Chapter 1 · Inspiration · The
Breath
Are you aware of the critical
role the back plays in
breathing? Can you take a
deep breath and feel your back
move with that breath? If the
answer is no, you need this
class to be inspired. In this
class you will learn how the
ribs interact with the spine, and how to open this
area to allow deeper breathing with less effort. This
will give you greater oxygen exchange in the lungs
and more relaxed shoulders and neck, as well as
greater mental clarity.
Chapter 2 · Building A Stable Foundation · The
Feet And Legs
When most people think of the leg, they think of
the lower extremity – from the hip to the foot; but
anatomically, the term ‘leg’ refers to the area from
the knee to the ankle. There are two bones and four
muscular compartments in the leg; these muscle
groups move the ankle, foot and toes. We will
explore these muscles, their movements and how
they relate to balance, grounding and centering.
We will use stretching and self-massage to lengthen
the muscles and free adhesions between these
muscle groups,
giving them
independent
movement and
improved
efficiency.
Instructor Ron Floyd,
LMT
USER’S GUIDE
TO YOUR
BODY
Ron is a New York State licensed massage
therapist. He specializes in the KMI approach to
Structural and Movement Integration (Thomas
Myers’ vision of the work of Ida P. Rolf). With
over 1,800 hours of Massage and Bodywork
training, 20 years in private practice and 18 years
experience as a Massage and Bodywork
educator, Ron possesses the tools to facilitate
healing for a wide variety of musculoskeletal
conditions. He believes it is important to educate
and empower his clients regarding their bodies.
Ron is a compassionate, sensitive and effective
structural integrator / massage therapist who
combines gentle touch with a fierce exploratory
spirit.
Ron was a Cofounder, Director of Education and
an Instructor of Big Sky Somatic Institute in
Helena, Montana. He has served as Educational
Director for the Montana Chapter of the
American Massage Therapy Association, and he
earned the Chapter's Meritorious Award in 1994. Ron Floyd, LMT
406-442-1637
[email protected]
www.ronfloydlmt.com
Care and
maintenance of
the most
complex
equipment you
will ever have
Your body!
Course Description
Move out of strain and into ease with this
fun and informative workshop series. The
series is held in six, two-hour sessions for
twelve hours total. This course is designed
to help you gain a greater understanding of
how the body moves, maintains balance, and
establishes patterns that lead to tension.
Breaking these patterns enhances grace and
poise while reducing pain and fatigue. In
this course we will also explore how posture
and movement patterns can affect mood and
mental state. Learn ways to reduce the
effects of stress in your life; learn techniques
to relieve painful areas of chronic tension on
your own. You’ll learn this through:
• Illustrated lectures on
musculoskeletal anatomy
• Stretching & Movement
• Self- Massage
Chapter 1: Inspiration (The Breath)
Chapter 2: Building a Stable Foundation
(Feet & Legs)
Chapter 3: Balance & Mobility (Hips &
Thighs)
Chapter 4: Ease & Flexibility (Low Back &
Hips)
Chapter 5: Hold Your Head High (Shoulders
& Neck)
Chapter 6: Reaching Out (Arms)
MODERATE MOBILITY REQUIRED
The “User’s Guide to Your Body” class
can be brought to your community or
clients. Contact Ron Floyd, LMT for
more information.
406-442-1637 or [email protected]
Chapter 3 · Balance & Mobility ·
The Hips & Thighs
Here you will gain an
understanding of how the thigh
and its upper joint at the hip relate
to balance, grace and poise as
well as poor function in the lower
back. This is an elegantly mobile
area, which has a direct influence
on the knee and lower back as
well as the hip itself. You will learn to identify the
major muscles in this area with self-touch and
movement. We will also explore stretching and selfmassage techniques to lengthen the muscles and free
adhesions between muscle groups, giving them
independent movement and improved efficiency.
Chapter 4 · Ease & Flexibility · Low Back & Hips
Here we will explore the deeper muscles of the hip and
learn how they and the more superficial muscles
covered in the previous class dictate the position of our
pelvis, a critical part of healthy low back function.
Here we will complete the task of learning to balance
the pelvis over the feet. We will
again use movement, stretching
and self-massage to lengthen
and give autonomous function
to the various muscle groups.
Chapter 5 · Hold Your Head
High · Shoulders & Neck
Here we will discover the
intricate relationship between the
neck and shoulders. It is clear
that the head is meant to rest over
the shoulders; but if the head
drifts forward, or if you tend to
slouch, the muscles of the
shoulders and neck must hold
your head up - causing tension and pain, which can
lead to headaches. You will learn techniques to relax
this area and complete the postural task of balancing
the body masses over one another so that less energy is
needed to stand and move through our world. You will
learn to use stretching, movement and self-massage to
give your shoulders, head and neck the freedom to
function in harmony, reducing tension in this area of
frequent complaint.
Chapter 6 · Reaching Out · Arms
Most of our doing is done with our arms and hands.
We manipulate our world. We reach out both to give
and receive, as we both embrace and repel with our
arms. In this class you will learn to balance the
strength and flexibility in your forearms, as an
imbalance here often contributes to carpal tunnel
symptoms. Since the arms and shoulders are so
closely related in function, tension in the arms can
migrate to the
shoulders and neck.
In this class you
will learn ways to
maintain these allimportant tools.