“The Diaphragm and its connections with the rest of the body”

Full day workshop, ca. 6 hours plus breaks

Functional Anatomy of the diaphragm and its connections (Psoas muscles, pelvic floor, neck and others!). Explanation of problems that can rise from non-proper breathing. How to “Stretch”/relax the diaphragm with simple exercises.

Goals: to understand about function and importance of the diaphragm, the psoas and the pelvic floor (and so about the importance of proper breathing) and their connections in the body. Learning some simple but effective and fun breathing exercises. For all people who work with their own body (dancers, acrobats, musicians, sports people, yoga teachers etc….) and for everyone who works (or teaches) on other bodies! Needs space and a few tools

“Proprioception: a seventh sense; about feet and knees”

A full day workshop, ca. 6 hours plus breaks.

For dancers, sports people, adaptable, if necessary, to specific sports.

What is Proprioception? Anatomical and physiological/neurological background. The foot   and the knee as “proprioceptive organs”, their functioning and their typical problems in dancers. About three hours of theory (with lots of practical examples) and about 3 hours of practical workshop with exercises and explanations how to build up a proprioception rehabilitation.

Goals: to understand the neurological/physiological principles of Proprioception and to learn a simple practical approach to some proprioceptive problems. To understand the foot and the knee, and learn about the “why’s” of typical problems of feet and knees. To understand the “why’s” of typical dance and sports injuries. Very important for people who work with dancers or sports people, but important also for “normal people” in everyday’s work, this workshop could be interesting not only for trainers/therapists but also for interested clients (especially dancers and professional sports people). Needs space and a few tools.

“The spine and its problems”

Full day workshop, 6 hours plus breaks

Functional anatomy of the spine, from head to pelvis. Typical spine problems and their possible causes and treatments: Herniated discs? Sciatica? Scoliosis? Spondylolistesis? Osteoporosis? Functional lesions (“blocks”)? This all related to Dance and Sports.

Lots of practical exercises for prevention, training and self-treatment of spine and pelvis.

Goals: to understand the real causes of backpain and other spine problems (we’ll talk about some myths as well…). For therapists, MDs, dance and sports teachers, and for everyone who wants to learn more about the spine.  Needs space and a few tools.

Craniomandibular dysfunctions(CMD) and their connections with the rest of the body

Full day workshop, about 6 hours plus breaks

CMD is a common cause for headaches, cervical and lumbar problems, cervicobrachialgia (“I always wake up with my hands and arms in pain or tingling”) and other problems!

Anatomical and physiological/neurological theory and explanations. Mouth guards / bites?

What is that? Different kinds of mouth guards. The role of the tongue.

Long practical part with extensive teaching and practising of a specific but simple examination scheme (recommended by the German Society of Manual Medicine), consisting of 4 tests, plus a few exercises for the craniomandibular muscles.

Goals: to give knowledge of this relatively common condition; to make you able to suspect or even recognise clear primary CMD problems; to teach simple exercises for the relaxation of the jaw. As a side effect this workshop also shows very clearly how the “same” problem in the body can be caused by many different origins. Very useful for all therapists and trainers, but also for dentists, chiropractors, osteopaths, MDs!  Needs space and, if possible, some treatment/massage tables (in a Pilates studio we can use the Cadillacs!)

Fascia/connective tissue: what is it? What do we need it for, what does it in the body?

What do we need it for, what does it in the body? Its role as a connector, divider, information storage and information transport. Scar tissue and its problems and qualities. Anatomical and physiological explanations, if possible with examples from the audience. Ca.120 min, depending on the knowledge the audience has already. It is more a lecture than a workshop.

Goals: to understand more connections in the body, why some pathologies present symptoms far from their origins, etc. Important for trainers and therapists.

This could be extended for people who are allowed to do, and do lots of hands-on work, there could be more practical techniques, especially on scar tissue or others.

“How to look at movement”, at simple and complex movements

What do I see? Why do I see what I see and what not? How can I use my observation more specifically in movement teaching, dance teaching, therapy etc.? This is a practical workshop about observing movement and how to apply this to your work. It actually includes some of the most important principles of my work and I think if people can apply what they learn in this course, the quality of their work will increase a lot. Ca. 2-3 hours (but could be longer!), needs space!

Goals: to understand and become aware about how we observe movement, about habits and automatisms and how to loose them, gaining so a much more powerful tool for movement analysis. Helps also to learn to see different causes for “similar” problems. Useful for all sorts of therapists, dance teachers and dancers, music teachers and musicians (bring instruments!), sports people and trainers, basically for all people who work with their or others bodies.

“The development of the body of the child in the context of Dance and Sport”

Full day workshop, ca. 6 hours plus breaks.

For Dance teachers, sport teachers and trainers, for everyone who works with children

How does the child grow? Psycho-physiological development until the end of the growing period. Which are typical age-related risks, problems and injuries? Growth spurts, hormonal changes. Dancing in pointe: when? Why? Physical training in children: when, what? What not, and why?

Lots of practical hints and exercises.

These workshops can be taught individually or as a complete training (the last includes an introduction lecture and a concluding lecture). If you have other suggestions or questions, I’m open to create workshops around that. Most of the workshops listed above were created after I was asked specific questions!

Prices: I take € 200.- per hour of workshop, plus travel costs and lodging. I can offer to do single treatments in the remaining time of the days. They are ca. 60 min. each.