Can Men Ashi You?

Can men do Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, or is the modality confined to small therapists?

Any capable massage therapist with a sense of grace and balance can learn ashiatsu. We used to have a 135 lb weight limit when 2 footed (full body weight) strokes were taught in the beginners class. We discovered that many able therapists weighing over that amount were excluded from our program. It's best to do 2 footed ashiatsu strokes on clients who weigh at least 70 lbs more than the therapist.

So we broke the classes up, and now in Barefoot Basics, the one footed beginners class, flexible therapists of any weight and age are welcome to join us. I currently have one student in class who is 62, and I also have a man who is 200 lbs.

So yes, men can learn Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, and so can petite women. It doesn't matter if you're 20 (with a massage license, though!) or if you're considered "senior." If you've got the guts to learn a new, fun, possibly life changing skill, come join our class!

More information can be found at www.ashiatsuworkshops.com

CEUs Renew Your Work

Taking a massage class (or more!) shouldn't be done just because you need the CEUs for your national certification or insurance renewal. Many massage therapists get in a rut of doing the same thing over and over again. Their clients are happy with the massage, so why bother learning something new?

Are you looking at the clock during your session wondering if it's stopped? Do you have the tools you need to do a great massage? Not physical tools, but skills learned through class or from another massage therapist? If you like work but don't love it anymore, perhaps it's time for a change.

Yes, classes can be expensive. Can you really learn the hands-on skills needed for massage either online or out of a book? Maybe with some things you can. But taking a massage class can really renew your zest for your work again. You'll probably learn a thing or two that you can add to your massages. And maybe your clients will tell you afterwards, "That really was the best massage I've ever had!"

Massaging a lot?

Tired of icing your forearms and wrists?

Treat yourself to an Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy workshops and learn how to give your clients the deep tissue work they crave without hurting yourself! Our Barefoot Basics class will teach you all the moves you need to get started. For some ashiatsu therapists, they don't even need to learn more than that! You'll learn 45 minutes worth of ashiatsu using overhead bars for balance. Your new skills as an ashiatsu therapist will surely wow your clients!

Check out www.ashiatsuworkshops.com/class_schedule for our Cincinnati, OH course schedule. Our next class is January 24-26, 2008 with Anterior/Side-Lying Ashiatsu on January 25. Please check it out!

Ashiatsu in the Midwest

If you're a massage therapist eager to learn barefoot masssage, check out www.ashiatsuworkshops.com for information on Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy. My December class is full, but I do have space available in my Cincinnati class January 24-26, 2008.

I've had great response in getting classes filled, so check us out as soon as you can! Therapists from all over the Midwest are literally climbing to new heights with their massage.

December class full

Can't wait to meet you talented ashiatsu-to-be therapists in person at the end of the week! We have a great group of therapists coming in to Cincinnati from several states to learn Barefoot Basics Friday-Sunday, December 7-9, 2007.

Our class is full, so anyone who's thinking about joining our Ashiatsu class soon, please check out http://www.ashiatsuworkshops.com/ for more info on January's class!

Giving Thanks

As I mentioned in my blog last week, we try to remember all the things we are thankful for on our national day of Thanksgiving. My vacation in northern Michigan gave me some more reminders of what to be thankful for.

Wed and Thurs night, no heat at the cotttage--thankful for the wood burning stove! My twins have asthma, and one of them had real trouble breathing while we were there (thanks to the wood smoke). Instead of being upset about it, we chose to focus on how great it is to breathe when we can do it without having to think about it.

Friday AM, Mom discovered that our 26 lb cooked and not even cut into turkey (an extra one, as there were 30+ people in the house) had been thoroughly enjoyed by a racoon or dog. It had been dragged from the back porch to the back yard, where the carcas lay in shreds. Although we sadly didn't have turkey sandwiches, it made me appreciate refrigerators. Think of how the Pilgrims must have felt when THEIR turkey was stolen!

Saturday night, as my four youngest lay sleeping in my parents' bed, one of the girls threw up. All over her brother, the bed, the dry-clean comforter. We gave thanks for showers and washing machines! And we discovered that Subway sandwich bags are perfect barf bags for traveling.

So although a bit untraditional, this past week has shown us ways to appreciate the things we take for granted. Electricity, conveniences, fast food joints and our health.

Ashiatsu for the holidays

What more could a massage therapist ask for than to learn a new modality that may just save his or her career? Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy classes in Cincinnati (www.Ashiatsuworkshops.com) still have 2 spaces available in our December 7-9 class. Or, if you've already learned the posterior strokes, sign up to learn the luxurious Anterior and clinical Side-lying moves!

No matter which class(es) you decide to take, Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy will literally have you massaging way above other deep tissue therapists!

Ashiatsu in Birmingham, AL

I'm excited to announce that it looks like we'll be offering Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy Barefoot Basics in Birmingham, AL hopefully sometime in February. Still ironing out the wrinkles. Anyone who's interested in taking the class, please check out my website, http://www.ashiatsuworkshops.com/ for info on class.

You can also contact me 513-238-0970 or at fredettemassage@fuse.net. Looking forward to meeting some of you southern therapists!

Shiatsu or Ashiatsu?

Today a client of mine told me about an interesting converstion she had with someone she knows relatively well. The client, whom we'll call Susie, has been receiving Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy on a regular basis for 5 or 6 years. She gets barefoot massage about once every other week, and it is very helpful in her pain management of an injury sustained at work.

This friend, "Larry," insisted that there was no such thing as "ashiatsu" and maintained that Susie was really getting Shiatsu treatments. No amount of arguing could convinve Larry that Susie was really getting Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy. Since it wasn't listed in his shiatsu book that he showed her, in his mind, it didn't exist.

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy is relatively new, at least in terms of how long traditional shiatsu has been around. Ruthie Hardee has been teaching our form of Ashiatsu since 1995, a mere 12 years. In comparison to the thousands of years shiatsu has been performed in India, Thailand and Asia, it's not been long.

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy is, however, growing rapidly in popularity in the United States. So for clients such as Susie, they're happy with their form of Ashiatsu, no matter what it's called.

http://www.ashiatsuworkshops.com/ has information on classes.

Ashiatsu Class--Satisfaction Guaranteed

Why take the Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy classes? You've got nothing to lose, but lots to gain. If you are not completely satisfied with your experience in Barefoot Basics after the first day of class, I will happily give you 100% of you tuition back.

I have never had to refund anyone's money since I've been teaching (over 3 years). Satisfation guaranteed, for sure! My website www.ashiatsuworkshops.com shows lots of pictures, ashiatsu faqs and class descriptions, etc.

Ashiatsu Workshops Website Revamped

Ashiatsu training has never been easier to find. Take a look at my revamped website, http://www.ashiatsuworkshops.com/ for loads of information about classes in barefoot massage. Included is our 100% satisfaction guarantee that after the first day of training in ashiatsu, you 'll receive your money refunded in full if not pleased wtih the program. That's how certain I am of the quality of our professional training program.

Off to Denver next week to teach Ashiatsu at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Don't forget, I've got portable Hardee-Ashiatsu bars and will travel to teach groups of therapists in your location!

Ashiatsu-the great holiday gift to yourself...

As the leaves are finally changing colors here in the Midwest, the temperatures beginning to drop, people are starting to think of upcoming holidays. Halloween is just next week already, Thanksgiving next month, Christmas and Hanukkah arriving in December.

As the upcoming holidays bring much joy in many ways, many people begin to feel a tad stressed. Or really whacked out of joint, even. The smart consumer who realizes that massage is a great stress reliever will begin booking massage appointments, perhaps quite a few of them. It's great for their body and soul, not to mention the happy massage therapist's pocketbook. It's this time of year the massage therapists really begin to feel the strain of performing lots of deep tissue massages. We tend to not want to turn away our hurting clientele, even when we feel pain ourselves. LMTs ice their hands and wrists, offer it up, and hope for the best.

Now is a great time for those therapists who only do hands on massage to learn the revitalizing skills of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy. Using your feet to caress your clients deep knots and tight muscles is a much easier way than massaging with your hands and arms. I am offering my last Ashiatsu training class of the year, Barefoot Basics and Anterior/Side-Lying, in December for those therapists who need to revive themselves before the end of the year. Check out www.ashiatsuworkshops.com/classes_schedule for more info and dates.

Now's the time to treat yourself to the best holiday gift-recieve your CEUs, get a couple of days of deep tissue massage, learn how to give the "deepest most luxurious massage on the planet!"

Ashiatsu training at your site

Want to learn Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy but can't come to Cincinnati? Gather together a group of therapists, 6-8, and I will come to your location.

I will provide all the portable ashiatsu bars, stools, manuals and products for you to purchase if you wish (cool ashi shirts, instructional and promotional DVDs). I will even provide massage cream!

Call 513-238-0970 or email me at fredettemassage@fuse.net to find out more. Or you can log on to www.ashiatsuworkshops.com to find out more.

Ashiatsu Instruction-Register online!

Effective today, www.Ashiatsuworkshops.com is pleased to announce the addition of registering for your barefoot massage training class online! You can pay by credit card through PayPal's secure transaction.

Baby keeping you up? Too much caffeine? Sign up for Barefoot Basics or Anterior/Side-Lying classes any time of day or night. If you pay for Ashiatsu Barefoot Basics in full, you'll receive a FREE cool official ashi wear shirt!

Our next Barefoot Basics training workshop is December 7-9, and Anterior/Side-Lying is December 10. Hope to see you there!

Ashiatsu and the therapist's size

When I learned Ashiatsu, if a therapist was over 5'7" or weighed over 135 lbs, they needed to have excellent upper body strength. Some therapists I've spoken with have expressed concern that their weight or height would be an issue if training in Ashiatsu.

Originally, both female and male massage therapists who were instructed in Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy learned both one footed and two footed strokes in Ruthie Hardee's class. Some LMTs simply did not need to perform two footed strokes because their clients were not significantly larger than they, or because they could work sufficiently deeply using just one bare foot on a client at a time.

Hardee wisely divided this class into two classes, which are now known as Barefoot Basics, the one footed posterior strokes, and Deepfeet II, two footed posterior strokes. Now therapists can decide if they want to train in the advanced class. Upper body and core strength are definitely needed to massage with two feet. Many students of my advanced classes have mentioned after class that they underestimated the amount of upper body strength necessary.

I have taught both slight therapists as well as men and women massage therapists who weigh 200+ pounds. Those larger therapists may find that they never need to take the two footed strokes class, but those that do choose to take it simply need to be able to do chin ups and military pushups prior to the start of class.

Ashiatsu Instruction

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy classes are small and fun with loads of individualized instruction. Keeping the class size to 8 students enables the instructor to really spend time with each student. The therapists are able to observe, receive and give each of the strokes learned in class.

The small class size enables each student to soak in the ashiatsu information we delve into during class, whether it be the history of barefoot massage, strokes, etc. Each AOBT instructor explains the strokes thoroughly, demonstrates and helps the students physically do the stroke if need be.

For more information, check out www.AshiatsuWorkshops.com

Ashiatsu Portable Bars

We've had a lot of questions about the Ashiatsu portable bars. What are they good for (or why would I want them)? What are the ashiatsu bar dimensions? Are they really portable?

The healing power of heels is now truly portable. After initial ashiatsu training in our professional training program, our grads can purchase the portable bars to demonstrate deep compression and effleurage in a variety of settings. Many ashiatsu therapists who have trained in our adaptation of the ancient shiatsu technique have had great press with their portable bars. They have taken them to Chamber of Commerce events, sporting events such as GOBA (Great Ohio Bike Adventure), car dealerships, beaches, pools and more.

In fact, at the national AMTA convention in Nashville, TN a few years ago, I was the only therapist featured in the local newspaper for the entire event. Was it was because I was the best therapist at the convention? No--it was because the portable bars are such an eye catcher and photograph well.

The dimensions of the portable bars are impressive-at 7'11' high, they are 6' long and about 5 1/2 feet wide. They weigh about 75 lbs and can be set up in about 20 minutes. The Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy bars cost $999 and are available to graduates of our ashiatsu training program. Shipping and packing charges are added to the cost (they are shipped from Denver). As the commercial may say, "on your MasterCard, about $1100. Marketing effects: priceless!"

www.AshiatsuWorkshops.com will provide more information about this exciting alternative health style of massage using deep compression for destressing the client!

Spa Finder Magazine

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy has had press in at least 22 nationally published magazines as well as hundreds of articles about grads in local newspapers. Spa Finder magazine just voted Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy the "best skier's massage." Yet another kudos to the original source of barefoot massage in the United States!

Bamboo and Barefoot Massage Training

Beginning in the spring of 2008, I will be offering the wonderful deep tissue Bamboo-Fusion training classes. Using warmed bamboo, the massage therapist will learn to knead, roll and work the client's muscles smoothly and comfortably.

Using these tools will allow the LMT to work deeply without hurting herself/himself, and will have fun doing it! Please contact me at fredettemassage@fuse.net to be put on the mailing list for more information!

To visit the founder's site, please click on www.Bamboo-Fusion.com
The Midwest class schedule for Bamboo will be listed on www.AshiatsuWorkshops.com.

AMTA convention winners Ashiatsu Booth

At the AMTA convention this past weekend here in Cincinnati, the Ashiatsu booth picked a winner each day for a $200 gift certificate off tuition. The three winners were picked at random each day and did not need to be present to win.

Congratulation to the following massage therapists!

Lisa Jacobs; Harrison, OH
Pam Kostecke; E. Rochester, NY
Michele Croston; Louisville, OH

The winners can receive $200 off tuition for any 2007 Barefoot Basics class located at a permanent training facility in the US. Thanks to all the 200+ LMTs to entered the contest!

Cincinnati AMTA convention

Cincinnati's hosting of the AMTA national convention started off with a bang. Booths were busy with massage therapists and family members from all over the country perusing products and experiencing various massage modalities.

The Ashiatsu booth was packed all night, and within an hour, the sign up sheet for free massages was filled up for the weekend! Ruthie Hardee chatted with Ashi grads and those who are very interested in watching, receiving and learning barefoot massage. Cincinnati AOBT grad James Reischmann and I gave demos all evening. Check out www.AshiatsuWorkshops.com for more info on Ashiatsu training!

The booth next to ours, Bamboo-Fusion, was also packed all evening with founder Nathalie Cecilia demonstrating bamboo chair massage to willing LMTs! Her website is www.Fusion-Blend.com.

AMTA convention in Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati is hosting the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) national convention this week. The Exhibits Marketplace's grand opening will be starting at 4:30 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati, OH. Exhibits of modalities (including Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy and Bamboo-Fusion), table manufactures, supply stores (such as our local Massage Supplies and Such) and vendors like Mother Earth Pillows will be proudly displaying products and features!

The Exhibits Marketplace will run:
Thursday, 9/27 from 4:30-8:30 pm,
Friday, 9/28 from 11:30-3 pm and 5-8:30 pm
Saturday, 9/29 from 11:30-3 pm

The marketplace is open to the public for massage therapists and the general public.

For more information on bamboo massage, check out www.Bamboo-Fusion.com. Barefoot massage training courses can be found at www.ashiatsuworkshops.com.

bamboo massage

Bamboo massage is becoming more popular among therapists and clients. Why use bamboo? It's easier on the therapist, but it's more comfortable on clients than traditional tools. Using warmed bamboo or rattan, the therapist rolls and presses these unusual items on the client's lubricated body.

Live Bamboo stocks steamed in essential oils are massaged into the body using a combination of rolling, sliding, kneading, and tapping to relieve and renew stressed muscles. This exotic treatment is not only relaxing but is also very therapeutic. By utilizing the bamboo your massage therapist is able to customize the depth of your massage to suite your personal needs.
I received a bamboo chair massage at the AMTA convention in Atlanta last year. It was suprisingly relaxing and soothing.

Nathalie Cecilia teaches Bamboo-Fusion massages and is credentialed to teach in Florida. National CEU approval is pending. You can contact her at Bamboo-Fusion.com. Nathalie will be at the AMTA convention in Cincinnati next week (September 26-28) giving out free demonstations. Stop by and give it a try! She'll be right next to the Ashiatsu booth (we're booth 612).