Lets Talk Hands-on Classes: Cupping!

I've been cupping clients since 2014, and I find it a fantastic tool for my practice. Now I know some of you reading this may think, "My hands are my best tools! Why would I need to bring this into my practice?" Calm down! You're absolutely correct, nothing replaces human touch and the ability to assess tissues with our hands.

However, I enjoy teaching massage therapists how to work smarter, not harder. Cupping is a tool after all, and should be used to complement what you do in practice. Cupping can be incorporated into a light and relaxing massage. It can be used for myofascial and deep tissue massage. It can be used for lymphatic work, and it goes on and on. The beauty of this tool is that it can easily work into what you already do in massage.

Also, before you come at me with "I don't want to harm my clients with the cups leaving red circles!!!" I can assure you that all clients I've ever cupped have made a 100% recovery, with benefits! I have safely and successfully cupped at least 1,000 to 2,000 clients at this point. While it's true that cupping can result in minor erythema and light bruising, it's generally safe to use. I've caused both to my clients without using cups (and not doing deep work). All of our clients are unique, and some may experience side effects from bodywork. 

Circling back to working smarter, not harder, think of cupping as a tool to help save your hands. Not only does cupping feel great for most people, but you can apply whatever pressure you want with the cups without straining your hands. This is especially true for deep tissue work. Why tire your hands working big bodybuilder clients, when the cups could do most of the heavy lifting for you? (see what I did there). I tend to think of my cups as a third, no fourth, no fifth, hand while I work on my client. If you don't already, think of how you can use it in trigger point therapy. You can find the trigger point, then throw a cup right on top and let it sit for a couple of moments. It has the same effect as pressing your thumb into that spot. Think of your poor thumb, cupping can totally help here.

What benefits do our clients feel when we apply cups? It can help desensitize areas of the nervous system, encouraging a parasympathetic response. It can help clients increase their range of movement, temporarily improve circulation, decrease pain symptoms, and increase endorphins (the feel-good hormones). Most of my clients feel super relaxed after a session with cupping.

My cupping classes will teach students how to practice cupping safely, proper sanitization, cupping techniques, and how to apply cupping in a clinical setting. We'll cover client education, explore opportunities to use it in practice, and discuss how to market it for your practice. There's no need to purchase any cups before class, as I'll be supplying the cups we'll be practicing with, which include silicone and plastic cups. No fire cupping will be taught as it's not permitted by the NCBTMB (which gives you the CE credit). Fire cupping isn't accepted by most liability insurances either, hence no fire cupping.

By the end of class, you should feel confident in how to apply cupping to your clients, what techniques are appropriate, use them for specific treatments, and how to explain to your clients why you think cupping is needed. This is a great tool that can help elevate your already amazing practice! You can see if I have an upcoming class by clicking here: Hands-on Classes. I hope to see you in a future cupping class!