After a pretty good recovery from the Badwater: Salton Sea it was back to work and hitting the gym as much as possible along with some quick traveling to Las Vegas, NM for a high school graduation.
This past week I spent helping teach level 1 Fascial Stretch Therapy at Stretch To Win in Tempe, AZ. I have been wanting to help TA for over a year now but simply has not worked into my schedule and this year I set it in stone I was going to get there! I drove down on Sunday morning and arrived at my extended stay hotel with small kitchen and after a quick clean up headed to over to Ann and Chris Frederick's house for a teaching assistant meeting to discuss how the week would go and to meet the other 3 teaching assistant. One of the main reasons I wanted to TA was to really understand the power of FST and although I have had excellent results over the last 3 years using it on many athletes, patients of all types such as dancers, triathletes, runners, tennis players, UFC/MMA fighters, football players, baseball players, aerialists, swimmers, track and field, crossfit, weight lifters and many others I knew that going back to help teach others is a great way to really understand and learn Fascial Stretch Therapy making my work even more fantastic, if I do say so myself :-)
At the meeting it was quickly catching up and meeting the others and then the outline of the week. One of the first things called out is that WE as TA's would be much more interactive in group break out sessions and instructing certain movements and patterns, Ohhhhh Crap!! me center stage, Stage FRIGHT! but wait, this is what I signed up for and this is what I was looking to understand so I quickly put that out of my mind and would act as if I was in my office teaching a patient. Our teaching group was fun right out of the gate and we all seemed to just fit well with each other.
Monday morning we arrived at Z Health, the host office of this level 1 week and soon all 33 students arrived. We all went around greeting and welcoming and learning just a few things about each one. Then it was time for official introductions, a quick video on fascia and then its hands on time as Ann starts showing the first of the many patterns and movements. Overall, our duties is to watch, help and offer assistance during the one-one sessions and in group sessions we actually teach the feel and movement patterns of the more difficult patterns.
The first day was interesting to see the entire group all meeting each other for the first time and working together and as the days proceeded they all started to connect with each other and friendships are formed. Weds we all went out to a local bar, had a few beers and enjoyed the time outside of the teaching area, it also allowed for those partaking to unwind after 3 full days off brain overload. By Thursday they were basically finished learning most of the movement patterns and it was practice practice practice! Thursday night the teaching staff all went out together and Friday we basically finish up with a practical exam, questions, and a special guest, NFL player Mr. Leonard Davis comes by for a fascial stretch session and to help with graduation festivities. Such a nice guy too!
Friday was also a day that the group has come full circle. Its like when your training for a marathon and the first day you run 3 miles, thinking there is no way you'll make the 20 mile training run but then weeks later you complete that 20 mile training run and are ready for race day! Monday they were at the 3 miles and by Friday they were at 20 miles! The same satisfaction in coaching I felt in TA'ing! I was happy I came this week and was even more happy I was asked to come back in Nov to TA with this awesome group!
Level 1 - Fascial Stretch Therapy Class
I learned some great things, new updates to Fascial Stretch Therapy and new friends! Priceless!!!!!
rockon'
