User’s Guide to Your Body

Move out of Strain and into Ease

Interactive Workshop Series

with Ron Floyd, LMT & Maren Waldman BA, LMT

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. You may sign up for the entire series or a single class. 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 reduce painful areas of chronic tension on your own. You’ll learn this through:

• Illustrated lecture on musculoskeletal anatomy
• Stretching & Movement
• Self- Massage

Read the recent Ithaca Times article on our series here. Or download a pdf of the article here.

Feb 15 - Chapter 1: Inspiration · The Breath
Feb 22 - Chapter 2: Building A Stable Foundation · The Feet And Legs
March 1 - Chapter 3: Balance & Mobility · The Hips & Thighs
March 8 - Chapter 4: Ease & Flexibility · Low Back & Hips
March 15 - Chapter 5: Hold Your Head High · Shoulders & Neck
March 22 - Chapter 6: Reaching Out · Arms

All classes are Mondays 7-9pm
Soma Living Arts
409 W. Martin Luther King Street/W State Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

Registration Required. Register for full course or individual classes: 607-220-4818 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

$240 for full course ($40/class)
$50 for individual class

Class is limited to 12.  Register early.
Moderate mobility required

INDIVIDUAL CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Chapter 1 · Monday, February 15: 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. When we breathe in it is called inspiration, and indeed breath does inspire us. 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, as the brain loves oxygen. We address two important elements in this class: beginning to balance the thorax (chest) over the pelvis and increasing our capacity for breath, which will help the body throughout the series. We will achieve all of this through movement, stretching and self-massage techniques.

The techniques learned in this class may be helpful for:

• Increasing depth and ease of breath
• Neck, shoulder and upper back tension
• Increasing range & ease of motion
• Reducing the effects of stress
• Improving posture
• Increasing mental clarity
• Headache relief

↑ top

Chapter 2 · February 22, 2010: Building A Stable Foundation · The Feet And Legs
In this class you will learn what the leg is. When most people think of the leg, they think of the lower extremity – from the hip to the ankle; 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. You will learn to identify these muscle groups with self-touch and movement. We will also use stretching and self-massage to lengthen the muscles and free adhesions between these muscle groups giving them independent movement and improved efficiency.

The techniques learned in this class may be helpful for:

• Planter fasciitis
• Restless leg syndrome
• Balance
• Shoulder tension
• Tension headache
• Increasing range of motion
• Reducing the effects of stress
• Just making your feet feel better

Chapter 3 · March 1, 2010: 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 self-massage techniques to lengthen the muscles and free adhesions between muscle groups giving them independent movement and improved efficiency. This class also prepares the way for learning the important postural function of centering the pelvis over the feet.

The techniques learned in this class can be helpful for:

• Low back problems
• Sciatica
• Some forms of hip pain
• Increasing range of motion
• Reducing the effects of stress
• Improving balance
• Improving posture
• Reducing strain in hips and lower backLow back problems

Chapter 4 · March 8, 2010: Ease & Flexibility · Low Back & Hips

Although you may take this class on its own it is strongly recommended that it be taken with Chapter 3 above to gain a full understanding of this area of the body. Here we will explore the deeper muscles of the hip and learn how they and the more superficial muscles learned 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.

The techniques learned in this class can be helpful for:

• Low back problems
• Increasing range of motion
• Balance
• Neck & shoulder tension
• Reducing the effects of stress
• Improving posture
• Reducing back strain

Chapter 5 · March 15, 2010: 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 unneeded tension and pain, which can lead to headaches. Here we will learn techniques to relax the 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. Stretching, movement and self-massage will be learned to give the shoulders, neck and head the freedom to function in harmony, reducing tension in this area of frequent complaint.

The techniques learned in this class may be helpful for:

• Neck & shoulder tension
• Tension headaches
• Balance
• Increasing range of motion
• Mental clarity
• Improving posture
• Reducing carpal tunnel symptoms
• Reducing the effects of stress

Chapter 6 · March 22, 2010: Reaching Out · Arms
Most of our doing is done with our arms and hands. We manipulate our world, reach out both to give and receive, we both embrace and repel with our arms. In this class we will learn to balance the strength and flexibility in our forearms, an imbalance here often contributes to carpal tunnel symptoms. As 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 all-important tools. Though this class may be taken independently, for the best results it is strongly recommended that you take it in conjunction with Chapter 5 above.

The techniques learned in this class may be helpful for:

• Neck & shoulder tension
• Increasing range of motion
• Carpal tunnel symptoms
• Reducing the effects of stress
• A great maintenance program for those who use their hands and arms for:
  • Data entry
  • Typing
  • Carpentry
  • Any respective work with your hands

FAQ’s

Why should I invest this amount of money and time in this course?
You get the benefit of the expertise of two therapists with different approaches and combined experience of over 30 years in massage therapy, movement education, and dance.  With the class size limited to 12, you will receive one on one attention to help you adapt the exercises and techniques to your specific needs.  This helps you increase your body awareness and become your own therapist.

What does ‘moderate mobility’ mean?
To get the most out of this class, you need to be able to get up and down off the floor.  We’ll be sitting chairs and on the floor.  There will be blankets to help you stay comfortable.  Be aware that through this course your mobility will very likely increase.

What should I expect from the class?
The class will be divided into about 25% lecture, 40% movement and stretching, 25% self-massage, and 10% Q&A. The class is in a heated and beautiful space with blankets and props to help you feel comfortable.  You’ll be seated in chairs and/or on the floor as well as lying on the floor. With your permission, the instructors may use gentle touch to help you find correct alignment for the exercises.

What is self-massage?
Self-massage is giving yourself a massage! For this course, self-massage uses tools like tennis balls, towels, and your own fists and elbows to release chronic areas of tension and to open tissues between muscle groups to allow independent movement between the groups.

What should I wear?
Wear comfortable clothing that you can move easily in – sweat pants, yoga clothes, or leggings – no jeans please.

Have more questions or want to register?  Email Ron at ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or call 607-220-4818.