Rhythmical techniques for release, mobilising and energising;
These courses cover a range of rocking and rolling techniques which complement and enhance the effects of ‘classic’ massage techniques and, when needed, provide you with alternative ways of working effectively with clients. They are particularly useful for clients who are gradually tightening up due to sedentary work or lifestyles – to remind them what it feels like to be flexible and have an enlivened body.
Rhythmical bodywork is sometimes described as “dancing the client on the massage table”. A key foundation of this particular approach to rhythmical work (RhythmMobility) is learning how to discover each individual’s ‘natural’ body rhythms (and how to work with these), rather than imposing an arbitrary rhythm (which can be quite jangling and unpleasant for the recipient). You will receive extensive individual coaching to help you to find this on a number of different bodies.
We cover techniques which can easily be blended into massage treatments. As well as rocking techniques for the whole body, there are rhythmical stretches for the neck, shoulders, arms, hips and legs. These techniques are useful in massage sessions to:
- help clients to relax,
- calm or energise the client (or both)
- begin or end a whole body treatment or a back massage
- enhance and extend the release of classic massage techniques
- enhance general flexibility – counterbalancing the stiffening-up patterns that accumulate slowly from the tensions of modern life
and from sedentary work/life styles - work in specific ways to release particular areas of tension.
In addition to releasing tensions, classic massage addresses the essential need to be touched and stroked. Rhythmical bodywork talks to another essential human need – the need to move and be moved – which is being lost in much of today’s sedentary lives.
1 day Introduction – rocking the body, rolling the limbs; keeping the whole body moving
2 day course – Foundations of RhythmMobility – The first day covers basic rocking and rolling; the second day covers the principles of lengthways push-pull techniques, and how to transition smoothly between rocking/rolling and push-pull techniques.
8-day course – Advanced RhythmMobility – covers a full range of rocking/rolling/push-pull techniques (working with the client prone, supine and side-lying) including curved and circular movements, extensive limb and neck movements, ribs and spine release, rhythmical muscle release, combination RhythmMobility, and integrated rhythm-only sessions .
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When babies are upset, we often rock them to calm them down. Throughout life, people continue to respond to rhythmical movement (e.g. in music, sport and dancing).
These courses address a basic need that is often restricted in today’s increasingly sedentary world – the need to move and to be moved. The techniques are designed to release tension, increase flexibility and energise the body. They offer practitioners an effective way of working deeply that can often bypass the client’s (instinctive) barriers to release.
RhythmMobility article, Darien Pritchard, 2003