Memphis Barefoot Basic Grads ROCK!

Over the 2013 MLK holiday weekend, Memphis Massage Professionals hosted Mary-Claire Fredette,  authorized instructor of the trusted Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy technique developed by Ruthie Hardee. Mary-Claire arrived in Memphis from Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday evening and set up FIVE sets of portable training bars in 4 hours! With help from a few of the students on Monday night it only took her two hours to break it all down, thanks goodness!

In attendance were 9 licensed massage therapists from Memphis and another from Huntsville, AL. Over the course of the weekend each student received a two hour deep tissue massage from their classmate as they learned to twist, turn, and support their body on the the bars while maintaining a firm and even pressure under their feet. Students learned a complete routine for the back side of the body that includes techniques called the princess wave (a gliding and kneading stroke performed on the legs) and Mortisha’s Rack (a gentle version of spinal decompression for the back). Each student received a massage from the instructor and performed a final test-out on a person from the Memphis community, many of whom work for the fire department! Everyone in the class was excited to be learning a massage routine that saves the hands and is also very effective. The MMP hostesses for this workshop are so excited that they are currently in discussion about having Mary-Claire return to teach a few of her other classes including the Deep Feet Anterior/Side-lying course, Ashi-Thai, and Bamboo Fusion massage. Stay tuned for those classes to occur in Memphis sometime in the late summer of 2013!