There are no course prerequisites required for The Art of Thai Compressions.

You can view the curriculum for The Art of Thai Compressions here.

For this course, you can set up your space in one of two ways—using a floor massage mat or a floor-based Sarga Bodywork setup.

Option 1: Massage mat setup

• A futon or therapy mat
• A Sarga Board or XL Sarga Board
• A floor-based headrest (if your mat is 4"+ tall)
• A Sarga Silk

Option 2: Floor-based massage table setup

• A portable massage table with “shiatsu release cables” or the ability to unfasten one end of both horizontal undercarriage cables
• Silk attachment hardware (Sarga Attachments for Floor-Based Massage Tables or Sarga Floor Loops - requires installation)
• A floor-based headrest
• A Sarga Silk

You only need one of these setups, plus your Sarga Silk, to get the full benefit of The Art of Thai Compressions.

• Practitioners who want to learn to use their feet as manual therapy tools, but aren’t sure where to start.
• Thai Massage therapists who want to reinvent their practice by incorporating Sarga Bodywork equipment.
• Graduates and registrants of Sarga Bodywork Beginner (Sarga 101) who wish to incorporate Thai Massage techniques into their bodywork practice.

SargaThai and The Art of Thai Compressions will absolutely get easier with practice, however learning this modality can be quite rigorous at first and excellent physical conditioning (particularly isometric strength), is a must in order to gain the most from a SargaThai course. Yoga, Pilates, dance, martial arts, or any full-bodied practice that encourages both strength and flexibility will help to condition you for practicing SargaThai.

4 fitness measurements
Here are four fitness measurements that can help to gauge your ability to learn and perform SargaThai and The Art of Thai Compressions with success:

1. The ability to balance on one foot for at least 1 minute without holding onto anything for support.
2. Excellent cardiovascular conditioning and the ability to perform cardiovascular exercise (jogging, swimming, etc.) for 10-15 minutes without stopping.
3. The ability to perform at least 3 sets of 20 squats.
4. The ability to isometrically hold a plank for at least 1 minute.

If you would like some conditioning guidance to help you learn and perform SargaThai and The Art of Thai Compressions with confidence, our Sarga Fit online course is an excellent resource designed with the fitness demands of The Art of Thai Compressions, SargaThai and Sarga Bodywork in mind.

Feet are amazing manual therapy tools, and as bodyworkers, the ability to perform massage with our feet opens up a whole new set of biomechanical options.

Barefoot massage is an ancient practice, most notably in parts of Asia and the Pacific, and this practice encompasses manual therapy techniques that are applied to recipients' bodies with the practitioner's bare feet.

These techniques often mimic massage techniques applied with therapists' hands, however a notable difference is that barefoot massage techniques are less "pointed" and have the ability to deliver deeper, more consistent pressure due to the broader contact surface area of therapists' feet and the gravitational force that can be accessed for the delivery of the techniques.

The prefix “myo” refers to muscle tissue. Fascia is the connective tissue that forms a whole-body, continuous, 3-D matrix of structural support and wraps around every single cell, connecting cells to organs, organs to organ systems, and interpenetrates every muscle in the entire body.

We define myofascial technique as manual therapy characterized by slow, sustained, oblique, and high-tack contact with the aim of stimulating a stretch response in the fascia associated with muscle (myo) tissue (see shear-force).

Myofascial massage can help to treat muscle pain, inflammation and restriction, by relaxing contracted muscles, stimulating length and hydration in the tissue, and improving circulation.

Referencing Mosby’s Dictionary of Complementary and Alternative Medicine:

Massage is the application of diverse manual techniques of touch and stroking to muscles and soft tissue to achieve relaxation and improve clients' well-being.

Bodywork applies therapeutic touch paradigms with the aim of restoring health and balance to the entire person by working through the body. In other words, the body is viewed as a doorway to access systemic health.

We get this question a lot, and while we recognize that there is no substitute for in-person learning environments, especially for kinesthetic and touch-based trades, there are benefits and drawbacks to both in-person and online learning.

Online Courses
Online education is a rapidly evolving interface that has made leaps and bounds in the last several years. Dynamic, intuitive, and user-friendly platforms have made digital learning increasingly seamless and effective. With Sarga Bodywork's online courses, you will gain access to a step-by-step learning experience that includes high-definition video instruction, accompanying written materials, and access to a private Facebook group for ongoing support. Here are a few key benefits of starting your Sarga Bodywork training online:

• Learn from home!
• Move through the course curriculum at your own speed.
• Start with Sarga 101 Online to see if you like the material. If you would like to deepen your practice, apply that tuition to the cost of an in-person course (valid for 2 years after online course purchase date).
• Lifetime access and archivable format gives students the ability to reference the material as needed.
• Online course cost is more affordable than live courses.
• No travel or travel expenses

In-Person Courses
Sarga Bodywork's in-person courses are physically and mentally demanding, technique-based programs. A lot of material is packed into these courses and proficiency in the techniques is gained with subsequent practice of the material after class. Our curriculum is designed to build on itself, becoming more integrated with each day of class. Be sure to prepare your body and mind for a rigorous learning experience! Here are a few key benefits of starting your Sarga Bodywork training in-person:

• Traditional, time-tested live learning format encompasses visual, verbal and kinesthetic learning styles.
• Group classes help to facilitate accountability, feedback, and camaraderie.
• Ability to receive real-time feedback from a skilled instructor.
• Ability to feel the techniques from other students and an instructor.
• All relevant online curriculum is included with in-person course tuition!

Can't decide which track is best for you? Contact us to schedule a time to chat.

SARGA, SARGA BODYWORK, SARGATHAI, SARGSILKS, SARGA.RX, and MYO.RUB are trademarked names which are legally associated with the products, services, and methods provided by this business. Sarga Bodywork maintains trademark and intellectual property protections across multiple jurisdictions where our practitioners and instructors operate.

SARGA BODYWORK
Practitioners may only use the trade name Sarga® and Sarga Bodywork® on marketing media once they has been certified as a Certified Sarga Bodywork Practitioner® in the proprietary methodology of Sarga Bodywork. Doing so without Sarga Bodywork certification is a legal infringement. In addition, select Sarga Bodywork equipment is exclusively available to practitioners who have completed our introductory in-person course or who have enrolled in Sarga Bodywork Beginner (101) Online, which reviews the proper installation and use of this equipment.

SARGATHAI, SARGASILKS & SARGA.RX
Practitioners may only use the trade names above on marketing media once they have have attended the corresponding in-person course or have completed the corresponding online course. Doing so without these prerequisites is a legal infringement.

PROPRIETARY EQUIPMENT
Other businesses and organizations may not use our proprietary equipment, or similar permutations, to teach massage technique. Our IP filings cover equipment for foot-based massage methods, consisting of a fabric strap or similar material attached to a client-supporting device and used by practitioners both for stability and to deliver therapeutic force to the client. We actively protect our proprietary methods and equipment designs internationally and will pursue legal action against unauthorized reproduction or infringement in any market where we operate.

Unauthorized use of our trademarks, patents, or proprietary methods may result in legal action, including cease and desist orders, monetary damages, and injunctive relief.