When I first got into Stretch Therapy, I learned it on the table at first. We had a strap to make sure clients didn’t fall off the table and it took a while to find just the right height for my table so I wouldn’t constantly be bending over my client.
I started in Personal Training. Sure, now you can go to your local gym and there most likely will be a massage table there, but that wasn’t always the case.
I would train my clients in the gym and then we would end up on the floor post-session trying to figure out the best way to duplicate an assisted stretch I had learned on the table.
When I decided to leave personal training and focus solely on Stretching, there was nowhere for me to work. So I started my business independently. I was working out of my home and doing mobile visits which required me to take my table with me everywhere I went. And it became exhausting.
I knew there had to be a better way. So when I was creating The Performance Stretch System (PSS) in 2019, the one thing I did know was that I wanted to do it on the floor.
The PSS is a floor-based, assisted stretching certification course designed for wellness pros to elevate their client experience.
Our initial focus was to help personal trainers and movement coaches, but it quickly evolved. About 40% of our courses are filled with Massage therapists, RMTs in Canada and LMTs in the US. Some are new to massage, but most have been doing massage for many years and have taken the course to level up their skills and give their clients new variations.
Here are my Top 5 Benefits I got from moving from the table to the floor:
1. Variety:
If you have been doing any kind of manual therapy for a while, you tend to use the same moves over and over again, essentially falling into a routine. In the PSS we are teaching you new moves, in new positions with a full system. And, we are also developing your assessment skills, by helping you understand the ‘why’ of what you’re doing.
2. Leverage:
You get to approach the body at different angles. We have Supine, Prone (Lvl 2), Side-lying & and Seated stretches in the course. And as the practitioner, you will be able to stand, kneel and sit, while maintaining the proper form and poster. We teach you the best body mechanics to protect your body while giving your client the best stretch of their lives.
3. Safety:
When I was doing table sessions, I would end up standing on the table at some point, which admittedly wasn’t the smartest idea, but I was so intent on getting that perfect angle that I would take the measured risk to get it done. Now when I do those moves, I’m more balanced.
The safety aspect also applies when you are dealing with someone who is pregnant, and even when you have a 300 pound football player who feels safer on the floor because they can’t fall and they aren't worried about the table breaking.
4. Convenience:
I’m sure you have a system, but what if you didn’t have to lug your table to every appointment? What if you don’t have a car and haven’t been doing in-home sessions because it was just too difficult?
What if you could just pack a yoga mat, a small pillow and some long stretch towels? Wouldn’t that make your life so much easier? And it would probably save your back.
5. Ingenuity
If you’ve been watching my IG you will see some of the moves that I do with my clients and athletes. I have people consistently in my dm’s from all over the world asking for stretch therapists near them - who can do what I do for them. I have taken everything I’ve learned from FST, Thai Massage, Mobility Training, Strength Training and my own personal brand of movement and put it into this course so that you can learn these moves and share them with your clients.
Performance Stretch Therapy is a growing market. People are starting to understand that their health is a priority and have increased the amount that they invest in their bodies. Because Stretch Therapy is relatively new, now is the perfect time to be at the forefront. Providing a service that will make you stand out from other manual therapists who haven’t yet figured out that they can’t just keep doing the same thing forever. People will always want more. And the people want Stretch!
Take your business to the next level of movement therapy with the Performance Stretch System.
Sarah Mariano is the creator of Performance Stretch Therapy. She inspires fitness & wellness pros with how to stand out and be in demand through The Performance Stretch System.
After learning from industry experts and working with celebrity clients like Drake, Will Smith, Russell Wilson and many NFL, NBA players, Sarah has finally found the perfect recipe for a successful fitness and wellness business!
Follow me: @TheStretchTherapist
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This complete guide offers effective and efficient ways to “warm-up” and activate the body properly and safely.