Pain Treatment Secrets

Build A Practice Your Clients Can’t Stop Talking About — By Dissolving Pain Right At The Source

Tired of being stumped by your clients’ pain issues? Most pain comes from trigger points in muscles and can be eliminated fully and efficiently by understanding its true origins using the principles and techniques of Coaching The Body®.

A nan with pain-relief device
20+
Years in Business
2500
Online Students
2000+
In Person Students
Hundreds
of Approved CE Course Hours
Thousands
of clients helped
National Certification Board Badge

Continuing Education Credits

We are proud to be an approved provider with NCBTMB for massage continuing education.

Build A Practice Your Clients Can’t Stop Talking About

NCBTMB-Approved CE hours for massage. Take care of your CE requirements while learning a world-class system for treating pain. Our weekly lessons award 1-2 hours per week, making this aspect alone a great value even without the Muscle Liberator.

Learn how to resolve pain at the source. Instead of being mislead by the "illusion of injury", you'll be treating the muscles that are ACTUALLY causing the pain. Understand how to address the perpetuating factors, satellite referral chains and other relationships that set it up in the first place.

Pursue specialist status in each major pain area – shoulder pain, sciatic pain, knee pain and more. Become part of our CTB Practitioner Directory at PainHackers.org.

Fix "rounded shoulder posture" and other distortions using the Muscle Liberator™. Our proprietary tool is designed to clear the dysfunction that keeps muscles at abnormal resting length – in record time.

Use the latest technology to put your treatments into hyper-drive. Learn muscle-specific treatments using our amazing Muscle Liberator™ tool -- combining percussion, distraction and corrective patterns of movement.

a different images of stretching practices
a man stretching out an arm of another man

Tired of Not Having the Answers to Your Client’s Pain Issues?

Do you find yourself at a loss when clients come to you with pain and scary diagnoses expecting massage and bodywork to help?

What do you do when techniques you've learned don’t help?

Do you end up treating the same issue every time, and it never lasts?

Your client suffers, your business suffers, your confidence suffers.

Learn how to understand where pain is really coming from and treat it at the source the with our proven methods - so you can help your clients and your business thrive.

3 Myths of Conventional Medicine

MYTH #1

Pain is the result of injury or some mysterious “inflammation”.

Nope. Although acute trauma, like a fall or collision, can damage tissues and cause pain, most pain is actually from trigger points in muscles. This has been proven by studies at pain clinics, research at the NIH and in our own clinical experience. Trigger points are small areas of stagnation in muscle tissue that develop in response to chronic or acute stresses on muscles. Trigger points aren’t injuries, and they commonly send pain to other areas (pain referral) in a way that can very much feel like an injury. This fools everyone - doctors, PTs, most practitioners.

MYTH #2

Painful, impaired muscles test "weak" and need to be strengthened.

Nope. You can’t “strengthen” yourself out of pain. That’s why traditional physical therapy often fails or even makes pain worse.

There is a common misunderstanding of how and why a muscle becomes “weak”. Weakness is often the result of trigger points in muscle fibers. These fibers cannot contract on demand of the nervous system -- they are in a stuck contraction known as a contracture. Putting compromised muscles with trigger points under load, stretch or shortening often leads to a larger pain response from the nervous system, and more trigger point fiber development, exacerbating the problem.

In Coaching The Body® methods, the trigger point fibers are first reduced, and pain-free movement restored, before any strengthening work. Restoring the ability of muscle fibers to contract on demand brings them back “online” to the nervous system. The muscle regains strength immediately and then can be further conditioned with incremental strengthening exercises.

MYTH #3

Pain means muscles are tight and need to be stretched.

Nope. Although stretching can feel great after being immobile in front of computer or driving for too long, it can also light up pain issues.  And for chronic, recurring pain, stretching is borderline useless, unless you understand where the pain is coming from in the first place (and it's usually not where you might think).

The issue comes down again to most medical and massage professionals not understanding muscle trigger point physiology. When trigger point fibers are stretched without first being treated, the nociceptors in the muscle will send danger signals to the nervous system which will then engage the muscle and shut down the stretch to protect the body from perceived danger.

In Coaching The Body®, we use knowledge of pain referral and functional relationships to understand the true sources of pain. We then use muscle energy techniques and neurological distraction to resolve trigger points in muscles to gain strength, length and pain-free range of motion.

The result is fast, dramatic change--sometimes within minutes.

Have You Ever Experienced Any of This?

You learned some trigger point techniques in school, but they have never produced great results, so you only use them occasionally?

You’ve taken courses from big name "expert "instructors and their approach didn't deliver what was promised?

Your clients come back every session with the same problem, or keep “re-injuring” the same area?

You struggle working on clients with big, dense muscles and end up with sore hands, back and neck? You wonder sometimes if you will need to switch careers because your own body hurts?

You're just getting by in your bodywork practice, and you don't see how you can raise your rates, expand your clientele and thrive?

You know that stretching and movement are important, but you don't understand functional anatomy well enough to be confident stretching your clients' muscles?

You lose clients when you have to refer them to other practitioners, and they don’t come back to work with you?

You got into massage because you wanted to help people, but you've hit a rut and don't feel that you know enough to really get to the bottom of chronic pain issues?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you will learn to truly help people, build a thriving practice and become a pain rockstar at Coaching The Body®.

“I used your approach today on a client with an ‘arthritic hip’. Turns out he had the trigger point of all trigger points in his adductor magnus. He was in disbelief about his range of motion in his hip when we were finished. I’m only 8 weeks in to the CTB membership and it’s absolutely the best thing I’ve ever done for my business/life. I totally changed 3 peoples lives today with the Muscle Liberator and the understanding of functional anatomy and TP referral from your classes. Infinite gratitude for your work.”

Sarah Cook

CTB Member

“I haven’t come across a person with such specific knowledge in myofascial pain in quite some time..”

Laura Pudloski

I'm a massage therapist and I also do a lot of trigger point work and Thai work and I'm just like in heaven. I'm only halfway through week one and I'm so thrilled.

Kathleen Yorke

Chuck’s years of study and practice has evolved into the healing wisdom our Westernized society needs TODAY. I want to share this with my community and teach it to future generations!!!

Julianne Hutchcraft

“Makes so much sense to learn it this way-- functionally.”

Molly

“Yes! So much info about the referral areas. Just what I wanted and needed. It brought all the prior classes together.”

Kimberly Wilkes

“After about 20 minutes of gingerly addressing my partner’s traps, subscap, infra, supra, deltoid, and biceps  his pain-free ROM increased dramatically. We were both amazed!!!”

Kim Stevenson

Thanks Chuck! I love this approach! From my 35 years of doing massage, this all makes sense to me. Thanks for sharing this concept.

K. HarrisHeidi Scott

“These studies are invaluable! I am so thankful to have discovered your program.

Julie Shelton

“Very awesome and very eye opening. I always thought how important your feet were.That is your foundation. But this brings it to a whole new level.”

Joe Matacic Jr

“I believe so strongly in what Chuck is doing. I have watched it transform lives and eliminate medical diagnoses! I’m THRILLED to continue my study, learning from a true master of healing pain and injury!”

Julianne Hutchcraft

“Thanks Chuck for your contribution. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I am enjoying the weekly online classes and look forward to seeing you in person soon.

Liana Congram

I am a chiropractor and I have been getting through the modules as fast as I can. I have gotten the best results with shoulders I've ever gotten.

Josh Sturgis

“This training has been one of the best investments I have made in my career. And I’m not even halfway through my training! I highly recommend it if you’re considering it.”

Gretchen Popp

Chuck, I have finished the shoulder membership course and I believe it is the best class I have taken in years . I found both the notes and videos of the highest grade.

Peter Wyland, DC

I’m only one session in and I’ve already been able to manually change some of how I’m treating at work, and my clients are seeing and feeling the difference! So cool.

Emily Williams

People are getting healed over here. Every day two or three new people. I’ve got to shut the door!

Bernardo Bravo

I'm truly glad that I learned of CTB and have just passed my exams!! Thank you for all you do. I'm so encouraged and consistently tell my patients at the hospital about specific techniques.

Shannon Leigh Ford, OT

“I’m a COTA, every patient has some type of shoulder pain. In the first 2 weeks, I’ve been able to effectively assess where the pain is actually coming from. I’ve helped 5 people eliminate their pain using the techniques Chuck teaches..”

Diane Pabst

“I have a much clearer understanding of muscles because of Doug's demos!!!”

Adam

I am seeing about 30-40 patients a day and get only 15 minutes per patient but they are improving because of the great trigger point analysis you teach. I am working in a Rehabilitation Center that treats people with severe injuries .

Karen Harrison

I wish I knew all this info 15 years ago. I Finally gained the confidence I have been wanting and raised my prices. Had no complaints from clients because they are seeing more results.

Brooke Anderson

One of the best things I've ever done for myself.

K. Harris

“Detailed, organized and understandable! Love it how detailed, organized and understandable the lesson is! Even being out of school for many years , it was easy to learn!”

E. Taveras

“I love this class! HOLY. WHAT. IN. THE. HECK! SERIOUSLY. 3 people this week with extreme shoulder pain. The 1st one... when I was finished, his shoulder sat correctly into the joint and ZERO pain.”

Kristi Couse

“Class content was exceptional and liked practice time. Having the entire protocol was very helpful. Knowledgable intructors”

Anonymous

“Best information and teaching. Best information and teaching I have ever had in my 20 years of taking classes.”

Diane Sawtell

“Fabulous chuck! So grateful to have this membership as a learning tool. My clients are benefiting tremendously.”

Pauline Wilder

“Teaches the why which makes everything come together.”

Anonymous

“Excellent Trainings! Chuck has some excellent training for frozen shoulder and using his ML/percussion therapy tool makes a HUGE difference in how you can help coach-the-body back to homeostasis!!!”

Charlie Peebles

“ I’m only 8 weeks in to CTBI membership and it’s absolutely the best thing I’ve ever done for my business/life. I totally changed 3 peoples lives today with the muscle liberator and my understanding of functional anatomy and TP referral. Infinite gratitude for your work.”

Sarah Cook

This course has been a game changer for me. A PT for 11 years and using the Liberator has changed my patients lives. The results have been great and over all outcomes are amazing. Best tool ever and life changing. Thank you Chuck!

Dawn Higgins, PT

The CTB Membership has been very impactful. I've had several clients with amazing transformations. from Frozen Shoulder to sciatica and even heel spurs.

Chris Eliades

HUGELY EMPOWERING! This course has resonated to the very core of my practice and I am very excited to helping my clients with huge results. I have received one the most beautiful compliments. A client stated "She wished she could give me to the World."

Dawn DeHamer

I'm 110% convinced that teaching along with practicing CTB is how I'm going to be able to help the most amount of people, not only now, but also into the future. You have created a legacy that will go on for years if not centuries if this world lasts that long!

Charles Rizio

“I feel ike I'm learning the most advanced and expert training available, it's the best.”

Will Baird

“It was helpful to have the apprentices and other teachers in the class.”

Tracy Pitts

“Amazing information. This is one of the best techniques that I have ever learned. Very helpful to my patients. I truly believe that the Liberator facilitates faster and lasting results in reducing muscles tightness and pain.”

Joanne Verone

“I did this very thing today on a client with an arthritic hip. Turns out he had the trigger point of all trigger points in his adductor magnus. He was in disbelief by his range of motion in his hip when we were finished.”

Sarah Cook

Thanks to Chuck, I was finally able to help a lady with extreme frozen shoulder and sciatica after a couple of sessions.

Brooke Anderson

“Chuck is a fantastic teacher, as always. He changes my worldview and deepens my understanding of the body and of pain every time.”

Anonymous

Ok, this is it. I don’t even know how I was treating patients!

Brian Simpson
Become a PainHacker and Transform Your Clients’ Lives

Break Free From Traditional Limitations

“Incredibly effective. I’m a COTA, every patient I have has some type of shoulder pain. In the first 2 weeks of this class, I’ve been able to effectively assess where the pain is actually coming from. I’ve helped 5 people eliminate their pain using the techniques Chuck teaches.” - Diane Pabst

Comprehensive, Cutting-Edge Curriculum

Elevate your manual therapy practice with our innovative online apprenticeship program.

Expert Guidance

Learn directly from Chuck Duff, CTB Founder and Doug Ringwald, Master CTB Practitioner.

Video Lessons

Gain access to hundreds of hours of in-depth video lectures and demos.

CEUs

Earn 70+ NCBTMB CEs in each of the Foundation and Advanced bundles.

Tool Discount

Get a substantial discount on our Muscle Liberator™ therapeutic vibration tool.

Quizzes & Downloads

Reinforce your learning through engaging quizzes, slides and manuals.

Ongoing Support

Receive continued guidance and assistance in our CTB Mastermind Community.

Unlock Your Full Potential

SALE - 40% OFF

Foundation Bundle
$1475
$997
3 Days Only - One Payment (4 Payments Available With AfterPay)
CTB Fundamentals
CTB Upper Body Pain Foundation
CTB Lower Body Pain Foundation
CTB Knee Pain Foundation
CTB Hip, Thigh Pain Advanced
Members Mastermind Community
BONUS: Free Muscle Liberator 2 ($300 value)
75 Total CE Hours
Advanced Bundle
$1485
$997
One Payment (4 Payments Available With AfterPay)
CTB Head and Neck Pain Advanced
CTB Foot, Ankle and Lower Leg Pain Advanced
CTB Low Back, Sacral and Gluteal Pain Advanced
CTB Mid Back, Thoracic and Abdominal Pain Advanced
CTB Forearm and Hand Pain Advanced
BONUS: CTB Session Library
67 Total CE Hours
Complete Practitioner
Bundle
$2950
$1,897
One Payment (4 Payments Available With AfterPay)
All lessons in Foundation Bundle
All lessons in Advanced Bundle
Full course access at a discounted price
Two years of content with quizzes, downloads, and more
BONUS: Free Muscle Liberator 2($300 value)
142 Total CE Hours

10 Courses, Providing Comprehensive Coverage of All Body Areas

"I want to thank Chuck Duff and your whole staff for the wonderful training I have received through this course. It has been a game-changer for me in my practice, and I am very grateful for the instruction I have received through the lesson videos. I would recommend this to anyone looking to really make a difference in the treatment of clients in pain. Thank you all SO much."

Susan G.

CTB Member

Here’s What People Are Saying About This Course

“As always you have provided us with a fantastic ampunt of information that is coherent and well presented.”

Laura Hulice

“It’s amazing stuff. I'm so glad I found this. Although overwhelming I know exactly what I need to focus on learning.”

Heidi

“I thought I knew a lot about shoulder treatment but this class de-constructed and re-constructed what I knew.”

Neil

“Excellent instruction. Easy to understand.”

Anonymous

“Absolute excellence. With both the course material and the instructors.”

Katherine Berroa

I now have much better comprehension of the big picture and how to work with it. You are improving my ability to effectively provide treatment that resolves the imbalances.

Sandra Lee

I want to thank Chuck Duff and your whole staff for the wonderful training I have received through this course. It has been a game-changer for me in my practice.

Susan Gillespie

Thanks so much for the program, it’s truly making a difference in my practice and I look forward to my future lessons!

Brittany Keebaugh

“Yes. How exciting to be able to learn how to use all parts of my body! Elbows, knees, and feet.”

Anonymous

I got my muscle liberator last week and tried it for the first time today. I achieved more in 20 seconds than I did in the last 4 weeks of therapy-my patient was stunned and I was so excited!

Kate Young

People now will often text me about having better range of motion and less discomfort as they go about their daily life. This is rewarding to know that this technique is changing their quality of life.

Joanne Verone

Chuck Duff offers a ton of excellent trainings that can help you change your MT/manual therapy practice!!! Check this Out!!!

Charlie Peebles

Based in Point Cook, Victoria, Australia. The in-depth knowledge in the slides and  video have made me confident in tackling some fairly decent shoulder issues over the last couple of weeks, and the results have been truly amazing

Anthony McKergow

I totally changed 3 peoples lives today with the muscle liberator and my understanding of functional anatomy and TP referral. Infinite gratitude for your work.

Sarah Cook

I thought that I had studied TrP therapy! But, I never got the detailed referral patterns or the synergistic kinesiology. I'm really excited about opportunities this is creating in my career!

Valoree Gift

I thought that I had studied TrP therapy! But, I never got the detailed referral patterns or the synergistic kinesiology. I'm really excited about opportunities this is creating in my career!

Catharina Kiaha

“Very knowledgeable teachers. I appreciated the anatomical/clinical info. for the various positions. I also appreciated encouragement to try various approaches and to not necessarily follow a set sequence.”

Anonymous

“What I appreciated most was the time and freedom/ permission to experiment and find the best way to do the technique for me and the client.”

Andrea

“Best CEU I have taken in 10 years!”

Anonymous

With the little I know I was able to help another client, this morning, with her shoulder & she wants to come back regularly every 3 weeks!

Karise Lewin

“I haven’t come across a person with such specific knowledge in myofascial pain in quite some time..”

Laura Pudloski

I'm a massage therapist and I also do a lot of trigger point work and Thai work and I'm just like in heaven. I'm only halfway through week one and I'm so thrilled.

Kathleen Yorke

Chuck’s years of study and practice has evolved into the healing wisdom our Westernized society needs TODAY. I want to share this with my community and teach it to future generations!!!

Julianne Hutchcraft

“Makes so much sense to learn it this way-- functionally.”

Molly

“Yes! So much info about the referral areas. Just what I wanted and needed. It brought all the prior classes together.”

Kimberly Wilkes

“After about 20 minutes of gingerly addressing my partner’s traps, subscap, infra, supra, deltoid, and biceps  his pain-free ROM increased dramatically. We were both amazed!!!”

Kim Stevenson

Thanks Chuck! I love this approach! From my 35 years of doing massage, this all makes sense to me. Thanks for sharing this concept.

K. HarrisHeidi Scott

“These studies are invaluable! I am so thankful to have discovered your program.

Julie Shelton

“Very awesome and very eye opening. I always thought how important your feet were.That is your foundation. But this brings it to a whole new level.”

Joe Matacic Jr

“I believe so strongly in what Chuck is doing. I have watched it transform lives and eliminate medical diagnoses! I’m THRILLED to continue my study, learning from a true master of healing pain and injury!”

Julianne Hutchcraft

“Thanks Chuck for your contribution. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I am enjoying the weekly online classes and look forward to seeing you in person soon.

Liana Congram

“I haven’t come across a person with such specific knowledge in myofascial pain in quite some time..”

Laura Pudloski

I'm a massage therapist and I also do a lot of trigger point work and Thai work and I'm just like in heaven. I'm only halfway through week one and I'm so thrilled.

Kathleen Yorke

Chuck’s years of study and practice has evolved into the healing wisdom our Westernized society needs TODAY. I want to share this with my community and teach it to future generations!!!

Julianne Hutchcraft

“Makes so much sense to learn it this way-- functionally.”

Molly

“Yes! So much info about the referral areas. Just what I wanted and needed. It brought all the prior classes together.”

Kimberly Wilkes

“After about 20 minutes of gingerly addressing my partner’s traps, subscap, infra, supra, deltoid, and biceps  his pain-free ROM increased dramatically. We were both amazed!!!”

Kim Stevenson

Thanks Chuck! I love this approach! From my 35 years of doing massage, this all makes sense to me. Thanks for sharing this concept.

K. HarrisHeidi Scott

“These studies are invaluable! I am so thankful to have discovered your program.

Julie Shelton

“Very awesome and very eye opening. I always thought how important your feet were.That is your foundation. But this brings it to a whole new level.”

Joe Matacic Jr

“I believe so strongly in what Chuck is doing. I have watched it transform lives and eliminate medical diagnoses! I’m THRILLED to continue my study, learning from a true master of healing pain and injury!”

Julianne Hutchcraft

“Thanks Chuck for your contribution. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I am enjoying the weekly online classes and look forward to seeing you in person soon.

Liana Congram

I am a chiropractor and I have been getting through the modules as fast as I can. I have gotten the best results with shoulders I've ever gotten.

Josh Sturgis

“This training has been one of the best investments I have made in my career. And I’m not even halfway through my training! I highly recommend it if you’re considering it.”

Gretchen Popp

Chuck, I have finished the shoulder membership course and I believe it is the best class I have taken in years . I found both the notes and videos of the highest grade.

Peter Wyland, DC

I’m only one session in and I’ve already been able to manually change some of how I’m treating at work, and my clients are seeing and feeling the difference! So cool.

Emily Williams

People are getting healed over here. Every day two or three new people. I’ve got to shut the door!

Bernardo Bravo

I'm truly glad that I learned of CTB and have just passed my exams!! Thank you for all you do. I'm so encouraged and consistently tell my patients at the hospital about specific techniques.

Shannon Leigh Ford, OT

“I’m a COTA, every patient has some type of shoulder pain. In the first 2 weeks, I’ve been able to effectively assess where the pain is actually coming from. I’ve helped 5 people eliminate their pain using the techniques Chuck teaches..”

Diane Pabst

“I have a much clearer understanding of muscles because of Doug's demos!!!”

Adam

I am seeing about 30-40 patients a day and get only 15 minutes per patient but they are improving because of the great trigger point analysis you teach. I am working in a Rehabilitation Center that treats people with severe injuries .

Karen Harrison

I wish I knew all this info 15 years ago. I Finally gained the confidence I have been wanting and raised my prices. Had no complaints from clients because they are seeing more results.

Brooke Anderson

One of the best things I've ever done for myself.

K. Harris

“Detailed, organized and understandable! Love it how detailed, organized and understandable the lesson is! Even being out of school for many years , it was easy to learn!”

E. Taveras

“I love this class! HOLY. WHAT. IN. THE. HECK! SERIOUSLY. 3 people this week with extreme shoulder pain. The 1st one... when I was finished, his shoulder sat correctly into the joint and ZERO pain.”

Kristi Couse

“Class content was exceptional and liked practice time. Having the entire protocol was very helpful. Knowledgable intructors”

Anonymous

“Best information and teaching. Best information and teaching I have ever had in my 20 years of taking classes.”

Diane Sawtell

“Fabulous chuck! So grateful to have this membership as a learning tool. My clients are benefiting tremendously.”

Pauline Wilder

“Teaches the why which makes everything come together.”

Anonymous

“Excellent Trainings! Chuck has some excellent training for frozen shoulder and using his ML/percussion therapy tool makes a HUGE difference in how you can help coach-the-body back to homeostasis!!!”

Charlie Peebles

“ I’m only 8 weeks in to CTBI membership and it’s absolutely the best thing I’ve ever done for my business/life. I totally changed 3 peoples lives today with the muscle liberator and my understanding of functional anatomy and TP referral. Infinite gratitude for your work.”

Sarah Cook

This course has been a game changer for me. A PT for 11 years and using the Liberator has changed my patients lives. The results have been great and over all outcomes are amazing. Best tool ever and life changing. Thank you Chuck!

Dawn Higgins, PT

The CTB Membership has been very impactful. I've had several clients with amazing transformations. from Frozen Shoulder to sciatica and even heel spurs.

Chris Eliades

HUGELY EMPOWERING! This course has resonated to the very core of my practice and I am very excited to helping my clients with huge results. I have received one the most beautiful compliments. A client stated "She wished she could give me to the World."

Dawn DeHamer

I'm 110% convinced that teaching along with practicing CTB is how I'm going to be able to help the most amount of people, not only now, but also into the future. You have created a legacy that will go on for years if not centuries if this world lasts that long!

Charles Rizio

“I feel ike I'm learning the most advanced and expert training available, it's the best.”

Will Baird

“It was helpful to have the apprentices and other teachers in the class.”

Tracy Pitts

“Amazing information. This is one of the best techniques that I have ever learned. Very helpful to my patients. I truly believe that the Liberator facilitates faster and lasting results in reducing muscles tightness and pain.”

Joanne Verone

“I did this very thing today on a client with an arthritic hip. Turns out he had the trigger point of all trigger points in his adductor magnus. He was in disbelief by his range of motion in his hip when we were finished.”

Sarah Cook

Thanks to Chuck, I was finally able to help a lady with extreme frozen shoulder and sciatica after a couple of sessions.

Brooke Anderson

“Chuck is a fantastic teacher, as always. He changes my worldview and deepens my understanding of the body and of pain every time.”

Anonymous

Ok, this is it. I don’t even know how I was treating patients!

Brian Simpson
Unlock the Power of the Muscle Liberator™

Eliminate Pain Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible

Get the revolutionary Muscle Liberator 2™ ($300 value) FREE with your Foundation Bundle, transforming your trigger point work and CTB™ techniques for optimal results.

“I am a small person and the Muscle Liberator is what made me feel as if I really have a future healing pain. Before this tool, I just wasn't certain my body would be able to handle larger people over the long run”

Treya Jaholkowska
CTB Student and Therapist

“It's saved my hands. Even though I use my elbows, feet and knees a lot, there's still a lot I was doing with my hands and thumb. Now I don't have to . . . and people LOVE it!”

Donna Ryckaert
CTB Student and Therapist

“Things are taught here that I would never get inroduced to anywhere in the world!”

Will Baird
Clinical Apprentice, Health Coach, Professional CTB Therapist

Breakdown of Membership Courses

FOUNDATION
ADVANCED
a man doing a lecture
Course 1 | CE Hours: 4

CTB Fundamentals

This course introduces the techniques and principles of Coaching The Body® (CTB), a modality developed by Chuck Duff that blends the techniques of Thai yoga massage with the insights of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy, acupoint work and a structural analysis of body function. CTB is highly effective in reducing or eliminating patterns of pain and restriction, often in cases that have failed conventional medical treatment.

CTB gives the student specific tools to assess and design effective treatments for the most common client complaints and can be integrated into a mat, chair or table-based practice. Coaching the Body was designed to bridge the gulf between traditional Thai approaches and modern western clinical environments. The framework of CTB constitutes one of the most efficient and effective approaches available for orthopedic rehab, relief of chronic and acute pain, recovery from injury, and correction of myofascially derived dysfunction.

Within this course students will learn the principles of muscle dysfunction, trigger point theory and become versed in the standard CTB treatment cycle, including both manual techniques and those using the EPS and Muscle Liberator. Students will also be given a basic understanding of assessments for the most common perpetuating factors - including lateral asymmetry (leg length/hemi-pelvic discrepancy), hyperpronation and breathing dysfunction.

a man stretching the arm of a patient
Course 2 | CE Hours: 28

CTB for Upper Body Pain - Foundation

Focus: Scapular positioning is a term that we use to talk about the normal or at rest position of the scapula. The scapular stabilizer muscles exist in a carefully orchestrated relationship. Ideally, these muscles will each be at a relatively normal resting length, however it is very common for some fibers to become chronically shortened, and their antagonists to defacilitate and exist in some degree of stretch at all times.

This relationship determines our shoulder posture. Many factors can influence this group of muscles and cause distorted posture. Excessive protraction is very common, also called rounded shoulder posture.

At the Coaching the Body Institute, we've developed a scapular positioning treatment approach using the Muscle Liberator™ tool that can be completed typically in 45 minutes or less - sometimes much less. This is an extremely valuable treatment, because improper positioning of the scapula can in turn trigger dysfunction and pain in many other muscles.

Our treatment is easy to understand, because it analyzes fiber directions and classifies the stabilizers into easily remembered groups of agonist and antagonist. We get fantastic results with this treatment, and it represents a core part of any therapist's arsenal in treating shoulder pain.

Module 1: Introduction to the CTB™ Approach and Scapular Positioning

Module 2: Trigger Point Physiology

Module 3: Low Trapezius

Module 4: Pectoralis Minor

Module 5: Clavicular, Sternal & Costal Pectoralis Major

a man doing stretching while laying down and being assisted by a practitioner
Course 3 | CE Hours: 16

CTB for Lower Body Pain - Foundation

Learn how to address all of the common types of lower body pain quickly and completely - even in severe pain situations that have been failed by multiple practitioners. Hip pain, "sciatica", IT band dysfunction, low back pain... these are very common complaints that are largely misunderstood by manual therapy professionals and their clients. People are told to "roll their IT band" and other useless treatments that fail to provide any real relief, because these approaches fail to recognize the true sources of the pain. 

This course establishes the foundation of the CTB Core Lower Body Protocol, focusing on the key techniques that are used to work with muscles of the lower body. We emphasize the use of Handsfree-style techniques in this area of the body, because they are very efficient for the practitioner and also very effective therapeutic techniques for the client. The lower body is much more technique-intensive than the upper body, so we will focus on refining the techniques as we present the lower body protocol.

Topics we focus on:

Sciatic Pain, Self-Care for Sciatic Pain

The Gluteus Minimus, The Gluteus Maximus, The Gluteus Medius

Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus

Quadratus Lumborum

Longissimus

Deep Spinal Erectors

Sciatic Pain Perpetuators

Hip and Sciatic Pain Protocol

a man holding a massager on a leg
Course 4 | CE Hours: 15 (in process)

CTB for Knee Pain - Foundation

Has knee pain been baffling and are you finding it difficult and slow to fully resolve in your clients?

Knee pain is a mystery to most practitioners, who fail to understand the huge contribution of trigger points in muscles to this type of pain. This course covers the CTB approach to knee pain. Nearly all knee pain has a myofascial component, even in the presence of joint damage, inflammation and fluid.Many knee pain cases are entirely muscular. Most of the muscles of the thigh have a capacity to send referred pain to the area of the knee.There is a complex interaction between the muscles that cross the knee joint and conditions within the joint.

When the quadriceps and hamstrings shorten and become tight, they have a tendency to reduce available joint space and cause increased pressure on the meniscus or patellar track. This produces inflammation, and may lead to tears and damage in connective tissue.

Conversely, the quadriceps and hamstrings tend to develop trigger points in the presence of proprioceptive danger signals coming from the joint. This is due to the body's tendency to use taut fibers to splint the joint to stabilize it. Unfortunately this leads to more pain and more pressure on the joint, so a vicious cycle ensues.

We can often have a very beneficial effect on knee pain by intervening with muscular work. This interrupts the vicious cycle and reduces the referred pain component, which is often the vast majority of the pain experienced.

a man doing a massage
Course 5 | CE Hours: 12 (in process)

CTB for Hip, Thigh and Groin Pain - Foundation

This course covers the more advanced aspects of sciatica, hip, thigh and groin pain. There are many opportunities for pain referral and nerve entrapment in the pelvis as well as interlocking referral patterns. We cover some of the more advanced muscles involved in this pain area, including the deep rotators of the hip, piriformis, advanced hamstring topics and iliopsoas.

Trigger points in this pain area may lead to diagnoses such as torn meniscus, arthritis, trochanteric bursits, sciatica, and knee and hip joint degeneration as a way to explain the patient's pain. Unfortunately, these diagnoses are often made without sufficient clinical evidence and then lead to procedures that have permanent and damaging consequences, or at best are ineffective.

Hip pain, sciatica, knee pain, IT band dysfunction, groin pain... these are very common complaints that are largely misunderstood by professionals and their clients. People are told to "roll their IT band" and other useless or invasive treatments that fail to provide any real relief, because these approaches fail to recognize the true sources of the pain? Bodyworkers who understand the network of 24 muscles that can cause pain referral in these areas can have high rates of success, and provide treatments and resolve perpetuating factors in a way that truly and permanently addresses these problems.

Chuck Duff's Coacing The Body® approach is a unique integration of the best techniques of traditional Thai massage with a deep understanding of trigger point therapy, including common perpetuating factors that set muscles up for dysfunction. Because Chuck has spent years developing the best and most efficient techniques for each muscle, including an extensive repertoire of HandsFree Thai that he has compiled, there is no better modality for dealing with dysfunction in the large muscles of the hips and legs.

massaging the head of a woman
Course 6 | CE Hours: 15

CTB for Head and Neck Pain - Advanced

The effects of daily migraines on a person's life are truly devastating. We've seen many clients with daily head and neck pain for decades, having been through pain clinics, painkillers and other treatments with no success experience a significant improvement or complete resolution of their pain when treated with CTB techniques.

While not all headaches are due to muscular causes, dysfunctional muscles contribute pain in nearly all -- and can be easily influenced, if not remediated using CTB techniques. Successfully dealing with chronic headaches requires a multi-pronged approach involving manual therapy, analysis of posture, correction of dysfunctional breathing, looking at spinal curvature and other synergistic factors that we cover in this course.

One of our great frustrations is that trigger points are a "lost secret" in our medical system - discovered by doctors, but often not covered in medical and dental schools. Dentists should know something about trigger points because facial muscles can cause pain in the teeth that could easily be mistaken for problems requiring dental intervention. Yet one of Chuck’s most serious headache cases was an orthodontist who as he was being treated, realized that he actually owned the Travell and Simons books, but had suffered with daily headaches for over 20 years.

a man diagnosing a patient
Course 7 | CE Hours: 16

CTB for Foot, Ankle and Lower Leg Pain - Advanced

Learn to resolve challenging foot and ankle pain cases using the state of the art techniques of Coaching The Body® (CTB), a revolutionary modality developed by your expert instructor, Chuck Duff. Chuck originated and taught the first CTB class in 2005. CTB integrates Travell & Simons trigger point therapy with traditional Thai techniques and other approaches, and is focused on restoring muscle health as well as quality and range of joint movement.

Foot and ankle pain is a key area, because it influences gait, posture and has a dramatic effect on muscles and pain throughout the body. This is a very rich and important pain area that is addressed very completely in the Coaching The Body® system. This course is packed with key information about topics in analysis and treatment, the poorly understood phenomenon of hyperpronation, and regional anatomy..

Foot and lower leg pain can be debilitating and severe, and can cause other problems up the kinetic chain due to disturbed gait. Foot and ankle pain is an area in which CTB techniques can have some of the most profound benefits. You will learn to address pain and limited movement following breaks and sprains, plantar fasciitis, ankle pain, calf pain and tenderness, rigid ankles, big toe pain and more, as well as learning to address chronic conditions such as hyperpronation and hammer toe.

Help Your Clients Regain Normal Movement Patterns
This is one of Chuck's favorite treatment areas because change can be so fast and dramatic - sometimes eliminating pain in a single session. Restoring normal ankle movement brings with it the incredible benefits associated with returning to normal patterns of walking, exercise, sports and other activities. Exercise and fluid movement in daily activity has a a dramatic positive impact upon overall health.

a man assisting another man while doing stretching
Course 8 | CE Hours: 18

CTB for Low Back, Sacral, Gluteal and Intrapelvic Pain - Advanced

Learn to analyze and treat some of the most debilitating pain conditions like a star - using a unique and disruptive modality that is making waves in the bodywork world.

Low back pain is an extremely common and disturbing condition that is also becoming more prevalent with each passing year. Over 30% of adults report low back pain, and of those a significant number reported that it disturbed work, exercise and/or sleep. 9 out of 10 individuals never find the cause of their low back pain. This is because the vast majority of pain in general is caused by muscles and trigger points, yet this information remains largely unrecognized by the medical profession.

CTB for Low Back, Gluteal and Pelvic Pain gets to the true roots of these pain complaints and shows you in depth how to assess and treat each of the muscles that are potentially involved.

Intrapelvic pain is a debilitating and frightening condition that can dramatically There is nothing like this available anywhere in the bodywork world. Not only has Chuck thoroughly analyzed the muscles relevant to a specific pain complaint, through years of experimentation he's come up with a short list of the best techniques for each muscle. Most importantly, you will learn a protocol for quickly uncovering and addressing the true sources of this pain withing a single session, including satellite referral patterns and perpetuating factors. This knowledge is worth its weight in gold for a bodyworker.

a skeleton and muscles of human illustration
Course 9 | CE Hours: 14

CTB for Mid Back, Thoracic and Abdominal Pain - Advanced

If you have ever struggled to relieve your clients’ pain between the shoulder blades, chest pain, spots of pain that appear in both the back and the front or abdominal pain, this course will make you a master therapist in these areas.

The abdominal area plays a significant role in many upper body symptoms. As one common example, dysfunctional breathers who fail to properly employ the diaphragm in normal breathing are subject to a host of secondary issues due to smaller muscles being overloaded, postural collapse, blood chemistry changes and emotional stress. These lead to some of the most common pain complaints that we see, such as so-called carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain including frozen shoulder, headaches, and chronic mid and upper back pain.

In the abdominal area, trigger points in abdominal muscles can cause diverse and surprising symptoms, such as IBD, colitis, severe menstrual cramps, nausea, indigestion, urinary and reproductive issues, diarrhea, intrapelvic pain and more.

Learn to Treat Many Serious Pain Complaints
In this thorough online course consisting of 14 hours of video lectures, demonstrations and downloadable materials, you will learn not only the specific behavior of the individual muscles contributing to this pain area, but how to follow the perpetuation chains that are so critical. There is nothing like this available anywhere in the bodywork world. Not only has Chuck Duff thoroughly analyzed the muscles relevant to a specific pain complaint - through years of experimentation, he's come up with a short list of the best techniques for each muscle. This knowledge is worth its weight in gold for a bodyworker.

man checking the pulse
Course 10 | CE Hours: 14

CTB for Forearm and Hand Pain - Advanced

This course covers specific, detailed Coaching The Body® treatments for elbow, forearm, wrist and hand pain. We cover pain conditions involved in diagnoses such as tennis and golf elbow, lateral epicondylitis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical radiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, and more. Many diagnosed "conditions" often are actually the result of myofascial trigger point referral and can easily be treated using CTB techniques.

Clients presenting with forearm and hand pain, numbness, weakness, loss of coordination, tingling, limited ROM and other symptoms are often excellent candidates for the CTB approach. These symptoms are often caused by trigger points, and the therapist must learn to follow symptoms cascading from long upstream referral chains from muscles in the back and shoulder.

Hand and forearm pain is one of the most difficult areas to understand, due to the large number and complex arrangement of the 32+ muscles in this area. It's critical to be able to prioritize the most important muscles and treat them efficiently without getting bogged down in areas that aren't relevant. This amazing online resource is like an encyclopedia of the anatomy, indications, trigger point locations, best treatment techniques, inter-muscular relationships, and more, broken down by area and muscle. Once you enroll, you have lifetime access and can stream the material on any of your devices as you practice or prior to treatments.

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We stand by our training and products 100%! If you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason, you may return it within 30 days of the purchase date for a full refund.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get the answers you need to make an informed decision about the Coaching the Body Membership

What is covered in this membership program?

The Coaching the Body® Membership includes access to a robust, 10-course program that covers trigger point theory, functional anatomy, slides and workbook downloads, specific techniques, use of the Muscle Liberator™ and CTB treatment protocols for all body areas. It's our most comprehensive collection of CTB knowledge for practitioners. The material was previously distributed as weekly lessons over a period of two years. Now you can get immediate access to the entire library as soon as you purchase the bundles.

Will I always have access to the material?

Yes, once you purchase the membership material you will retain access for life. You will also be given access to our CTB Mastermind Community to ask questions and communicate with other members and CTB faculty.

What devices can I use to access the course content?

Our courses are hosted on the Kajabi platform, which has been optimized for modern devices, including mobile. By downloading the Kajabi mobile app, you can view your courses on your phone with a high quality, great performing user experience.

Can I earn CEUs through this membership?

We are an NCBTMB-approved provider. All of our membership courses will provide CE credit for massage. We are currently finalizing approvals with NCBTMB for some body areas, but all will be approved for CE.

Will I receive support during the course?

Yes! You will receive access to the CTB Members Mastermind Community when you purchase. This is a great way to meet other members and ask questions.

Don't Miss Out, Enroll Today!

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