time and practice. The move I found to be the trickiest was when you have the clients leg resting on yours, then twist,push hip & leg toward hop socket, then bend and pull foot and leg away (towards the end of the video) i find it challenging to feel rhythmic and smooth in the circular motion again.
One question I have is when beginning a treatment, would you first open with "chi machine" and then proceed to the foot massage?
thank you!
-Jada
June 28, 2010
Offline 110 pounds is probably the average weight of most Thai Massage therapists here in Thailand, and they all manage to work on much larger clients just fine, so I am sure you will too.
Many students have told me that I make it look easier than it is. Well, after a while it will be just as easy for you once you find your 'groove'. Of course this does not happen immediately.
I like to open with the Chi Machine, however there are really no hard and fast rules. I think that the Chi Machine is a good opening move since it is something really different, it has the surprising 'tingle' effect, and it tells the client that you have a special skill. Plus it is really effective in getting the client to relax and let go right away.
However there is nothing wrong with building it in at a later point either, like after the foot massage. As you will see throughout the course, I am not proponent of many strict rules when it comes to following sequences. I prefer to develop the creative and intuitive side of Thai Massage versus the mechanical system of following step one to 100 or so.
Sure, in the beginning you need to learn all the techniques, and following a sequence is a useful way to remember them, but never think that those sequences are written in stone.
January 13, 2015
Offline Yes, I resonate with that approach. Much like my yoga training, at first I liked the security of writing down my planned classes- until I felt ready to teach from my heart and read the energy of a class. I like the idea if opening with Chi machine- it is something special!
January 13, 2015
Offline I have spent some time working with the feet, and seem to be finding a smoother rhythm. I am still enjoying the Chi Machine, and feel like I want to do it to all of my friends, haha!
I enjoyed the leg work, and have practiced it only a couple of times so far. Alot of the muscles and positions are familiar to me because of yoga. I like the idea of using props under the knee and support for the foot when people might have restricted range of motion in their hips. I also know that in yoga when the muscles are supported like that, they are able to completely surrender and relax- benefiting fully from the stretch, or in this case, the massage. I will work cautiously with people on their calves until I understand how to detect someone's limit of pressure. I am very sensitive in the calves.
At some point, will the videos cover that point? I understand that it is intuitive energy work, but is there a way to know where someone's limit is in either a stretch, or simply the amount of body weight we lean into their muscles? I imagine the body will sortof just stop where the limit is, I guess I am just worried that I will push someone too far. Thoughts?
June 28, 2010
Offline We just finished an entire video module about using props in Thai Massage. This will be automatically added to this course.
And yes, you will definitely learn methods to gauge how far you can go with the techniques, specifically the "one-to-ten" method. Actually there is another entire video about that which will also automatically be added to this course.
January 13, 2015
Offline Sounds great, I look forward to those videos, and for now I am just communicating with my partner about pressure. I did a full foot massage plus leg warm up last night all together, and it went well. It felt natural and rythmic, and The transitions between positions felt smooth. (i asked for feedback)
One funny boundary I am going to have to overcome is the butterfly technique when in close proximity to the groin. It is not that I feel uncomfortable, it is more a concern and uncertainity of my partner is comfortable. I asked my partner last night, and the response was reassuring- my partner said it was very relaxing and to "just get in the re"
once that boundary was clarified, i was able to continue my work without that hesitation, and the energy continued to flow nicely. Have you ever experienced anyone who WAS uncomfortable having the pelvis,groin,glutes worked on? Do you usually open up that conversation in the beginning? I am trying to be sensitive to boundaries, as you never know if someone has experienced abuse or holds "issues in the tissues"
June 28, 2010
Offline I have never experienced anyone who was uncomfortable with me working the pelvis, glutes, or groin. Actually I have no idea why anyone would feel uncomfortable about that. Just the opposite, in my experience people love having their glutes worked on. And I cannot imagine why anyone would have boundary issues with the pelvis.
As far the the groin area is concerned, I am more careful about that with male clients since you can get quite close to their genital.
In general I have found that if the therapist has good clean energy and not all kinds of mental cobwebs or reservations in their own mind, then clients don't have any issue either. I mean why would anyone have an issue with a therapist touching their glutes? I understand that we obviously don't touch the genitals or get very close to them, but this does not include the glutes or the pelvis in general.
I have never once asked a client about boundary issues, and no client ever brought it up either. If you ask a client about boundary issues you basically create an issue in their mind right then and there because you insinuate that there might be something inappropriate about what you might do.
I always use my common sense - I don't get within a few inches of the genitals and that's it. Actually in my experience people love having those areas you mentioned worked on since most therapists stay away from them as if there is something wrong with them. Actually right here in the forum there are lots of comments by course students and therapists who wrote that their clients love sacrum work (which includes the glutes area), once they get to the sacrum section of this course.
I suggest you type "sacrum" (without quotation marks) in the search box of the forum and read some of the comments. I think you will be surprised at how well received this is by clients.
January 13, 2015
Offline Thank you 
that makes me feel alot better! I have spent some time really i corporating foot massage with the leg warm ups and am getting quite comfortable. I have begun also including the forearm techniques which I found came a little more naturally for me. Because my partner has very large tight muscles, I find the forearm smoother and more powerful to work with.
However, all the different positions will take some getting used to as we use ourselves to support the knee, block their foot, etc. at the moment I just have my binder off to the side for reference until it becomes more natural. Once I get into position it very quickly becomes obvious why that position is best, as it exposes the muscle and makes it more accessable to be worked on.
The technique I enjoyed the most and felt most natural with in this module was the elephant walking between the heel & calf muscle. It felt and looked like it would feel amazing, and my body responded to it naturally.
June 28, 2010
Offline Forearms work is generally a good choice for working on large muscles. Whenever possible it is a good idea to use body parts other than your hands for large muscles and large people. Save your hands as much as possible and you will prolong your career.
January 13, 2015
Offline Module 7- leg stretches
I enjoyed the opening portion of this video when you are referring to assessing the body by looking at the feet. I use this technique alot when instructing yoga, and I find it amazing how tightness, or injury in one part of the body can completely change or manifest in a different part of the body.
I enjoyed the elephant walking technique again in this practice, it seems to be something that feels really natural and rhythmic for me- i will remember that in the future when i practice on real clients. What I found a bit tricky was positioning myself in the correct place when pressing into the knee and straightening my leg. I know this will take practice to judge the distance and positioning. I can tell that once it becomes smoother in my body and more rhythmic, that it will feel really good for the client (and maybe me too!)
i am starting to piece the modules together each time i practice now, beginning with chi nachine, then foot massage, then leg warmup, and now incorporating the stretch. It is working for me rather than just practicing the current module, because now the foot massage and warmups and chi machine and starting to become much more natural and graceful.
June 28, 2010
Offline That's the way to do it. Practicing only one module at a time in isolation is not as good as starting from the beginning. This takes more time, but it will come together much faster that way.
January 13, 2015
Offline Module 8
Thank you for opening this module with the hip pie concept. I have a feeling it will really make it easier for my brain to retain information, and not feel like the legs are in a hundred different positions that are all similar.
The calf work in this module seems to be a bit more gentle, especially on a partner (or client) with tight calves. I felt like I was able to connect with the calves and the limit of force I could use, more so than in module 5 where we rolled the thumbs up along the calf. It is nice to have these two different options for differing body types, small/large calves, or tight/soft muscles.
It is amazing how different styles of pressure, and using different tools or body parts can feel so different even when working on the same muscle.
I found it helpful to actually just practice the different pie hip positions as you did in the beginning of the video, to really become comfortable with those positions, and where the resistance is in the client, depending on hip/groin flexibility.
June 28, 2010
Offline The "hip pie", just like the "8 ways to move the foot" from an earlier module are all methods to make it easier for the brain to make sense out of those "100 different positions which are all similar". After a while they won't seem so similar anymore since they all accomplish different things.
Throughout this course you will always get alternative methods for accomplishing the same thing since one way of doing it will not accommodate various sizes and weights of clients.
1 Guest(s)
