The ‘Hands Free Massage’ way of working (in the UK) has been in development by Darien Pritchard since the the 90’s.
Training in HFM with us is not only about working deeply! It’s also about learning how to move and how to incorporate dynamic bodyuse to support you and protect your body from the possible occupational strains of your profession, thereby extending your career.
To help you expand your repertoire and freshen your approach, you’ll learn MANY new ‘moves’ for massage on table, chair and side-lying (the latter two on the 8 Day Advanced Training). You will become more effective when applying pressure AND be able to offer superior massage.
The forearms and elbows are such powerful massage ‘tools’, so it’s of utmost importance to be guided by experienced tutors (Darien & Leora). With this guidance, you will learn how to use your forearm with sensitivity, to avoid brutalising your clients.
It’s amazing how deep you can work without hurting yourself or your clients!
Our workshops and trainings therefore focus on how to use forearms and elbows skilfully and sensitively for Hands Free Massage, with well considered and appropriate bodyuse to support your work.
Darien celebrates over 45 years as a bodywork practitioner and teacher, has been using his forearms and elbows for much of that time (without which he would have been unable to sustain his career).
He was particularly inspired by receiving deep tissue and Hawaiian massage treatments, and adapted these massage ‘tools’ to deliver ‘Swedish Massage-style’ and deep tissue massage techniques.
Darien began calling it Hands Free Massage (HFM) when he started teaching it as a distinctive CPD training in 2001.
Hands Free Massage, as taught by Darien Pritchard, encourages the use of forearms to deliver the majority of your massage.
The elbows (and other areas close to the elbow) and body weight, are used for applying firm pressure.
Learning HFM with us, begins with underpinning the principles of body dynamics. This understanding encourages improved bodyuse which supports your massage.
Effective body use helps you give a better and strain free massage.
Having completed the 2 Day and 8 Day Training with Darien, Leora knew she simply had to be a part of Darien’s pioneering of HFM – helping practitioners to save their bodies and extend their careers.
At the end of 2009, Leora started assisting Darien for the first time. And slowly but surely, she became his co-teacher. In 2016, she started her first Leora solo workshops and trainings.
We help you to hone your skill so your massage is;
Skilful & Sensitive
Dynamic & Adaptive
Effective & Effortless
By learning to save your thumbs and wrists (the most common areas of work-related strain) and protecting your body, HFM enables you to maintain a long career as a massage practitioner.
The Hands Free Massage courses focus on techniques which can easily be blended into any type of massage that you offer. This way of working is not only about working deeply with your elbows, its much much more than that.
When giving a massage, we often get lost in the massage and forget about ourselves. Any massage should maintain a focused balance between the needs of the client and practitioner. We help you to learn how to to keep returning the focus to yourself so you can monitor and adapt for the client and yourself.
Through mastering HFM, you will find thus further reducing strain and fatigue.
If you experience persistent strain and fatigue or want to avoid reaching that stage (or perhaps you want to expand your repertoire) come and learn Hands Free Massage with us!
HFM will transform your practice!
In addition to learning specific techniques, you are taught how to
- use these ‘tools’ in a skilful, responsive way rather than using them to ‘mash’ the client – monitoring and adapting to the client’s responses
- use and move your body to support the work of your forearm and elbow – how to be most effective with least effort
- blend Hands Free Massage techniques smoothly into your massage treatments
We offer the following Hands Free Massage tasters, intros and trainings
- Online 3.5hr tasters
- Introduction to Hands Free Massage – 1 Day Workshop
- Basic Hands Free Massage – 2 Day Training
- Advanced Hands Free Massage Training – 8 Day Course
CPD Offerings
Massage practice days and development days – to support you on further developing your skills and revisiting your learning. These are only available for those who have done the 8 Day Training.
Dates
See the calendar for dates for the above workshops and trainings