ART discussion on Supertraining

On September 02.2006 "danielknebel" wrote:

"Hello all,

I am interested in learning about A.R.T. Unfourtunately, there
seems to be little or no information on the 500 ART moves here in
Germany. Plus I can not take a course, as it is too expensive for me
to fly to the US. Has anyone material on this subject? If so, could
you please post it here."

 

Dianna Linden wrote:

However, there are some cases of overinflated pricing and claims to
fame in the unique technique department which I agree should be
called to task. I called Dr.Leahy's Colorado # to inquire about some
classes after reading Lorne's posts here. I thought the work might
add to my understanding of functional anatomy and compliment or
refine my hands on skills in the soft tissue department.

When I was told that a weekend workshop on the upper extremity,
Friday night, all day Sat. and a 4 hour practical exam on Sun was
$895, plus another $895 for the manual and video, mandatory
acquisitions for the course, I choked and sputtered a bit before
asking her if I should grab my ankles now or wait until they charged
my credit card.

She didn't get my metaphor (apparently they don't yet offer the lower
extremity course, or she hasn't taken it), so I more boldly
inquired "Why the bend over prices?" Offended, she scruffily replied
that they had spent alot of time developing these techniques,
protocols, manuals and videos, that they must supply well trained
assistants for the class (100 people per class, max., I later found
out), rent hotel rooms, plane flights, etc. I suggested that all
workshops have those same expenses and this was way more than double
the price of any, even the most expensive super stars of massage;
John Barnes, Upledger, St. John, dared to charge for their, also too
large, workshops.......

I passed on the Active Release Techniques Upper Extremity Experience,
had them send me their standard literature packet instead. It
included a nice description of "Cumulative Trauma Disorder Defined"
by P. Michael Leahy, DC, CCSP. (yes, Chad, it was referenced with
sources other than himself, but also including himself), a glossy
reprint of an article (abstract) printed in Chiropractic Sports
Medicine called 'Improved Treatments for Carpal Tunnel and Related
Syndromes', also by Dr. Leahy and referenced. Both of which I found
very interesting. There was also an article by Kim Goss from MM2K
describing ART techniques as a miracle cure endorsed by athletes,
some sample status reports, treatment notes, and, of course, the
order form.

Hey, the Spine Workshop is only $695 plus the $695 manual/video, so
for a mere $1390, you, too, can be in the know, certified and charge
more for your sessions because of your investment. It only requires
one weekend of your time. How's that for a marketing rap? I thought
it up myself. Perhaps they use it as a sales incentive for paying the
big bucks for the workshop. Your business will now thrive due to your
advanced technique and ability to wow them with the magic cure. If
not, at least you'll end up with longer hamstrings.

His descriptions of the most common sites of peripheral nerve
entrapment interested me alot, and is especially relevant to the
athlete with whom I am currently working. He has a theoretical
explanation and analysis of the Cumulative Trauma Disorder included
in there which, as a formula would require someone more skilled in
the lab than I to analyze for its merits or pitfalls. His protocols,
though, seemed familiar to me from some other myofascial technique
work I have learned and piqued my interest.

I surely would have bit on the workshop if it was even reasonably
inflated in its price, but $1790.00 for one weekend of instruction in
a group of 100 participants which authorizes you to be a certified
ART practitioner, plus your hotel and travel expenses. OW! To me that
is way over the top in chutzpah (ballsy, for those who don't know
Yiddish). Working on one client at a time, with a sliding scale for
impoverished students and unsponsored weightlifters, I am clearly in
the wrong business. Deduct the expenses from a $179,000 weekend
income and how bad could it be?! How many weekends like that a year
does he perpetrate, I wonder?