Are the words literally flashing before everyones eyes at the moment, after 3-days at Wat Po and hearing 1-2-3-2-1 and 1-2-1 and Palm Press, Change Leg, Sit Up, Sit Down, Use Thumbs, Line 1, Line 2, Inside, Outside...I think it's fair to say the students are feeling pretty exhausted! So today, they had a day off, but still plans a plenty to keep them on their toes!

I asked a couple of the group if they could write some words for me last night - There was a bit of a group effort that went into this, but primarily, words from Vicky and Lorain:

"Well it's day 4 in Bangkok! Feels like we've been here soooo much longer - but in a good way!! What an experience myself and Lorain have had so far, long way from snowy Scotland...

Been on an elephant, sweated loads (lovely), attacked by a Thai compress wielding masseuse, had loads of fab maassage maassage, and eating amazing food every day. Seen a hundred and one things to do with a coconut - Christmas pressies me thinks.

Oh and been at school as part of the fisherman's trousers gang - we have created our own uniform!! Learning amazing new techniques and feel very Thai masseuse like. Loads to remember and are all slightly worried about the pending exam but intend to enjoy every bit till then. Food's good at the school too. Just choose from the 4 local dishes going - mystery eating but luckily not the crickets and frogs which i've witnessed the others eating..... not quite reached that level of adventure yet....

Charlie - THE tour guide from the floating market day, what a guy, no idea what he said or where he was taking us but hey, he bought us fruit and showed us a good time! Good banana fritters!!

Not much tan going on yet for the fisherman's trousers gang but we do seem to carry off black and blue very nicely.....oooh and purple...yellow...."

And from Sharon:

"Having a fantastic time. If you are thinking of doing the trip next year its a MUST and only half way through the week. The teachers are just amazing in sharing their knowledge.As we are working and being worked on they still have their hands and especially their eyes on us lol ! No bruises from having deep massage every day, just from bumping in to my bed all the time. Which the teachers are taking care of every day with their magic tiger balm."

So today...we started this morning with a trip to the Medical Museum at Siriraj Hospital.  The hospital itself opened in 1888 and was the first of it's kind in Thailand, and the first to incorporate TTM as part of the medical treatments.  The old part of the hospital is now a museum, housing many different specimens show casing the human body.  Some of the exhibits were a little tough to stomach after breakfast, and even I found a few things a bit hard to handle and I knew what to expect.  Still I think the group all found it to be interesting and educational!

Our next stop was a cooking class, WOW what a day - everyone has thoroughly enjoyed it.  We were collected form the hotel and our first stop was to the fresh fruit/veg/meat markets where the local Thai people shop.  Really interesting learning about all the different herbs and vegs, some odd ones that we can't get in the UK!  Then we were taken to the school.  Bai Pai cooking school, can only be described as a delightfull little oasis situated in the heart of Bangkok - so peacful and serene given the location.  Lovely gardens with Pagodas to relax and the classrooms all fitted with everything you need to cook.  The school even have their own herb gardens.  Our first dish - Deep Fried Spring Rolls - learning to roll them without them falling apart, and then deep frying them was a challenge but we all managed pretty well!  next, Som Tam, or, Spicey Papaya Salad.  Chef made one first for us to taste, and then we had to make our own.  There were a few adventurous members of the group who went for 5 birds-eye chillis, and then a few more cautious members who opted for only half! They were pretty hot!  To finish, we made Green Curry Chicken - first we had to make the green curry paste using fresh ingredients and lots of arm strength pounding it all together in the Pestle & Mortar!  An absolutly delightful day and I think a well deserved (and well needed) day of rest for the group.  A relaxing evening now, and it's back to school tomorrow! Only 2 days left at Wat Po and I suspect many are in their rooms now running through the routines in their heads! Me, I'm going to go get a massage!

The past two days have been pretty hectic, submerging the group into Thai culture in every possible way!  After the Welcome Drinks on Friday, most of the group were suffering jet lag so most people turned in early for the night, probably a wise idea as we were up at the crack of dawn on Saturday for the first of the included excursions...a trip to the Floating Markets.

We were collected at 7am by our very bright an energetic, 62 year old, tour guide, Mr Charlie.  He was full of enthusiasm and could not have been more delighted knowing that we were all massage therapists; he was overjoyed knowing that we had chosen his country to study in.  We made our way south of Bangkok heading to the Damnoen Saduack Floating Markets.  When we arrived we were split into 3 and boarded the long tail speedboats, if you’ve never seen one, think of the Man with the Golden Gun and the scene with James Bond speeding through the canals!  It really was very much like, great fun, although at times you did feel like you were speeding through families back gardens!  The floating markets when we arrived were bustling with local and tourist activity, boats selling everything from fresh fruit, hats, shoes and the most delicious coconut pancakes!

On our return journey, Charlie decided to take us to see the Elephant Camp, allowing those that wanted, the chance to ride on an elephant! Most of the group jumped at the chance!

By now we were all starting to wilt in the heat – it’s been consistently 37c so far and blazing sunshine!  We got back to the hotel, time for a quick refresh and a bite to eat and then we were off again, this time to Wat Po.  The famous temple that was the first Open University in Thailand back in the 1860’s when Thai people would travel from far and wide to study the inscriptions in the grounds of the temple and learn about Traditional Thai Medicine and Massage.  It is here that Thai Massage is thought to originate and everything we know about Thai Massage all has roots here.  Here the students had the chance to walk around and take in the amazing sights such as the Reclining Buddha, and viewing the famous inscriptions, we all then got to experience a full body Thai Massage from the Wat Po therapists.  By now we were both melting from the heat but totally dazed from this amazing massage experience, but the day was not over yet!

Our last activity for the day took the group out for dinner, by now I think we well and truly deserved some food and drink!!!  We went to a great restaurant called Cabbages & Condoms – The food is great and all the profits from the restaurant go towards awareness of safe sex and HIV research within South East Asia.  The restaurant itself has to be seen, with all the table decorations made from various coloured condoms – quite amusing and very tongue in cheek!  The food was delicious – a banquet of around 8 dishes including Spicy soup, cotton fish with fresh mango sauce (My personal favourite), Red Duck Curry, Chicken and Cashew nuts, Chicken Fried Rice and all polished off with Banana Fritters and Honey!

So today, Day one of the course for the students at Wat Po (Yes, we are here to do more than eat, sight see and swim) the entire group were very excited but also all equally nervous.  Everyone has had plenty of massages since arriving so they knew what it was all about, not sure whether that made them more nervous or not!  We arrived at the school and were taken to our own private room were our teacher introduced herself – she told us her full name, laughed and said, “but it’s ok, you can call me A”  The group were then shown and short video introducing the school and Thai Massage.  Everyone received their handy school satchel and all the material they need for the next 5 days.  The routines is broken down into five steps 1) Supine 2) Side Lying 3) Prone 4) Supine and 5) Seated.  The morning would be spent with the teacher demonstrating the full 5 steps, and then after lunch everyone will be practicing with the whole 5 days being full on practical.  Lucky for me, I got to be the body for the demo, unlucky for me it meant that I got drawn all over.  One of the great ways they teach here is that they draw on your arms, legs and back to show the position of thumbs etc and the direction that the SEN lines run in.  Seeing me being drawn on gave the group much to giggle about; however it was soon re-paid in the afternoon when they all got drawn on too – we now look like a group of measles infected foreigners...

After lunch, we joined the main classroom where other groups were also practicing – students from all over the world.  Our teacher, A, came over with 4 other teachers, we then had 1 teacher for every 3 students meaning that despite being such a large group the assistance and attention was very focused and no one felt like they were missing anything...There were a few “ooohs” and “aahhs” as everyone adjusted to a totally different way of working – very deep, focused pressures, crazy stretches and being on your knees the whole time takes some getting used too!  Despite the language barriers, all the teachers speak really good English, or at least good enough to convey what they are teaching us.  If there’s something they cannot describe, they resort to using examples which instantly make sense, such as “Monkey climbing tree” for the technique for working on the hamstrings, and “Sexy Pose” to keep reminding you about posture – as that is pretty important with this kind of treatment.  We laughed and giggled, but everyone remembers it!

By the end of the day the group were exhausted, but had thoroughly enjoyed themselves and can’t wait for tomorrow.  A few of the group escaped to the pool to cool down (And no doubt wash off the measles), which is where I am now whilst writing this...the sun is setting on another glorious educating day in Bangkok, time I think for some more street food, and oh, I don’t know...maybe another cheeky little foot massage whilst I’m at it ;) (Hope that doesn’t make you all too jealous!)

Hello readers!

Well, the wait is finally over, after originally launching the Thai Study Trip back in June last year, and it selling out within 2 weeks, the trip starts today!  I'm currently sat in my hotel room enjoying a little bit of  welcome Air Conditioning, and it's currently 3pm Bangkok time (6 hours ahead of the UK)

The trip "officially" kicks off tonight with the group meeting around the pool for Welcome Drinks at 7pm.  I've been here in Bangkok now almost a week making all the final arrangements for the groups arrival such as arranging some group dinners, massages and registering the students at the school.  I was able to arrange a surprisingly large amount from the UK thanks to modern technology! but there are some things that just have to be done in person to avoid any language issues!!

The weather is fantastic, 37C most days and glorious sunshine, needless to say I've had to take a bit of time out myself to relax by the pool - It's all research of course (At least that's what I've beeen telling Annalisa)

Over the next week, I'll be blogging with what the group have been getting up to and also I'll have some words from them to add to the blog so you don't think I'm making all of this up!

Let me start by setting the scene and giving you an idea of where we are, who we are and what we have planned!

For those that don't know me, I'm Chris and I'm a Senior Tutor with Inspire, I teach the Thai based one day workshops that I'm sure I've met many of you on and I'm also involved in the ITEC classes.  With me, I have Carys, also an Inspire tutor.  Carys is here (in her words) as my "Glamourous Assistant" - helping me out with the group and generally being an extra pair of eyes and hands.  We then have 15 therapists from all over, most from London and the surrounding counties, some from Scotland, Ireland, Bristol, the Midlands and even one from Copenhagen.  Everyone is super excited and those that have already arrived have been relaxing by the pool and sampling plenty of massages and food.  9 are here already and the last 7 are due to land in the next half hour.

Some of the students chose to arrive a few days earlier to acclimatise and I have been able to spend a bit of time with them and had many laughs already, so I know there will be plenty more to come.  We've been having plenty of massages for less money than you think possible, for example a one hour foot massage is costing around 200Thb, about £4.  In the picture below you can see Jeannie having her feet washed by the therapist - this was before a 90 minute Herb Compress treatment that quite literally knocked us out, I floated out of the treatment, it was amazing, and only cost 500Thb - about £10

We're staying the heart of the old part of the city, in a lovely little hotel called the Navalai, a stones through from the bustling Khao San Rd, and just a short 10 mins boat trip to the Grand Palace and Wat Po!

Tonight is going to be very relaxed and chilled out - especially as most have been flying for the last 12+ hours so we're going to have some Welcome Drinks around the pool and then I'll be showing the group the local street markets for some food before having an early night.  Tomorrow is a packed day of excursions and massage.  We're starting the day at 7am with a trip to the famous Floating Markets and then in the afternoon we're all heading to Wat Po to look around the temple, see the stunning Reclining Buddha (See our facebook wall banner) and to also have a treatment.  Tomorrow evening we're heading out for a group meal at a great restaurant called Cabbages & Condoms!  The training all kicks off on Sunday when the group will be learning Traditional Thai Massage at the TTM School at Wat Po!  I won't go into too much detail about that now or they'll be nothing to say in our next blogs!! We've also got shopping trips, cooking classes and Riverboat Cruises to look forward to!

So, sit back and bookmark the blog and follow our adventures as we submerge ourselves into some Thai Culture!

Sawatdee-Krup

Chris

Morning/Afternoon/Evening all (Delete as applicable based on your timezone!)

Those of you that follow us on Facebook will know that I'm currently on my holidays galavanting around Argentina - sadly I return on Wednesday - much the delight of Annalisa I'm certain!!

As my holiday was drawing to a close, I decided to treat myself to a bit of pampering, I was lucky(?) enough to be accidentally upgraded to a 5* hotel for the last part of my journey so I thought I'd make use of the facilities. I'm currently staying the the Pousada Los Alamos hotel based in El Calafate.  This is a small town on the shores of Lago Argentino - the largest lake in South America.  It is also the prime location for anyone visiting the Glaciars in the National Park here.  I visited them yesterday and I have to say, they were incredible, I've never seen anything like in my life.

Anyway, back to the point of my blog.  I popped over to the spa - named the Humus Spa, with a tag line of "Massages: the secret is the hands..." and booked myself in for the "Post Glaciar" treatment, according to the menu, this is what it was:

Name: Post Glaciar

Duration: 70 min

Cost: 250Pesos (Approx £37)

Description:

Body Scrub with poppy sedes and silica cream. It renews the skin, stimulates circulation and prepares the skin for new products.
Relaxing massage from toes to head, with linden oil.
Elongation and stretching : it oxygenates the tissues and achieves a relaxed body posture.
It provides the body with balance and well being, by exercising the back and the upper and lower body.

In reality, was it like that, well yes to a degree I guess it was.  It was what I'd call "nice"  I know there are language barriers whenever you go for treatments in non-english speaking countries, but there wasn't even an attempt made to ask me what I did/didn't want/like.  So in summary I've broken down my critique into the Therapiist, the location and the treatment.

Location:

Part of the spa complex which comprises a gym, a large pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi

The room was small but adequate, the "ambient" noise was a combination of Enya on a cd playing in the room, and the noise of screaming children splashing around in the pool, not ideal to relax too

Lighting was dimmed, that was ok

Temperature, again no problem there

Couch...Oh My, I don't think I have ever been on a couch more uncomfortable in my life.  It was an odd shap for a start, and the legs slightly elevated so when prone I was not comfy at all.  There wasn't a face cradle, instead it was a couch with a face hole.  I detest these kinds of couches...anyone that has met me will know I'm a tall guy - 6ft 4" - so a couch with a face hole really doesn't help, my legs were way off the end.  The other reason I don't like this kind of couch is that the holes are usually either too big or too small, really hard on the face and there is no way to make adjustments.  I tend to like the face cradle at a very slightly lowered angle.

Therapist:

She was pleasant in that she told me her name and told me to "Lie face down and relax arm" - I understood that, but there was no consultation and not once before or during the treatment did she ask what pressures I liked or if I was comfortable in anyway.  She was caked with makeup and had sharp long nails.

Treatment:

The scrub was nice, nothing special and has left my skin feeling lovely and soft.  The total treatment was supposed to be 70mins, it was more like 60, so given I had a scrub and a massage in that time, you can probably guess it wasn't brilliant.

The massage element of the treatment was basically just lots and lots and lots of effleurage over and over and over again, with just her hands, no elbow work at all, how she manages day in day out without injury I don't know...well actually I do - anyone can just do efflerauge with no prossure I guess!  There was also so much oil I felt like I was being basted ready for the oven - no questions about the oil either, I have no idea what it was - It smelt nice but could have been anything.  There was little to no pressure and she used maybe 2 other techniques, one of which was "pressure" points to the occiput - firstly she was nowhere near my occiput and secondly just dug her nails in, as I was prone and she couldn't see me wincing she had no idea that this was actually quite painful.

After doing the back of my legs, I turned over and she massaged my chest and neck - this was actually the best bit of the massage where she incorporated a few stretches.  She uncovered my legs, did the front of both and then just walked out the room leaving my legs still uncovered. I wasn't quite sure what to and whether I should get up or not.  I stayed there for a few moments, she then returned and said "When I was ready I could get up and change, and could I make sure I sign the voucher on the way out" (So it could be charged to my room) No water, no "How was it" or "How are you feeling"

Hmmmm, so you could say that my first experience of a Hotel Spa massage has left me not partcularly wanting anymore.  It certainly makes me realise how important good training is and I feel privileged to be able to go back to the UK knowing the standard of therapists that study with Inspire leave with good grades and a good solid awareness of what is right and wrong and how important it is to listen to the clients needs.  Another tale for me to relay to the new ITEC intake in a few weeks!!

Not a serene and relaxing as seeing the glaciars was yesterday that's for sure, here's a little picture of what one of them looked like!

This blog has been brewing for a while so here goes!

I am frequently contacted by newly qualified / inexperienced therapists asking  'how to' treat clients with various conditions, the most frequent being cancer.

I am asked 'should I' do anything special, avoid certain techniques, do Swedish but gently or use other modalities such as hot stones, herbs, cups or Thai foot sticks.

My answer is a predictable NOTHING! And they say, “what do you mean nothing!!!!”

I mean just that. In my opinion, the body is going through huge amounts of stress when being challenged with cancer and everybody reacts differently. Complex physiological adaptations are taking place and reactions to treatments can be volatile. Basic massage training is just that... basic, it can only scratch the surface of diseases and it is only recently that Pathology has been introduced into NVQ Level 3 courses!!

Completion of basic training in my opinion is the end of the very beginning, it's like being a therapist with L plates on, needing to get miles or years on the clock before you develop a sense for the work we do. Did you really understand or just 'learn'  A and P, could we (without the help of our books or the internet!) explain to someone we respect the complexities of common pathologies and be confident to answer questions? I am the first to admit that A and P for me was a challenge and being dyslexic I struggled to understand some of the more challenging systems. I was blessed with a good memory so got a good mark but would not claim to have the understanding that many of my colleagues have.

I do however have 20 years full time experience seeing clients and have seen many hundreds of people during clinics.

So what have I learned over the years? One would expect that I have been more willing to be open to challenging cases and more willing to 'try it and see' but actually the opposite is true. Along with the years of experience and further training has come greater caution, more respect for the power of touch, more recommendations to other colleagues and a greater desire to stick even closer to my core areas of expertise.

Over the years it is important to further your training, learn new skills and cement your basic knowledge. It may well be that you are drawn to certain client groups and adding professional training to your skill set such as massage for cancer care. You may opt to do voluntary work in a hospice or specialist cancer unit where you can be guided by experts, supported in the highly rewarding yet draining and sometimes upsetting client work and having interaction of like-minded therapists around you.

These are the environments where you can spread your wings, develop specialist knowledge, gain experience in new areas yet keep you and your clients safe and protected at the same time!

I may have conservative views, but for me it is always better to say no when you are unsure as to what to do, how to do it or more importantly when not to!

People respect you more when you explain something is out of your skill set and you have the confidence to refer on.

There are more and more claims being made against therapists and it is more important than ever to do what we are confident, competent and insured to do.

Let's all make a commitment to going to bed at night knowing we have worked within our skill set, worked to the best of our ability and given potential clients a referral to the right source of help when necessary!

Hello Readers!

Here we are again talking Thailand – I swear Annalisa will regret asking me to do this as I’ll probably take up more space on this blog than anyone else, once I get talking about Thailand I can’t stop – as some of this weekend’s students on On-Site and Going Deeper may testify when they asked me about the trip having read the newsletter!

Yesterday I talked about the course at Wat Po – after all this really is the main reason we’re going, but a trip to Thailand without experiencing a bit of culture and being a “tourist” just wouldn’t be right, so as you will have read in the itinerary, the Thai Study Trip is so much more than just 5 days in school.  We have arranged some really exciting trips, taking in some of the best things to do In Bangkok coupled with the experiences that I have enjoyed during the times I have been there, to put together a complete package which we think is truly exciting.  Each time I read the itinerary I get a warm fuzzy excited feeling and just want to tell everybody – I go on about my time there so much that to actually be able to act as a “tour guide” and share those experiences with you, really excites me!

So let’s begin…

Floating Markets

The first trip we will do takes us south-west of Bangkok to the famous Floating Markets.  It’s an early start, but like most markets, the best things to see are first thing, plus it means that you don’t get blasted by the midday heat – which in Thailand can be quite something!  The markets are an explosion of colours and sights and sounds, and literally as the name suggests, the sellers will be trading their wares from the boats, predominantly ranging from fresh fruits and fresh coconut juices to an array of souvenirs.  The plan is to haggle and get some bargains whilst enjoying the experience like no other!  The trip will see us back at the hotel around midday.

Treatment Time at Wat Po!

Following our return from the Floating Markets, we’ll have chance to freshen up, have a light lunch and then head to Wat Po – not the school, but the temple itself.  The grounds of the temple are stunning, and Wat Po is actually older than Bangkok itself! Here you will get chance to see the stunning reclining Buddha – 45 meters long housed in a temple barely big enough for it!  As you will know by now, Wat Po is the centre for the traditional learning of Thai Massage, and whilst here you will see the inscriptions that many learnt from centuries ago.  In addition, there are still 24 of the original 80 statues remaining showing the different yoga poses – See how many you can find!  We will then all go and have a massage in the main hall. 

Cabbages & Condoms

We have arrange to go out for a group evening meal at a fabulous restaurant called Cabbages & Condoms.  This place serves fantastic food and all profits go towards Aids/HIV research in Asia, great food with a great cause behind it.  I won’t spoil it for you, but you just have to see it to really get the “fun” element of this restaurant!

The Grand Palace

No trip to bangkok would be right without a trip to the Grand Palace.  Situated next to Wat Po, and has served as the official residence of the King since the 18th Century.  Built in 1782, the palace has grown and been added to over the years by each reigning Monarch.  You will have time here to take in the magnificent structures including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Siriraj Hospital Museum

This hospital was opened in 1888 and today is still the largest Medical Facility in Thailand.  It is also currently the residence of the King and has been since he fell ill back in 2009.  You will see many people gathered here praying and paying their respects to him.  Part of the Hospital houses the Museum, and this is where we will be going.  The museum contains six separate permanent exhibits and includes sections on anatomy, pathology, congenital disorders, toxicology, techniques of Thai Traditional Medicine and forensic pathology.

Cooking Class

Some of the best experiences in Thailand will be the food.  It’s fair to say that food is key to the Thai way of life.  If Thai people are not eating food, preparing food or shopping for food, it’s because they’re probably a sleep, and even then they may even be dreaming of food.  Every morning when we head to school you will see hugs pots of food bubbling away and being prepared.  It’s central to the way of life, so a trip to Thailand wouldn’t be complete without learning how to cook some of the delicious stuff!

So we have arranged a cooking class.  First, we will be taken around the local market to buy the produce and learn about some of the more whacky and unusual fruits and vegetables that we don’t normally see on the shelves in the UK! Then it’s back to the kitchens were we will cook up a fest, and then better still, get to eat it all afterwards! Learn the basics of a good Green Curry – including making the curry paste from scratch, and be a noodle master and whip up the best Pad Thai!

Riverboat Cruise

To round of a week of exciting learning and the fact you will all now be in possession of nice shiny certificates from Wat Po, we have arranged an evening riverboat cruise along the Chao Phraya that runs through the heart of Bangkok.  The boat will have live entertainment and food will be served.  We will cruise along the river passing some of the key historic sights, seeing them light up after dark offering some amazing photographic opportunities.

Chatuchak Markets

On our last day we will all head off to the market.  Chatuchak boasts the claim to be the largest market of its kind in the world, and when you see it, it’s easy to understand why.  This vast market is split into sections ranging from “second Hand”, “Food”, Arts and Crafts”, “Animals” and many more.  We will make sure you all get a map before we go in and then you’re free to roam!  A word of warning – if you see something you like and think “I’ll just have a look to see if I can find something different/cheaper then come back if I don’t” – Chances are you may not find your way back as you weave through this labyrinth of stalls – so get it when you see it!!! Haggling is key to this place so be sure to practice your skills and you’ll walk away with some bargains!

So there we go – that’s a break down of the key excursions that we have planned and there will be lots of other little things thrown in, for example in the evenings we’ll have advice and guidance for such as the best places for treatments, the best places for some really tasty food and also the best places to shop.  Bangkok has it all and this trip is sure to give you a taste of the best!

FAQ

A few people have been asking some questions, so I will answer a few here:

Q: Which airline should I choose?

A: This really is down to personal preference, and will also depend on your budget and where you want to fly from.  I will be flying with EVA, they are a Taiwanese airline and I’ve flown with them before.  I find the service is excellent, the seats comfortable and a little more leg room than other carriera – and as I’m 6ft 4, that extra inch makes all the difference.  Cheaper fares can generally be found if you are prepared to go via somewhere – for example Egypt Air via Cairo, Emirates via Dubai, Lufthansa via Berlin, Air France via Paris – this again is up to you, the only advice I would give is choose a flight with the no more than 2hours lay over, any longer and what is normally a 12hr direct flight, becomes almost 20 hours and it’s just draining!

Q: What is the weather like in Bangkok in May?

A: Hot! May is getting towards the start of the rainy season so it would not be unusual to experience storms in the evenings with some heavy down pours – these generally last a few minutes and then within 5 minutes its dry again as the heat burns it off.  Daytime temperatures can reach 36C and higher and the humidity can increase that.  It’s imperative that you keep hydrated and carry water with you everywhere.  Bottles of water are very cheap to buy – Do NOT drink tap water - although the hotel tap water is safe for cleaning teeth etc, I’d still recommend you avoid it if you have a sensitive digestive system!

Q: What currency do they use and how much do things cost?

A: Local currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht (THB) and currently there’s about 50THB to the £.  Typically, a bottle of water will cost around 20THB.  A 1 hour Thai Foot Massage will cost around 100-150THB – It’s cheap!

Q: I’m nervous about flying on my own, what advice can you give?

A: Don’t be – we will do all we can to help.  As and when people book, if there are other students on the same flights as you, with mutual agreement between both parties we will put you in touch with each other so you can meet at the airport and be travel buddies.  In addition, once we have flight details, we will present some options for you for transfers to the hotel that will include having someone meet you at Bangkok Airport.  The airport in Bangkok can be overwhelming – it is a major hub for flights around Asia and for connecting Europe with Australia, however, sign posts are in English and very clear.  The ground staff at the airport are all extremely helpful and will guide you if you need help.

Q: I've heard stories of scams in Bangkok and being ripped off, is this true? and is Bangkok safe?

Bangkok is just another big city, and like all big cities you have to be careful, both of your own personal belongings and for your own safety.  In all the times I have been to Bangkok, I've never felt at risk, even when I was there in May 2010 during the civil unrest from the Red Shirts, I've spoken to many travellers, and they all say the same thing - be just as aware of yourself as you would be anywhere else.  There are some popular scams in Bangkok, mainly surrounding Tuk-Tuk drivers.  They will typical try and entice you in to their Tuk-Tuk with offers of "1 hour trip, 20Baht" - 20Baht is equivalent to about 50p - this sounds too good to be true - and it is.  The driver will indeed only charge you 20Baht, but he won't take you on a 1 hour trip of the sights, he will take you on a 1 hour trip of shops where he has an agreement with the owner that he gets a % of whatever you buy, and the chances are the places he takes you too won't be the best quality and won't be the cheapest.  So avoid this scam at all costs.  Another good one, again with Tuk-Tuk drivers, is that they all hang around outside the grounds of the Grand Palace and Wat Po, telling you it's closed and that you should go with them somewhere instead (see Scam 1).  The Palace and Wat Po are open every day, this is a lie, again ignore them.  If you decide you want to take a Tuk-Tuk somewhere, by all means do, as this is a great fun way to get around, but always agree a fixed price at the start of the journey and be very clear exaclty where you want to go, and no matter how much the driver asks if he can take you to a shop on the way, always refuse.  They are not nasty people and you shouldn't feel scared, you just have to be direct and to the point with them.  If you take a taxi, always insist that they use the meter.  The goverment are trying to crack down on Taxi drivers not using the meters, as they will try and barter with you for a higher fare.

Keep the questions coming and I will respond to them via the Inspire Facebook Discussion at http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=132464145280&topic=14617

Thanks for reading!

Chris

By now, for those of you that will have either seen this months newsletter, or happened to stop by the Inspire website, you will have seen that we have just launched the “Inspire Thai Study Trip 2012” and boy am I excited!

Today and tomorrow I’m blogging about what you can expect from this trip, today I will talk about the training, after all that is why we’re going! and tomorrow I will talk about the exciting excursions that we have arranged.  In addition, if anyone wants to ask some questions, post them to me via facebook and I’ll also answer whatever I can! The discussion for you to post to is here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=132464145280&topic=14617

Firstly I’d like to start by saying a huge Thank You to Annalisa for giving me the chance to organize this trip, the second she asked me, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to do this.  I went on the first Inspire trip to Chiang Mai led by Declan back in 2009 and, I think, on behalf of all the students that went, I would not be wrong in saying what an absolutely fantastic time we had – we all went with these visions of coming away having learnt Thai Massage – don’t get me wrong – we did, but we also came away with so much more.  New friendships, new experiences, and ever lasting memories of an amazing time in Thailand.  As I write this now I can see a photo of Lisa and I riding on the back of an Elephant at the Maesa Elephant Camp with huge grins across our faces, the memories are flooding back…I better move on before I break out into renditions of Show Tunes mixed with sketches from Monty Python that filled the mini-bus whenever we went on a long journey!

Anyone that has met me through the various workshops I teach, or attended the CThA talk I gave on “A Taste of Thai” will have heard my background and my passion to Thai bodywork, indeed my trip with Inspire back in 2009 was the beginning for me…the beginning of something very new that I had no idea would develop the way it has.

From the minute I started with Thai massage I knew I had found something I loved, yes I struggled with being on my knees all day and I struggled because I might not be the most flexible person I know, but I pushed through because I saw something in this treatment that just ignited a passion to learn more.  So following that eventful (for all the right reasons) trip, I decided I needed to go back, and so I did, the second time I went back to Bangkok to study at Wat Po.  I had heard so many things about Wat Po – this is considered the centre of Thai Massage, to some extent where it all began – by that I mean the learning and the education around Thai Massage…If I was to start talking about the roots of Traditional Thai Medicine then that is a whole new blog in itself, but Wat Po became the centre for educating.  Monks travelled from all over Thailand to study the inscriptions around this stunning palace, they took the knowledge away and over the centuries Thai Massage developed, slight variations became apparent between the North and South, but every treatment will meander its way back to Wat Po….so what better place to learn…

The school at Wat Po offer many courses, sadly due to my work commitments in the UK I couldn’t take 3-6 months and do the residency courses, one day….although I’m not sure Annalisa would be too happy if I told her I was heading to Thailand for 6 months ;) Instead I opted for the 5-day General Thai course, immediately followed by the 10-day Advanced Medical Massage Course.  I’m going to focus on the 5-day course, as this is the course that anyone joining the Study Trip next year will learn.

So, 5 days…30 hours….you may wonder how on earth you can take it all in, in by all accounts what feels like a short space of time.  Believe me when I say on Day 1 I thought the same, but by Day 2 you just can’t wait to get back in the classroom.  The teachers are amazing! Some you will find speak little English, others are fluent in what I call “pigeon-English” – They know the basics but don’t expect long intellectual conversations, others speak not only English, but many other languages.  My tutor on the 5-day course was constantly switching between pigeon-English, Thai and Japanese to suit all the students in the group.  On the 10-day course I was studying with students from the Czech Republic, France and Germany, the tutors spoke fluently to us all in our own tongue.  These people are amazing, and not only will you learn a full body routine, but these tutors will share some personal experiences with you on what they have learnt and discovered themselves over the many years they have been practicing.  Some stories bought me close to tears.  I can guarantee you will leave the school on Day 5 itching for more.

Each day we will travel to Wat Po on the local Riverboat Taxis - Think London Underground at rush hour - but on a boat - This is the quickest and cheapest and most fun method of transport in Bangkok, The journey itself is about 10-15 minutes and takes us direct from the hotel to the pier at Wat Po - A real introduction in Thai Life as you jostle for a space to stand amongst school children, office workers, monks and tourists.

On Day 1 you all get your books, pens and a handy bag to carry everything around, and from that moment you are submerged into the Thai way.  Shoes are off and the first part of the day is the prayer (Wai Khru).  This is a very special time and taken seriously in every school, and indeed by some therapists prior to giving a treatment.  The prayer is led by one of the tutors and everyone is expected to take part.  It is paying respect to the founding father of Thai medicine, Doctor Shivaga, asking for his guidance, and thanking him for his teachings.  Every school has a shrine dedicated to him and every morning the tutors and Thai Students pay their respects by leaving offerings ranging from cans of coke to beautiful flower garlands.

We will then head to our own dedicated classroom with up to 3 tutors.  Over the course of the next 5-days, each section is demonstrated with precision, followed by constant practice, and constant correction.  Traditional Thai Massage is done on the floor, through clothing, working on energy lines called SEN lines.  You will get to learn all about the lines, their purpose and their route through the body.  One of the more entertaining ways for the tutors to show you where the lines are is that they take great delight in drawing on you, it’s always fun waiting for the boat back to the hotel to look around and see who else is covered in dots and arrows!! 

You will learn some amazing stretches that your clients will love, but at first glance you’ll be thinking “How on earth do I do that?” but by the end of the 5-days it will become second nature to have your foot firmly planted on an adductor whilst your hands are firmly grasping a foot, or to have your knees in the top of the hamstrings whilst pulling the client into a “Cobra” pose….yes…Thai massage is also sometimes quoted as being “Yoga for Lazy people”  You will end up with a full body routine that will have the client supine, side lying, prone, supine again and seated, the whole routine will take you a minimum of 1hr 30 – and that would be rushing it.  It’s intensive, but the routine is the most thorough routine you will ever learn, I loved the course I took in Chiang Mai, but I came away with so much more from Wat Po.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of breaks! Each day there is a morning and afternoon break to get tea, coffee etc, and lunch is always at 12pm for 1 hour.  You have many choices here ranging from some amazingly cheap street food on the doorsteps of the school, or you can eat at the school “café” situated on the roof of the school with stunning views over the river and Wat Arun on the opposite bank.  The food is prepared fresh every day and you have a choice of 4 different dishes for less than a £1, but you have to get there early as the food is excellent and very popular!

Day 5 is exam day, you pair up and carry out a full treatment on each other under the watchful eye of the tutors.  There are formalities you have to go through for example the correct introductions to your client and instructing them what you will do and how you want them to lie.  At the end of the treatment you will then recite the contraindications and cautions to the tutor.  All done, and a sigh of relief as you then get handed your shiny certificate and of course a group photo… that will then be the start of what I hope will become a very special journey for you in further developing and practicing Thai Massage.

Many people have genuinely asked me why I went to Thailand to study and not take a course in the UK…well is there really anything I can say to that? To be honest, I never even thought about studying in the UK, but since been asked that question – I’ve researched, and yes, there are some good schools out there, but when I look at the costs and compare that to the experience I had in Thailand vs the course in the UK, for the same costs, there was no question about, Thailand would win every time, and what’s more, the whole trip is Tax deductable…now come on…isn’t that a great incentive if nothing else!?

Well, I’ve waffled, probably less about the course as I should have, but I hope this has given you a taste for what you can expect on the course if you come with us in May, and if this has left you with more questions, please contact me through the Inspire Facebook Page and I’ll answer questions in tomorrow’s blog which will cover the “social” aspect of the trip.

Annalisa asked me what part of my work give me a real buzz – what makes me tick ?

I wanted to say teaching.  Then I thought about the immense satisfaction of relieving pain for clients.  Or maybe the look on client’s faces when they felt energy movement in their bodies   They usually call me weird after that – which is awesome.

When I look back over the 16 years of therapy work, the time that stands out most was my own training.  I went to Raworth School in Dorking in 1995, to start a massage course.  I wanted a hobby, just something to do as a diversion from as stress-filled job in shipping.

1 full weekend later I was a therapy addict.  My tutors were Dr.Anthony Deavin . PhD  (for Anatomy and Physiology) and Declan Clark (for Massage).  Most of you will know Declan as an Inspire Tutor / Director (2006 -2011).  Those days at Raworth were intense, demanding, time-consuming and challenging, but every moment was truly worthwhile.  Those tutors gave me the tools to begin a journey of connection with other human beings;  physically, emotionally, mentally and above all compassionately.

Connection with others is undoubtedly the key to a more rewarding and fundamentally happier life.  Learning to really listen to others;  to care for their pain; to offer skills that soothe aching bodies and release tension; to be able to convey information and re-assure  Can there actually be a better path ?.  Do we not enrich our own lives when we are able to do these things for others ?.

My path over the last 16 years has been bumpier than most.  It has left me with quite a few stories to tell.  Most of the events have related to my new found talents as a therapist.  Why new found ?.  Well I still feel like a student every day.  There is so much to learn about bodies and the way that they interact with life.

Dr Deavin inspired a life- long curiosity about the way that bodies function.  He also gave me Polarity Therapy, so that I could work with the more subtle body processes.  The bits that we can’t see or feel as clearly as a broken bone or a pulled muscle.

Declan Clarke inspired me to all the qualities of touch.  He taught me the framework that all good therapists need and guided me through those first exams with confidence and clear vision.  In our on-going professional capacities, he also extended friendship and loyalty worthy of a quality therapist and tutor.

As some of you know I am studying yoga therapy by correspondence course and I am about to embark on Ayurveda studies (Diet, lifestyle and nutrition) with Dr Deepa  Apte.  I am really excited about the future because there is still so much to learn.  Maybe I will see some of you on this journey – I do hope so.

Working at Inspire with all the fabulous people that surround Annalisa is evidence that we are all in the right place at the right time and I find that to be a very happy thought indeed !.

Namaste!

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Definitions:  

Irritable – easily upset or annoyed

Bowel – The part of the Gastro-intestinal tract from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus. 

Syndrome – several clinical signs

(definitions simplified from Wikipedia).

Clinical signs:

Abdominal pain or cramps

Change in bowel habit – diarrhoea, constipation, sometimes both

Feeling bloated

Excess wind and gas

Feeling of not fully emptying the bowel

Sometimes other symptoms such as nausea, tiredness, muscle, back or joint pain

Irritable bowel syndrome is one of those disorders that comes under the heading of “diagnosis by exclusion”.  This means that if the symptoms can’t be attributed to a specific disease or disorder, then the doctor can call it IBS.  It is in good company.   IBS joins Arthritis (musculo-skeletal aches and pains), Neuropathy (Nerve aches and pains), Urticaria (skin rash of unidentified origin) and shin splints (pain in the shins) etc etc…

The bowel has two distinctive areas.  It is made up of two distinct parts.  

1)The muscle tissue that is profoundly affected by changes in the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system slows it down – parasympathetic activates it’s smooth running)

2)The lining of cells that secrete mucus and enzymes (hormones) to allow digestion and assimilation.  The endocrine system controls these enzymes and the mucus.  The endocrine system is also affected by the condition of the nervous system at the hypothalamus / pituitary interface. (A&P students take note !).

So, when we lead relaxed, happy and healthy lives we should have happy bowels.  

In reality, we have stress from emotional, mental and environmental factors.  We drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, ingest drugs and eat processed, artificially grown food.  No wonder there are so many unhappy bowels out there.

As Massage therapists, what can we do about it ?.

Well, we can soothe the nervous system via nerve endings (effleurage).  We can send vibrations down the nerve endings (tapotement, hacking,  cupping etc).   We can settle the whole system via the senses (e.g professional environment, good attitude, assurance and understanding).   We can help resolve “issues” by listening or working with other professionals (psychotherapists, doctors etc).   

If diet is the problem then a change of eating habits may be necessary.  In any event the muscular structure of the bowels will probably need soothing.  This is because dietary irritation also affects the muscle structure, causing stress and tightening of muscle tissue.

All of these approaches work by going to the source (the nervous system) and sending signals to the bowels that all can be well with the digestive world.

Sometimes the muscles have spasmed or deeply tensed in response to severe (or long term)  irritation or trauma.  We can often identify congestion in the large intestine by finding the sore points along the walls of the ascending, transverse or descending colon. 

There are three main ways to treat muscular issues. 

1)  Soft and gentle (e.g effleurage.)

2)  Movement (e.g  rocking , wringing and kneading)

3)  Pressures (a deeper treatment with some sustained holds).  

The method chosen must reflect the client’s body type and preference. Some clients respond to soft and gentle, others like movement and others like a deep (good pain) approach.

Whatever treatment plan you agree with your client should be based on 

1)  Client preference, 

2)  Your professional judgement (from experience and training)

3) Presenting symptoms

4) Agreement from primary health care professional (if necessary).

5)  Due regard to medication being taken. 

Our high tech, fast moving, processed food, performance driven world doesn’t work for everyone’s body.  When bowels don’t perform well, the pressure to cope can be enormous and the symptoms are often really embarrassing 

As Massage therapists we can offer help and support and some solid skills to help improve lives.   

Last night saw members of the SW London CThA Group come together to listen to Annalisa Zisman and myself share the benefits of social media & how it can help build your practice along with top marketing tips to ensure your clients come back time after time.

Questions were asked - How do you know that you've met your clients goals? Do you have book the next appointment there and then? Do you have a monthly newsletter going out? What do you do to different yourself from the rest? - these questions got the group thinking.

Next it was the power of social media! Did you know that If Facebook was a country it would be the 3rd largest! I shared information about the benefits of using social media & what an amazing tool it is when you're looking to communicate to the people in masses. How Twitter & Facebook allows you to create a buzz of activity about you, your practice & a chance for new clients to get an insight to what you offer. The chance it has to gain loyal clients & new referrals - a never-ending opportunity!

It was an amazing evening full of questions, therapists sharing ideas & supporting each other. When I checked Inspire's twitter account this morning we had 2 new followers from the members group - very inspirational!