Level 1: Thai Massage Fundamentals - January, 2018

This fantastic training is the gateway to the rest of our program. There are no prerequisites for this course, and students are accepted without any prior bodywork training. You will be amazed at what you learn in a weekend as we teach you the critical fundamentals of body mechanics, positioning, compression, working with passive stretches, energetic, spiritual and historical background, an intro to concepts of clinical work, and much more.

Potential students may arrange to observe a portion of a Level 1 training for free. Please email admissions@thaibodywork.com to arrange to observe.

Level 1 trainings are co-taught by Doug Ringwald, a professional Clinical Thai Bodywork Practitioner and Chuck Duff who founded Thai Bodywork in 2001 and is a master instructor.

You will learn a valuable 1-hour professional sequence that you can immediately put to use with clients, friends and family. The focus of this training is instill principles of full-body movement through carefully refined teaching methods that have helped thousands of students learn this fantastic art. Even students who have studied at other schools give us rave reviews about this training and our teaching methods.

A basic introduction to Thai Massage, this intensive 2.5 day training is suitable for new students, or practitioners seeking an alternative modality. At the end of the course, the student can perform a complete 1 hour Thai massage routine, including supine, side lying, prone and seated positions. The asanas that we teach in Level 1 are simply a reduced sequence -- they are not "beginner" in the sense that they are sophisticated and powerful techniques that the student will continue to master through practice. These are techniques that the therapist will use throughout their Thai massage career.

In Level 1, we introduce the theory of energetic anatomy and physiology, sen sip, wind gates, Thai asanas or therapeutic postures, acupoints and trigger points. We teach basic principles of western muscular anatomy, trigger point therapy and patterns of referred pain to provide the student with a much deeper diagnostic framework for client issues. In Level 1 the student learns the basic ideas behind Clinical Thai Bodywork, a powerful therapeutic system that is explored more fully in advanced courses.

We place a strong emphasis upon body mechanics and practicing bodywork in a sustainable way. Many western practitioners experience symptoms of occupational disability in hands, shoulders and arms due to reliance upon muscular strength and a failure to understand the power of working from the core. We use martial arts and yoga principles to teach the student how to move in an efficient, elegant and powerful way. With strong fundamentals, Thai bodywork can be not only safe but beneficial for the practitioner, and will provide a deeply satisfying career that lasts many decades.

This course provides the student with a 20-hour certificate upon successful completion, and is approved by NCBTMB for continuing education in massage. This course is also approved for continuing education in physical therapy in Illinois.