Very Discourged with Anatomy

[Karen H]

Hello MassagePlanet,

I'm currently attending Cortiva Inst... I'm on week 8. I'm honestly terribly bummed out about the whole program, at first I was really excited but now I'm starting to have my doubts.

I researched careers that would be good for me, massage therapy seemed a perfect fit and when I applied everyone told me it would be a lot of fun and I can do it, yada yada.

I feel like my main teacher has never even had any education on how to be a teacher, sure she is very knowledgeable about the industry and has tons of real-life experience but I'm not learning my anatomy material at all. I want to quit and if I wasn't so terrified of letting down my family, I would have already.

I feel like I'm retarded, or just not smart enough. I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school. The application people said it was a great fit, and I was really hopeful. I don't have much interest in the medical field, I just wanted to work in a relaxing spa environment for my stress level. I thought helping other people relax would be perfect for me, since I can't handle a competitive fast-pace workplace. I now realize the woman who interviewed me and said MT was a great fit, isn't a MT and hasn't been in the industry or even taken a massage class...

I'm told over and over this is "adult learning" and so I'm expected to do the majority of my learning on my own and I'm not going to be "spoon fed" information. I don't think it's right to blaze through all the muscles of the head, neck, face, and shoulder complex in one session plus palpating all of them and then expect me to just memorize it all in 2 weeks while more and more and more information is being loaded on top of it. I can't even process what I'm being told, I go home and feel overloaded and confused and angry.

I have been given no hints or help or ways to memorize my anatomy information other then making my own notecards or just figuring it out myself and trying to memorize the origins and insertions and actions. I know I can squirm though this program but I'm going to come out the other end a jumbled mess of anatomy nonsense. I'm pissed off that this "school" crams anatomy into one 4 hour class a week and we sit around other days doing meditation for 45 mins while I then go home and don't even know what to make notecards out of because my teacher's powerpoints have spelling errors and don't go over the information the same way for each muscle. I want a real anatomy teacher or just a real teacher, I'm paying to go to this "awesome school" and they can't even hire someone to teach anatomy who has some training on how to teach people? Anyone can stand up in front of a group and talk about something they know, that doesn't mean they can teach. It's like reading Romeo & Juilet really fast to a first grade class and expecting them to understand it.

I don't know what to do!

Has anyone else who has gone through Cortiva (or any MT training) felt this way? Did it just magically "click" (like people keep telling me) and suddenly everything falls into place? How much time did you spend studying the anatomy material everyday? Do you know any online resources or have any tips/tricks/suggestions? I know you have a resource forum but I just wanted to see what people's best ideas are for studying anatomy^^

I would take an anatomy class at my local community college but I can't fit it in with Cortiva's fast-pace agenda but I feel like that's what I need to do, lol, I need a "second opinion class".

Well, if anyone has the time to give me some suggestions or tips on how they survived learning this stuff I would be very grateful. Thank you so much!

 

[alexandra .]

Anatomy is hard but you need to know it even if you plan on working in a spa environment. Learning O,I,A's is hard very hard for some but you can learn it. Think positive! Stop saying you can't because you can do it.
At the top of the student forum here there is a list of websites that can help you with anatomy and muscles.
I had one month to learn all the muscles. I freaked at one point but I got over it and passed the class.
It does come all together. Just give it time.

 

[Vanessa]

Don't stress, unless you are doing medical massage, you don't need to know all that detail one day past the exam if your state requires one. Try to see an exam to see the detail you need to know. I happen to love anatomy (i know i'm crazy) but in NY the exam was general like: where does the proximal part of the rectus femoris atttach to? a) arm b) leg c) pelvis d) spine.

You need the hands on classes to be a good Massage Therapist and you need the science classes to be allowed to practice.

You know what they call someone who passes the exam with the bare minimum score??? A Licenced Massage Therapist!!!

 

[12345]

Hey Belle, which Cortiva school are you going to? There may be someone here familiar with the particular school you are going to that may be able to offer you more specific help re the curriculum. I graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy just prior to completion of the Cortiva conversion.

I'll say, I was overwhelmed at first, but as time went on I got back into the swing of how to study and the material "stuck" better. Also, have you talked to your teacher and asked for any help? The teachers I had at my school would bend over backwards trying to find ways to help students retain the information.

We're here for ya .

 

[cookiesky]

I would recommend getting some good visual aids, such as Primal Pictures' offerings.

This is software that lets you study the muscles in layers, individually and with motion. You can buy a strip-down version from NCSF, or you can go to the source for full featured programs if you don't mind spending the money.

 

[dobbaaa]

Wow, my school's A&P training was 6 months long, with ever-increasing depth. Even the massage technique classes included lots of anatomy review so we could directly relate what we were doing to the relevant anatomical structures. I think my head would also have popped, had I tried to learn all that in only one month!!

Personally, I learn best from materials that have a strong visual component. I used an anatomy coloring book to supplement my reading, and got a lot out of it by using different colors for different structures.

I also recommend Andrew Biel's Trail Guide to the Body. It's a great book that is perfectly suited to bodyworkers that want/need to know their anatomy. The palpation exercises described throughout the text will help you learn to find and identify the muscles on your own body, and on those of willing volunteers. There are also accompanying flash cards you can get to supplement the Trail Guide, and they are very nice.

Hope that helps, and good luck!

 

[Sylvia]

anyone can learn anatomy

Below is the just the intro page of a handout I give to my students.
The rest of the handout is in the student forum under: Kinese ... need I say more?

Kinesiology is muscles and bones, which is anatomy.
Everyone and anyone can learn anatomy. Everyone in our anatomy and kinesiology courses pass....if they follow all the suggestions. Some have not made it out of grade school, some have multiple learning disabilities, etc.

One key is mental organization.
The other is doing activities that engage touching, moving, visual, and auditory - all simultaneously.

You said you like art. Take advaneforum.xxxe of that - getting a visual of the muscles is the most important thing you can do. First color the coloring book page in the anatomy coloring book (wynn & Kapit). Then draw the muscles from that page on a fellow student. Memorize your muscles according to each coloring book page.

Thats just one way we use. Please refer to the many suggestions and steps in the other post I mentioned.

Perhaps your thinking yours is a harder course, trust me its not possible.
They have to all the muscles except a few facial ones, and instrinsic hand and feet. They have to know all the O, I, A's. They have to palpate all of them on me. The have to identify all of them on the colored areas of the skeleton (O&I). They have to be able to stretch all of them. Know their eccentric actions. And name the muscles involved in both stabilization and movement - as i do exercises in front of them during tests. And more.


FIRST PAGE
Please let go of any resistance you may have and integrate all the study skills and suggestions presented on the following pages. Don’t worry, I’ll be showing you how every time we meet.

For many, one major hurdle to learning is fear, not intelligence, nor ability. Usually the fear of failure (conscious or unconscious). Fear creates anxiety around studying, leading to:
1.Procrastination - usually manifests as cramming before a test.
2.Poor study methods - usually manifests as anxiously staring at the lecture notes or textbook, re-reading or repeating the words over and over, hoping for the best.

Whether we have anxiety or not, the truth is that most of us never learned how to effectively study or how to approach learning. Staring at pictures of muscles, or repeating muscle names (and O, I & A) over and over, will not work for this course.
Repetition is necessary, yet inadequate.
·We don't massage paper, and we cannot learn by repeating words, or staring at pictures.
·We learn kinesiology by doing, not so much by thinking or figuring ”it” out. It is essential that you become actively involved in learning! The more that you involve all your senses, the greater your ability to recall the information that you have learned.

KINESIOLOGY

Short summary of what you need do for this class:
·First comes mental organization, then specific activities to learn & integrate the material
1)Know exactly what you are supposed to know for each CB page – by testing yourself
2)Complete coloring assignment before class
3) Be familiar with that days material (bones, terms of movements, muscles) before class
4) Review material from class the same day it is presented
5) Study for short time periods - then take a break
6) Study kinesiology everyday…yes everyday
7) Test yourself continuously as you study
8)Have study partner
9) Learn muscles using visuals, auditory, touch and movement – all used simultaneously
10) Learn muscles through palpation, not reading
11) Learn shortening & stretching of muscles by performing them with a partner
12) Outline/trace the muscles on a study partner
13) Understand how a muscle works by using a elastic band on the skeleton
14) Memorize muscles according to their Coloring Book pages (their functional groups)
15) Use Coloring Book and Trail Guide simultaneously as you study

Do Not:
1) Cut back on sleep. Memories are formed during sleep. An hour less than optimal = poor performance
2) Attempt to learn by repeating names of muscles
3) Attempt to learn by repeating O, I, A, of muscles - hoping it sticks
4) Stare at pictures of muscles – hoping it magically sinks in
5) Study muscles without both the Trail Guide and Coloring Book open
6) Procrastinate.
7Cram.
eight) Think. Ten year olds do the best in this class. Why? Because they like to play, to touch themselves, and they see muscles as they truly are: As simply rubber bands pulling on bones. Ten year olds get that there is nothing “to figure out”, and there’s nothing to “understand”.
Ø As one ten year old stated to the rest of the class “You know why this is easy for me? Cause I’m not worrying about the test…. I’m not afraid”

 

[Tiger Dude]

Which Cortiva do you go to?

Anatomy is super important!! You definetly can't slack on it.

patrick

 

[Markus B]

If this helps, and I hope it does, it's a pretty easy way to learn origin, insertion & innervation.

A note to remember, if you learn slowly or it is difficult, you want to take these cards everywhere you go and review them frequently. I was known to carry these cards even to the store while I was shopping!

I learn mainly by color coding, so what I did was to get colored note cards with a different color (that worked for my mind) for different sections of the body. Here's an idea as to how I set them up, but I can't tell you the exacts on the color coding, since it's been a few too many years.

• Lower extremity muscles - green cards (think standing on the ground)
• Upper extremity - blue cards (think lifting hands to the sky)
• Head/neck - yellow cards (think sunshine and energy to the brain)
• Torso - pink cards (think heart/blood region)

I'd put the name of the muscle on the card in bold and then on individual lines bellow I would have O,I,N (I cant' recall if I did the blood supply on these or not) with the corresponding info for each.



Also, the following books are simple and nice:

• Warfel: Extremities
  
  • Here's the newest title to one I could find online --->The Extremities: Muscles and Motor Points (Paeforum.xxxack) by John H. Warfel
    
    
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    Topic review - Very Discourged with Anatomy
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Author
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    joshuatenpenny
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Something else to consider:
    
    Looking at the class from an outside perspective, do you think they actually expect students to understand and retain this material? Maybe they are just trying to meet the minimum anatomy requirement, or give you enough to have a chance at passing the national exam.
    
    Do they talk about anatomy in any detail in the hands-on massage classes? Do they expect you to be able to use this knowledge to assess and treat specific musculoskeletal pathology? Do the MTs teaching the hands-on material have a rock solid grasp of anatomy? (If you aren't sure of that one, ask for help identifying certain muscles during your hands-on class. Ask if this tight muscle here on the shoulder is the gemelus or pectineus...)
    
    If they don't go out of their way to show you how to apply the anatomy to actual bodywork and they seem to be breezing through things a little quickly, then it is likely that on some level they are expecting you to just cram the material and move on. (Don't feel "ripped off" by this. Remember that you didn't want to learn this stuff anyway. Be grateful you aren't in palpateit's class.)
    
    But really - don't sweat it. Learn the locations of the bony areas and vulnerable areas you don't want to push to hard on. Get an overall appreciation for the structure of the body and the ways the joints move. Then only work hard enough to get the minimum passing grade. Focus your attention on the aspects of massage that are useful to you, and really help you give a great relaxation-focused Swedish massage. It isn't rocket science.
    
    If you can do these things, you can be a great MT with exceedingly minimal knowledge of anatomy:
    -Have a compassionate and accepting attitude towards clients, their bodies, and their experiences.
    -Not get excessively caught up in the client's personal drama or pain.
    -Handle the client's body with grace and confidence.
    -Use good body mechanics so you don't hurt yourself.
    -Act and dress professionally with clients.
    -Reliably show up for your sessions, on time, and sober.
    -Never give sexual services to clients, even if they tip really well and you really need the cash.
    
    If I was looking to hire a massage therapist, all of these things would be more important to me that their knowledge of anatomy.
    
    -- Joshua
    
    Something else to consider:
    
    Looking at the class from an outside perspective, do you think they actually expect students to understand and retain this material? Maybe they are just trying to meet the minimum anatomy requirement, or give you enough to have a chance at passing the national exam.
    
    Do they talk about anatomy in any detail in the hands-on massage classes? Do they expect you to be able to use this knowledge to assess and treat specific musculoskeletal pathology? Do the MTs teaching the hands-on material have a rock solid grasp of anatomy? (If you aren't sure of that one, ask for help identifying certain muscles during your hands-on class. Ask if this tight muscle here on the shoulder is the gemelus or pectineus...)
    
    If they don't go out of their way to show you how to apply the anatomy to actual bodywork and they seem to be breezing through things a little quickly, then it is likely that on some level they are expecting you to just cram the material and move on. (Don't feel "ripped off" by this. Remember that you didn't want to learn this stuff anyway. Be grateful you aren't in palpateit's class.)
    
    But really - don't sweat it. Learn the locations of the bony areas and vulnerable areas you don't want to push to hard on. Get an overall appreciation for the structure of the body and the ways the joints move. Then only work hard enough to get the minimum passing grade. Focus your attention on the aspects of massage that are useful to you, and really help you give a great relaxation-focused Swedish massage. It isn't rocket science.
    
    If you can do these things, you can be a great MT with exceedingly minimal knowledge of anatomy:
    -Have a compassionate and accepting attitude towards clients, their bodies, and their experiences.
    -Not get excessively caught up in the client's personal drama or pain.
    -Handle the client's body with grace and confidence.
    -Use good body mechanics so you don't hurt yourself.
    -Act and dress professionally with clients.
    -Reliably show up for your sessions, on time, and sober.
    -Never give sexual services to clients, even if they tip really well and you really need the cash.
    
    If I was looking to hire a massage therapist, all of these things would be more important to me that their knowledge of anatomy.
    
    -- Joshua
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 7:35 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    joshuatenpenny
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    Re: Very Discourged with Anatomy
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Belle wrote:I feel like I'm retarded, or just not smart enough.When you get the "I'm a retard" feeling, try to reframe that feeling as "this is not a subject that comes easily to me" or "this class is not a good fit for my learning style". Don't globalize it. That kind of thing starts to leak out into other areas and makes you feel like a failure at everything. That never helps.And please don't waste your energy being pissed at the school or trying to make a case against the teacher so you can prove to yourself it is the school's fault you are having trouble. It is likely the class does indeed suck, and the teacher is terrible. So okay, it sucks. Your teacher can't spell. Accept that and work from there. You are in a sucky class, but it is just something you've got to get through in order to graduate.Quote:I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school. I'm currently teaching basic musculoskeletal anatomy for a yoga teacher training class. There is a young woman in that class who made this same complaint. "I'm into art. I am no good at math and science!" You don't need math or science skill to learn musculoskeletal anatomy. You need an ability to observe the human body and understand how it works. Approach the study of anatomy like an artist or a dancer. Don't focus on the "medical" part. What most people think of as the "medical" part is learning the anatomical names. This is not about medicine. This is about language. If you have any knack with language, it is easy. Don't think of the names as random sets of awful syllables. If you want to remember the names, learn what the names mean - it'll help them stick. Foramen magnum = "big hole". Acetabulum = "vinegar cup". Medical terms use and reuse a fairly small set of vocabulary building blocks. (Learning the sanskrit names of yoga poses is the same way. Try to learn them syllable by syllable and you'll go mad. urdhvamuhkasvanasana. But break them down into meaningful bits and you can string them together.) It also makes it easy to give a plausible BS answer on a test that might get you half credit. (This muscle on the back of the forearm... hrm... it extends the wrist... "extensor carpalis"?) You might even get it right.Quote:I don't have much interest in the medical field, I just wanted to work in a relaxing spa environment for my stress level. I thought helping other people relax would be perfect for me, since I can't handle a competitive fast-pace workplace.
    
    Then the best advice I can give you is to "squirm through" the class and don't worry that you are going to forget it all. I assure you, if you aren't using it routinely in your professional practice, you will forget it. It doesn't matter! It doesn't make you a bad MT. What makes a good MT is quality of touch and an ability to work with the body.
    
    -- Joshua
    
    [quote="Belle"]I feel like I'm retarded, or just not smart enough.[/quote]When you get the "I'm a retard" feeling, try to reframe that feeling as "this is not a subject that comes easily to me" or "this class is not a good fit for my learning style". Don't globalize it. That kind of thing starts to leak out into other areas and makes you feel like a failure at everything. That never helps.And please don't waste your energy being pissed at the school or trying to make a case against the teacher so you can prove to yourself it is the school's fault you are having trouble. It is likely the class does indeed suck, and the teacher is terrible. So okay, it sucks. Your teacher can't spell. Accept that and work from there. You are in a sucky class, but it is just something you've got to get through in order to graduate.[quote]I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school. [/quote]I'm currently teaching basic musculoskeletal anatomy for a yoga teacher training class. There is a young woman in that class who made this same complaint. "I'm into art. I am no good at math and science!" You don't need math or science skill to learn musculoskeletal anatomy. You need an ability to observe the human body and understand how it works. Approach the study of anatomy like an artist or a dancer. Don't focus on the "medical" part. What most people think of as the "medical" part is learning the anatomical names. This is not about medicine. This is about language. If you have any knack with language, it is easy. Don't think of the names as random sets of awful syllables. If you want to remember the names, learn what the names mean - it'll help them stick. Foramen magnum = "big hole". Acetabulum = "vinegar cup". Medical terms use and reuse a fairly small set of vocabulary building blocks. (Learning the sanskrit names of yoga poses is the same way. Try to learn them syllable by syllable and you'll go mad. urdhvamuhkasvanasana. But break them down into meaningful bits and you can string them together.) It also makes it easy to give a plausible BS answer on a test that might get you half credit. (This muscle on the back of the forearm... hrm... it extends the wrist... "extensor carpalis"?) You might even get it right.[quote]I don't have much interest in the medical field, I just wanted to work in a relaxing spa environment for my stress level. I thought helping other people relax would be perfect for me, since I can't handle a competitive fast-pace workplace.[/quote]
    
    Then the best advice I can give you is to "squirm through" the class and don't worry that you are going to forget it all. I assure you, if you aren't using it routinely in your professional practice, you will forget it. It doesn't matter! It doesn't make you a bad MT. What makes a good MT is quality of touch and an ability to work with the body.
    
    -- Joshua
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:49 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    sillypup
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
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    get a muscle anatomy book. most are pretty much the same. relate the muscle location to your own body. feel your own body. it's better to visualize the muscles to your body as a memory aid. then where ever you are. you are the muscle reminder/trigger to the info. since you can't do the back side, maybe use a friends body to explore back side.
    
    get a muscle anatomy book. most are pretty much the same. relate the muscle location to your own body. feel your own body. it's better to visualize the muscles to your body as a memory aid. then where ever you are. you are the muscle reminder/trigger to the info. since you can't do the back side, maybe use a friends body to explore back side.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:14 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    futureLMT
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    Trail Guide...
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I suggest getting the trail guide to the body...the red book...its a very good book that has illustrations of all muscles and bones in body. as well as the different movements.
    
    I suggest getting the trail guide to the body...the red book...its a very good book that has illustrations of all muscles and bones in body. as well as the different movements.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:33 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Danielle
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
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    Everybody has had such great suggestions, here is the one that helped me the most.
    
    If you have a friend, boyfriend, parent, anyone who is willing to help..... you can get some body paint or washable marker and draw the muscles onto the person. While you are drawing, say OUT LOUD the O, and I. Then, have them move through the actions. Actually visualize the muscle underneath and palpate it with your hands. I found this especially useful just before tests.
    
    Hope that helps, and stick with it!
    
    Everybody has had such great suggestions, here is the one that helped me the most.
    
    If you have a friend, boyfriend, parent, anyone who is willing to help..... you can get some body paint or washable marker and draw the muscles onto the person. While you are drawing, say OUT LOUD the O, and I. Then, have them move through the actions. Actually visualize the muscle underneath and palpate it with your hands. I found this especially useful just before tests.
    
    Hope that helps, and stick with it!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:41 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    GreenDragonfly
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
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    It helps to think out of the box with large amounts of info.
    
    In just this short amount of time, with the help and support of this great forum and my own willingness to find a system that worked for me, I am happy to review I am doing great in Kinese.
    
    I had to try a few different methods, but now I'm comfortable with how I learn and how to put it into my brain.
    
    One thing REALLY helps me and that is looking at a picture, palpating that part of myself if possible, like the arm or leg, and then saying it OUT LOUD. For some reason, if I say it all out loud, I remember it SO much better.
    
    I also type every muscle out, O, I and A, print it and tape it onto a big index card along with a little picture reference of the muscle so I can focus on just one at a time. Once I get comfortable with them, I study them in groups.
    
    One muscle at a time, and in groups that make sense to me so I can relate them all. I find a common denominator so instead of getting confused, I use what is the same about them to my advaneforum.xxxe.
    
    It helps to think out of the box with large amounts of info.
    
    In just this short amount of time, with the help and support of this great forum and my own willingness to find a system that worked for me, I am happy to review I am doing great in Kinese.
    
    I had to try a few different methods, but now I'm comfortable with how I learn and how to put it into my brain.
    
    One thing REALLY helps me and that is looking at a picture, palpating that part of myself if possible, like the arm or leg, and then saying it OUT LOUD. For some reason, if I say it all out loud, I remember it SO much better.
    
    I also type every muscle out, O, I and A, print it and tape it onto a big index card along with a little picture reference of the muscle so I can focus on just one at a time. Once I get comfortable with them, I study them in groups.
    
    One muscle at a time, and in groups that make sense to me so I can relate them all. I find a common denominator so instead of getting confused, I use what is the same about them to my advaneforum.xxxe.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 9:30 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    JaeMarie
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
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    I used my manual (printed in black and white) and grabbed a box of colored pencils... mind you, it was a large set of pencils. I'd color each muscle group it's own color, and each individual muscle it's own shade of that color repeating action, origin and insertion to myself (out loud at home) as I did it. Later when I needed the information, if I thought about the color of the group, it was easier to recall.
    
    I did the same when we got to cell structure and function, nerves, etc. I drew pictures in my manual and colored them - even if there were already illustrations in my text books, drawing those images in my manual (where I took other notes) helped reinforce the information.
    
    I used my manual (printed in black and white) and grabbed a box of colored pencils... mind you, it was a large set of pencils. I'd color each muscle group it's own color, and each individual muscle it's own shade of that color repeating action, origin and insertion to myself (out loud at home) as I did it. Later when I needed the information, if I thought about the color of the group, it was easier to recall.
    
    I did the same when we got to cell structure and function, nerves, etc. I drew pictures in my manual and colored them - even if there were already illustrations in my text books, drawing those images in my manual (where I took other notes) helped reinforce the information.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 8:34 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Gaspen
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I'm glad you're going to stick with it! Once you graduate and out in the real world, you'll never look back (but save your study guides 'cause you never know too much).
    
    Like you, I'm a kinda visual person, but I also learn different things in different modes.
    
    All of the suggestions offered above are excellent! Take what you need and leave the others in your toolbox to be considered later). The only thing I will add to these is this: own the information in as many ways as you can. A few things that helped me accomplish this were:
    
    1. Viewing the muscles in various ways. Look at the individual bones. What muscles attach to them and where.
    
    2. Observe. Look at people around you. What are they doing? Someone's turning his/her head - what muscles are working to move the head? Etc.
    
    3. Visualize (this should be easier for you) with your eyes closed - imaging the muscles in relaxed state and then in various seforum.xxxes.
    
    4. Palpate, palpate, palpate. Let your fingers guide you (try this with your eyes open and closed).
    
    5. When someone asks a question in class, study group, etc., don't just recite the answer, but explore it.
    
    6. Having a study group was very beneficial as were people willing to let me explore their bodies - sometimes spending an hour or more on either a single muscle or muscle group.
    
    
    I graduated from Chicago School of Massage Therapy in 12/05; it was the last class before all the classes were taught and graduated from downtown. While the school has changed, there are still some great teachers there. Talk with your teachers (or any of the admin people who graduated from CSMT), I know they will be more than happy to at least point you in the right direction and will offer sound advice.
    
    Hang in there. Yes. There's a lot to accomplish. But with determination and dedication, you'll be more than fine!
    
    I'm glad you're going to stick with it! Once you graduate and out in the real world, you'll never look back (but save your study guides 'cause you never know too much).
    
    Like you, I'm a kinda visual person, but I also learn different things in different modes.
    
    All of the suggestions offered above are excellent! Take what you need and leave the others in your toolbox to be considered later). The only thing I will add to these is this: own the information in as many ways as you can. A few things that helped me accomplish this were:
    
    1. Viewing the muscles in various ways. Look at the individual bones. What muscles attach to them and where.
    
    2. Observe. Look at people around you. What are they doing? Someone's turning his/her head - what muscles are working to move the head? Etc.
    
    3. Visualize (this should be easier for you) with your eyes closed - imaging the muscles in relaxed state and then in various seforum.xxxes.
    
    4. Palpate, palpate, palpate. Let your fingers guide you (try this with your eyes open and closed).
    
    5. When someone asks a question in class, study group, etc., don't just recite the answer, but explore it.
    
    6. Having a study group was very beneficial as were people willing to let me explore their bodies - sometimes spending an hour or more on either a single muscle or muscle group.
    
    
    I graduated from Chicago School of Massage Therapy in 12/05; it was the last class before all the classes were taught and graduated from downtown. While the school has changed, there are still some great teachers there. Talk with your teachers (or any of the admin people who graduated from CSMT), I know they will be more than happy to at least point you in the right direction and will offer sound advice.
    
    Hang in there. Yes. There's a lot to accomplish. But with determination and dedication, you'll be more than fine!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 8:29 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    eyesofblue
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    draw pictures
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    My instructor suggested drawing the muscles and attachments. Some of his tests had us diagraming and even if you can't draw very well, he would understand if it was just symbolic (a triangle for the muscle for instance)
    
    
    This method of learning was very helpful for me.
    
    My instructor suggested drawing the muscles and attachments. Some of his tests had us diagraming and even if you can't draw very well, he would understand if it was just symbolic (a triangle for the muscle for instance)
    
    
    This method of learning was very helpful for me.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:28 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    tribute
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    Re: Very Discourged with Anatomy
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Belle wrote:I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school.
    
    Also just to mention, although it doesn't deal with Origins and Insertions, Job's Body by Deane Juhan is the most beautifully written take on the science (physiology I suppose) of the body. It explains the science in a graceful and artist way that your artistic brain might resonate with. It was written for bodyworkers so it adds elements of how bodywork relates to the body systems.
    
    [quote="Belle"]I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school.
    
    Also just to mention, although it doesn't deal with Origins and Insertions, [u]Job's Body[/u] by Deane Juhan is the most beautifully written take on the science (physiology I suppose) of the body. It explains the science in a graceful and artist way that your artistic brain might resonate with. It was written for bodyworkers so it adds elements of how bodywork relates to the body systems.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 5:54 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    NewHorizon
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    ^^good for you for sticking it out.
    
    I didn't figure out until quite late that due to my short attention span (I had to really teach myself discipline) that I had to keep switching how the information actually got in:
    
    Visuals- 2d and 3d -diagrams/real pics- (like dissection pics & videos)
    Auditory- say it, sing it, make up your own rhymes!
    Tactile- palpate/activate on yourself, on everyone else
    
    *also figure out how long/short your attention span is- do it in bits, take breaks!
    
    Keep us posted!
    
    ^^good for you for sticking it out.
    
    I didn't figure out until quite late that due to my short attention span (I had to really teach myself discipline) that I had to keep switching how the information actually got in:
    
    Visuals- 2d and 3d -diagrams/real pics- (like dissection pics & videos)
    Auditory- say it, sing it, make up your own rhymes!
    Tactile- palpate/activate on yourself, on everyone else
    
    *also figure out how long/short your attention span is- do it in bits, take breaks!
    
    Keep us posted!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:48 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Belle
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Wow, I am really touched by all the awesome replies I got! This is probably the nicest forum I have ever joined, wow!!
    
    Thanks everyone!
    
    I'm going to use the information and ideas you've provided so far, thanks again this is really awesome^^
    
    And I am going to the Chicago SMT
    
    I think I will try to use different study ways because, like some pointed out, just staring at my books and going over notecards hoping it sticks isn't working out too great for me and it's funny like palpateit said, "you can't massage paper".
    
    Wow, I am really touched by all the awesome replies I got! This is probably the nicest forum I have ever joined, wow!!
    
    Thanks everyone!
    
    I'm going to use the information and ideas you've provided so far, thanks again this is really awesome^^
    
    And I am going to the Chicago SMT
    
    I think I will try to use different study ways because, like some pointed out, just staring at my books and going over notecards hoping it sticks isn't working out too great for me and it's funny like palpateit said, "you can't massage paper".
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:48 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    healingtime
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    ok, i'm drooling over "primal pictures" which Breathe recommended.....gimme gimme gimme
    
    here is another book which was recommended to us by one of my instructors-who is actually the educational director of my school-for learning the muscles. it's very simple and is mostly line drawings, but very easy to see and grasp o, i, a, n's.
    
    Atlas of Skeletal Muscles by Robert J. Stone and Judith A. Stone
    http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Skeletal-Mu ... bb_product
    
    (actually, this is a link to the 4th edition, i purchased the 5th edition but couldn't find it now on amazon, but there is actually a 6th edition available )
    
    *the new edition is double the cost of the older editions, which you can get used, and from what i know everything you need is in the older editions, so no real need for the new one...there might be some "upgrades" in it, but probably the older ones are just as well. my teacher said she referred to them in school as a student all the time and still does as a therapist.
    
    ok, i'm drooling over "primal pictures" which Breathe recommended.....gimme gimme gimme
    
    here is another book which was recommended to us by one of my instructors-who is actually the educational director of my school-for learning the muscles. it's very simple and is mostly line drawings, but very easy to see and grasp o, i, a, n's.
    
    Atlas of Skeletal Muscles by Robert J. Stone and Judith A. Stone
    http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Skeletal-Muscles-Robert-Stone/dp/0072350806/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product
    
    (actually, this is a link to the 4th edition, i purchased the 5th edition but couldn't find it now on amazon, but there is actually a 6th edition available )
    
    *the new edition is double the cost of the older editions, which you can get used, and from what i know everything you need is in the older editions, so no real need for the new one...there might be some "upgrades" in it, but probably the older ones are just as well. my teacher said she referred to them in school as a student all the time and still does as a therapist.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:05 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    pueppi
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    If this helps, and I hope it does, it's a pretty easy way to learn origin, insertion & innervation.
    
    A note to remember, if you learn slowly or it is difficult, you want to take these cards everywhere you go and review them frequently. I was known to carry these cards even to the store while I was shopping!
    
    I learn mainly by color coding, so what I did was to get colored note cards with a different color (that worked for my mind) for different sections of the body. Here's an idea as to how I set them up, but I can't tell you the exacts on the color coding, since it's been a few too many years.
    
    Lower extremity muscles - green cards (think standing on the ground)Upper extremity - blue cards (think lifting hands to the sky)Head/neck - yellow cards (think sunshine and energy to the brain)Torso - pink cards (think heart/blood region)I'd put the name of the muscle on the card in bold and then on individual lines bellow I would have O,I,N (I cant' recall if I did the blood supply on these or not) with the corresponding info for each.Also, the following books are simple and nice:Warfel: ExtremitiesHere's the newest title to one I could find online --->The Extremities: Muscles and Motor Points (Paeforum.xxxack) by John H. Warfel I have an older version in hardback - one book was blue and the other red, in case you get to looking around for them and wonder if you are seeing something similar or not.Warfel: Head, Neck, Trunk
    
    I looked these up and they are a bit more fancy than the copies I got in the 80's and I am not sure if they are still in print or you have to find used ones. But, here is a link on Amazon for you to get an idea of the inside of the book and why it is easy to learn by (look to the left of the page and in small letters it will let you look inside the book): http://www.amazon.com/Extremities-Muscl ... 0812115821
    
    If this helps, and I hope it does, it's a pretty easy way to learn origin, insertion & innervation.
    
    A note to remember, if you learn slowly or it is difficult, you want to take these cards everywhere you go and review them frequently. I was known to carry these cards even to the store while I was shopping! :)
    
    I learn mainly by color coding, so what I did was to get colored note cards with a different color (that worked for my mind) for different sections of the body. Here's an idea as to how I set them up, but I can't tell you the exacts on the color coding, since it's been a few too many years. :)
    
    [list][*]Lower extremity muscles - green cards (think standing on the ground)[*]Upper extremity - blue cards (think lifting hands to the sky)[*]Head/neck - yellow cards (think sunshine and energy to the brain)[*]Torso - pink cards (think heart/blood region)[/list]I'd put the name of the muscle on the card in bold and then on individual lines bellow I would have O,I,N (I cant' recall if I did the blood supply on these or not) with the corresponding info for each.Also, the following books are simple and nice:[list][*][b]Warfel: Extremities[/b][list]Here's the newest title to one I could find online --->[u]The Extremities: Muscles and Motor Points (Paeforum.xxxack) by John H. Warfel [/u] [/list][*][b]Warfel: Head, Neck, Trunk[/b][/list]
    
    I looked these up and they are a bit more fancy than the copies I got in the 80's and I am not sure if they are still in print or you have to find used ones. But, here is a link on Amazon for you to get an idea of the inside of the book and why it is easy to learn by (look to the left of the page and in small letters it will let you look inside the book): http://www.amazon.com/Extremities-Muscles-Motor-Points/dp/0812115821
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:53 am
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Patrick W
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Which Cortiva do you go to?
    
    Anatomy is super important!! You definetly can't slack on it.
    
    patrick
    
    Which Cortiva do you go to?
    
    Anatomy is super important!! You definetly can't slack on it.
    
    patrick
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:47 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    palpateit
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    anyone can learn anatomy
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Below is the just the intro page of a handout I give to my students.
    The rest of the handout is in the student forum under: Kinese ... need I say more?
    
    Kinesiology is muscles and bones, which is anatomy.
    Everyone and anyone can learn anatomy. Everyone in our anatomy and kinesiology courses pass....if they follow all the suggestions. Some have not made it out of grade school, some have multiple learning disabilities, etc.
    
    One key is mental organization.
    The other is doing activities that engage touching, moving, visual, and auditory - all simultaneously.
    
    You said you like art. Take advaneforum.xxxe of that - getting a visual of the muscles is the most important thing you can do. First color the coloring book page in the anatomy coloring book (wynn & Kapit). Then draw the muscles from that page on a fellow student. Memorize your muscles according to each coloring book page.
    
    Thats just one way we use. Please refer to the many suggestions and steps in the other post I mentioned.
    
    Perhaps your thinking yours is a harder course, trust me its not possible.
    They have to all the muscles except a few facial ones, and instrinsic hand and feet. They have to know all the O, I, A's. They have to palpate all of them on me. The have to identify all of them on the colored areas of the skeleton (O&I). They have to be able to stretch all of them. Know their eccentric actions. And name the muscles involved in both stabilization and movement - as i do exercises in front of them during tests. And more.
    
    
    FIRST PAGE
    Please let go of any resistance you may have and integrate all the study skills and suggestions presented on the following pages. Don’t worry, I’ll be showing you how every time we meet.
    
    For many, one major hurdle to learning is fear, not intelligence, nor ability. Usually the fear of failure (conscious or unconscious). Fear creates anxiety around studying, leading to:
    1.Procrastination - usually manifests as cramming before a test.
    2.Poor study methods - usually manifests as anxiously staring at the lecture notes or textbook, re-reading or repeating the words over and over, hoping for the best.
    
    Whether we have anxiety or not, the truth is that most of us never learned how to effectively study or how to approach learning. Staring at pictures of muscles, or repeating muscle names (and O, I & A) over and over, will not work for this course.
    Repetition is necessary, yet inadequate.
    آ·We don't massage paper, and we cannot learn by repeating words, or staring at pictures.
    آ·We learn kinesiology by doing, not so much by thinking or figuring â€‌itâ€‌ out. It is essential that you become actively involved in learning! The more that you involve all your senses, the greater your ability to recall the information that you have learned.
    
    KINESIOLOGY
    
    Short summary of what you need do for this class:
    آ·First comes mental organization, then specific activities to learn & integrate the material
    1)Know exactly what you are supposed to know for each CB page – by testing yourself
    2)Complete coloring assignment before class
    3) Be familiar with that days material (bones, terms of movements, muscles) before class
    4) Review material from class the same day it is presented
    5) Study for short time periods - then take a break
    6) Study kinesiology everyday…yes everyday
    7) Test yourself continuously as you study
    Have study partner
    9) Learn muscles using visuals, auditory, touch and movement – all used simultaneously
    10) Learn muscles through palpation, not reading
    11) Learn shortening & stretching of muscles by performing them with a partner
    12) Outline/trace the muscles on a study partner
    13) Understand how a muscle works by using a elastic band on the skeleton
    14) Memorize muscles according to their Coloring Book pages (their functional groups)
    15) Use Coloring Book and Trail Guide simultaneously as you study
    
    Do Not:
    1) Cut back on sleep. Memories are formed during sleep. An hour less than optimal = poor performance
    2) Attempt to learn by repeating names of muscles
    3) Attempt to learn by repeating O, I, A, of muscles - hoping it sticks
    4) Stare at pictures of muscles – hoping it magically sinks in
    5) Study muscles without both the Trail Guide and Coloring Book open
    6) Procrastinate.
    7Cram.
    eight) Think. Ten year olds do the best in this class. Why? Because they like to play, to touch themselves, and they see muscles as they truly are: As simply rubber bands pulling on bones. Ten year olds get that there is nothing “to figure outâ€‌, and there’s nothing to “understandâ€‌.
    أک As one ten year old stated to the rest of the class “You know why this is easy for me? Cause I’m not worrying about the test…. I’m not afraidâ€‌
    
    Below is the just the intro page of a handout I give to my students.
    The rest of the handout is in the student forum under: Kinese ... need I say more?
    
    Kinesiology is muscles and bones, which is anatomy.
    Everyone and anyone can learn anatomy. Everyone in our anatomy and kinesiology courses pass....if they follow all the suggestions. Some have not made it out of grade school, some have multiple learning disabilities, etc.
    
    One key is mental organization.
    The other is [b]doing[/b] activities that engage touching, moving, visual, and auditory - all simultaneously.
    
    You said you like art. Take advaneforum.xxxe of that - getting a visual of the muscles is the most important thing you can do. First color the coloring book page in the anatomy coloring book (wynn & Kapit). Then draw the muscles from that page on a fellow student. Memorize your muscles according to each coloring book page.
    
    Thats just one way we use. Please refer to the many suggestions and steps in the other post I mentioned.
    
    Perhaps your thinking yours is a harder course, trust me its not possible.
    They have to all the muscles except a few facial ones, and instrinsic hand and feet. They have to know all the O, I, A's. They have to palpate all of them on me. The have to identify all of them on the colored areas of the skeleton (O&I). They have to be able to stretch all of them. Know their eccentric actions. And name the muscles involved in both stabilization and movement - as i do exercises in front of them during tests. And more.
    
    
    FIRST PAGE
    Please let go of any resistance you may have and integrate all the study skills and suggestions presented on the following pages. Don’t worry, I’ll be showing you how every time we meet.
    
    For many, one major hurdle to learning is fear, not intelligence, nor ability. Usually the fear of failure (conscious or unconscious). Fear creates anxiety around studying, leading to:
    1.Procrastination - usually manifests as cramming before a test.
    2.Poor study methods - usually manifests as anxiously staring at the lecture notes or textbook, re-reading or repeating the words over and over, hoping for the best.
    
    Whether we have anxiety or not, the truth is that most of us never learned how to effectively study or how to approach learning. Staring at pictures of muscles, or repeating muscle names (and O, I & A) over and over, will not work for this course.
    Repetition is necessary, yet inadequate.
    آ·We don't massage paper, and we cannot learn by repeating words, or staring at pictures.
    آ·We learn kinesiology by doing, not so much by thinking or figuring â€‌itâ€‌ out. It is essential that you become actively involved in learning! The more that you involve all your senses, the greater your ability to recall the information that you have learned.
    
    [b]KINESIOLOGY [/b]
    
    [b]Short summary of what you need do for this class:[/b]
    آ·First comes mental organization, then specific activities to learn & integrate the material
    1)Know exactly what you are supposed to know for each CB page – by testing yourself
    2)Complete coloring assignment before class
    3) Be familiar with that days material (bones, terms of movements, muscles) before class
    4) Review material from class the same day it is presented
    5) Study for short time periods - then take a break
    6) Study kinesiology everyday…yes everyday
    7) Test yourself continuously as you study
    8)Have study partner
    9) Learn muscles using visuals, auditory, touch and movement – all used simultaneously
    10) Learn muscles through palpation, not reading
    11) Learn shortening & stretching of muscles by performing them with a partner
    12) Outline/trace the muscles on a study partner
    13) Understand how a muscle works by using a elastic band on the skeleton
    14) Memorize muscles according to their Coloring Book pages (their functional groups)
    15) Use Coloring Book and Trail Guide simultaneously as you study
    
    [b]Do Not:[/b]
    1) Cut back on sleep. Memories are formed during sleep. An hour less than optimal = poor performance
    2) Attempt to learn by repeating names of muscles
    3) Attempt to learn by repeating O, I, A, of muscles - hoping it sticks
    4) Stare at pictures of muscles – hoping it magically sinks in
    5) Study muscles without both the Trail Guide and Coloring Book open
    6) Procrastinate.
    7Cram.
    eight) Think. Ten year olds do the best in this class. Why? Because they like to play, to touch themselves, and they see muscles as they truly are: As simply rubber bands pulling on bones. Ten year olds get that there is nothing “to figure outâ€‌, and there’s nothing to “understandâ€‌.
    أک As one ten year old stated to the rest of the class “You know why this is easy for me? Cause I’m not worrying about the test…. I’m not afraidâ€‌
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:27 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    JasonE
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Wow, my school's A&P training was 6 months long, with ever-increasing depth. Even the massage technique classes included lots of anatomy review so we could directly relate what we were doing to the relevant anatomical structures. I think my head would also have popped, had I tried to learn all that in only one month!!
    
    Personally, I learn best from materials that have a strong visual component. I used an anatomy coloring book to supplement my reading, and got a lot out of it by using different colors for different structures.
    
    I also recommend Andrew Biel's Trail Guide to the Body. It's a great book that is perfectly suited to bodyworkers that want/need to know their anatomy. The palpation exercises described throughout the text will help you learn to find and identify the muscles on your own body, and on those of willing volunteers. There are also accompanying flash cards you can get to supplement the Trail Guide, and they are very nice.
    
    Hope that helps, and good luck!
    
    Wow, my school's A&P training was 6 months long, with ever-increasing depth. Even the massage technique classes included lots of anatomy review so we could directly relate what we were doing to the relevant anatomical structures. I think my head would also have popped, had I tried to learn all that in only one month!!
    
    Personally, I learn best from materials that have a strong visual component. I used an anatomy coloring book to supplement my reading, and got a lot out of it by using different colors for different structures.
    
    I also recommend Andrew Biel's [u]Trail Guide to the Body[/u]. It's a great book that is perfectly suited to bodyworkers that want/need to know their anatomy. The palpation exercises described throughout the text will help you learn to find and identify the muscles on your own body, and on those of willing volunteers. There are also accompanying flash cards you can get to supplement the Trail Guide, and they are very nice.
    
    Hope that helps, and good luck! :)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:21 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Breathe
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I would recommend getting some good visual aids, such as Primal Pictures' offerings.
    
    This is software that lets you study the muscles in layers, individually and with motion. You can buy a strip-down version from NCSF, or you can go to the source for full featured programs if you don't mind spending the money.
    
    I would recommend getting some good visual aids, such as Primal Pictures' offerings.
    
    This is software that lets you study the muscles in layers, individually and with motion. You can buy a strip-down version from [url=http://www.ncsf.org/products/78-3-5/Essentials-Interactive-Functional-Anatomy-DVD.aspx][u][b]NCSF[/b][/u][/url], or you can go to [url=http://www.primalpictures.com/Home.aspx][u][b]the source[/b][/u][/url] for full featured programs if you don't mind spending the money.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:56 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    JaeMarie
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Hey Belle, which Cortiva school are you going to? There may be someone here familiar with the particular school you are going to that may be able to offer you more specific help re the curriculum. I graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy just prior to completion of the Cortiva conversion.
    
    I'll say, I was overwhelmed at first, but as time went on I got back into the swing of how to study and the material "stuck" better. Also, have you talked to your teacher and asked for any help? The teachers I had at my school would bend over backwards trying to find ways to help students retain the information.
    
    We're here for ya .
    
    Hey Belle, which Cortiva school are you going to? There may be someone here familiar with the particular school you are going to that may be able to offer you more specific help re the curriculum. I graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy just prior to completion of the Cortiva conversion.
    
    I'll say, I was overwhelmed at first, but as time went on I got back into the swing of how to study and the material "stuck" better. Also, have you talked to your teacher and asked for any help? The teachers I had at my school would bend over backwards trying to find ways to help students retain the information.
    
    We're here for ya :) .
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:23 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    calmhead247
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Don't stress, unless you are doing medical massage, you don't need to know all that detail one day past the exam if your state requires one. Try to see an exam to see the detail you need to know. I happen to love anatomy (i know i'm crazy) but in NY the exam was general like: where does the proximal part of the rectus femoris atttach to? a) arm b) leg c) pelvis d) spine.
    
    You need the hands on classes to be a good Massage Therapist and you need the science classes to be allowed to practice.
    
    You know what they call someone who passes the exam with the bare minimum score??? A Licenced Massage Therapist!!!
    
    Don't stress, unless you are doing medical massage, you don't need to know all that detail one day past the exam if your state requires one. Try to see an exam to see the detail you need to know. I happen to love anatomy (i know i'm crazy) but in NY the exam was general like: where does the proximal part of the rectus femoris atttach to? a) arm b) leg c) pelvis d) spine.
    
    You need the hands on classes to be a good Massage Therapist and you need the science classes to be allowed to practice.
    
    You know what they call someone who passes the exam with the bare minimum score??? A Licenced Massage Therapist!!!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:06 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Shannon
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Anatomy is hard but you need to know it even if you plan on working in a spa environment. Learning O,I,A's is hard very hard for some but you can learn it. Think positive! Stop saying you can't because you can do it.
    At the top of the student forum here there is a list of websites that can help you with anatomy and muscles.
    I had one month to learn all the muscles. I freaked at one point but I got over it and passed the class.
    It does come all together. Just give it time.
    
    Anatomy is hard but you need to know it even if you plan on working in a spa environment. Learning O,I,A's is hard very hard for some but you can learn it. Think positive! Stop saying you can't because you can do it.
    At the top of the student forum here there is a list of websites that can help you with anatomy and muscles.
    I had one month to learn all the muscles. I freaked at one point but I got over it and passed the class.
    It does come all together. Just give it time.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:55 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Belle
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Post subject: 
    Very Discourged with Anatomy
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Hello MassagePlanet,
    
    I'm currently attending Cortiva Inst... I'm on week 8. I'm honestly terribly bummed out about the whole program, at first I was really excited but now I'm starting to have my doubts.
    
    I researched careers that would be good for me, massage therapy seemed a perfect fit and when I applied everyone told me it would be a lot of fun and I can do it, yada yada.
    
    I feel like my main teacher has never even had any education on how to be a teacher, sure she is very knowledgeable about the industry and has tons of real-life experience but I'm not learning my anatomy material at all. I want to quit and if I wasn't so terrified of letting down my family, I would have already.
    
    I feel like I'm retarded, or just not smart enough. I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school. The application people said it was a great fit, and I was really hopeful. I don't have much interest in the medical field, I just wanted to work in a relaxing spa environment for my stress level. I thought helping other people relax would be perfect for me, since I can't handle a competitive fast-pace workplace. I now realize the woman who interviewed me and said MT was a great fit, isn't a MT and hasn't been in the industry or even taken a massage class...
    
    I'm told over and over this is "adult learning" and so I'm expected to do the majority of my learning on my own and I'm not going to be "spoon fed" information. I don't think it's right to blaze through all the muscles of the head, neck, face, and shoulder complex in one session plus palpating all of them and then expect me to just memorize it all in 2 weeks while more and more and more information is being loaded on top of it. I can't even process what I'm being told, I go home and feel overloaded and confused and angry.
    
    I have been given no hints or help or ways to memorize my anatomy information other then making my own notecards or just figuring it out myself and trying to memorize the origins and insertions and actions. I know I can squirm though this program but I'm going to come out the other end a jumbled mess of anatomy nonsense. I'm pissed off that this "school" crams anatomy into one 4 hour class a week and we sit around other days doing meditation for 45 mins while I then go home and don't even know what to make notecards out of because my teacher's powerpoints have spelling errors and don't go over the information the same way for each muscle. I want a real anatomy teacher or just a real teacher, I'm paying to go to this "awesome school" and they can't even hire someone to teach anatomy who has some training on how to teach people? Anyone can stand up in front of a group and talk about something they know, that doesn't mean they can teach. It's like reading Romeo & Juilet really fast to a first grade class and expecting them to understand it.
    
    I don't know what to do!
    
    Has anyone else who has gone through Cortiva (or any MT training) felt this way? Did it just magically "click" (like people keep telling me) and suddenly everything falls into place? How much time did you spend studying the anatomy material everyday? Do you know any online resources or have any tips/tricks/suggestions? I know you have a resource forum but I just wanted to see what people's best ideas are for studying anatomy^^
    
    I would take an anatomy class at my local community college but I can't fit it in with Cortiva's fast-pace agenda but I feel like that's what I need to do, lol, I need a "second opinion class".
    
    Well, if anyone has the time to give me some suggestions or tips on how they survived learning this stuff I would be very grateful. Thank you so much!
    
    Hello MassagePlanet,
    
    I'm currently attending Cortiva Inst... I'm on week 8. I'm honestly terribly bummed out about the whole program, at first I was really excited but now I'm starting to have my doubts.
    
    I researched careers that would be good for me, massage therapy seemed a perfect fit and when I applied everyone told me it would be a lot of fun and I can do it, yada yada.
    
    I feel like my main teacher has never even had any education on how to be a teacher, sure she is very knowledgeable about the industry and has tons of real-life experience but I'm not learning my anatomy material at all. I want to quit and if I wasn't so terrified of letting down my family, I would have already.
    
    I feel like I'm retarded, or just not smart enough. I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school. The application people said it was a great fit, and I was really hopeful. I don't have much interest in the medical field, I just wanted to work in a relaxing spa environment for my stress level. I thought helping other people relax would be perfect for me, since I can't handle a competitive fast-pace workplace. I now realize the woman who interviewed me and said MT was a great fit, isn't a MT and hasn't been in the industry or even taken a massage class...
    
    I'm told over and over this is "adult learning" and so I'm expected to do the majority of my learning on my own and I'm not going to be "spoon fed" information. I don't think it's right to blaze through all the muscles of the head, neck, face, and shoulder complex in one session plus palpating all of them and then expect me to just memorize it all in 2 weeks while more and more and more information is being loaded on top of it. I can't even process what I'm being told, I go home and feel overloaded and confused and angry.
    
    I have been given no hints or help or ways to memorize my anatomy information other then making my own notecards or just figuring it out myself and trying to memorize the origins and insertions and actions. I know I can squirm though this program but I'm going to come out the other end a jumbled mess of anatomy nonsense. I'm pissed off that this "school" crams anatomy into one 4 hour class a week and we sit around other days doing meditation for 45 mins while I then go home and don't even know what to make notecards out of because my teacher's powerpoints have spelling errors and don't go over the information the same way for each muscle. I want a real anatomy teacher or just a real teacher, I'm paying to go to this "awesome school" and they can't even hire someone to teach anatomy who has some training on how to teach people? Anyone can stand up in front of a group and talk about something they know, that doesn't mean they can teach. It's like reading Romeo & Juilet really fast to a first grade class and expecting them to understand it.
    
    I don't know what to do!
    
    Has anyone else who has gone through Cortiva (or any MT training) felt this way? Did it just magically "click" (like people keep telling me) and suddenly everything falls into place? How much time did you spend studying the anatomy material everyday? Do you know any online resources or have any tips/tricks/suggestions? I know you have a resource forum but I just wanted to see what people's best ideas are for studying anatomy^^
    
    I would take an anatomy class at my local community college but I can't fit it in with Cortiva's fast-pace agenda but I feel like that's what I need to do, lol, I need a "second opinion class".
    
    Well, if anyone has the time to give me some suggestions or tips on how they survived learning this stuff I would be very grateful. Thank you so much!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:45 pm
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
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[Danu]

ok, i'm drooling over "primal pictures" which Breathe recommended.....gimme gimme gimme

here is another book which was recommended to us by one of my instructors-who is actually the educational director of my school-for learning the muscles. it's very simple and is mostly line drawings, but very easy to see and grasp o, i, a, n's.

Atlas of Skeletal Muscles by Robert J. Stone and Judith A. Stone
http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Skeletal-Muscles-Robert-Stone/dp/0072350806/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product

(actually, this is a link to the 4th edition, i purchased the 5th edition but couldn't find it now on amazon, but there is actually a 6th edition available )

*the new edition is double the cost of the older editions, which you can get used, and from what i know everything you need is in the older editions, so no real need for the new one...there might be some "upgrades" in it, but probably the older ones are just as well. my teacher said she referred to them in school as a student all the time and still does as a therapist.

 

[kdr_cmt]

Wow, I am really touched by all the awesome replies I got! This is probably the nicest forum I have ever joined, wow!!

Thanks everyone!

I'm going to use the information and ideas you've provided so far, thanks again this is really awesome^^

And I am going to the Chicago SMT

I think I will try to use different study ways because, like some pointed out, just staring at my books and going over notecards hoping it sticks isn't working out too great for me and it's funny like palpateit said, "you can't massage paper".

 

[blue ballon]

^^good for you for sticking it out.

I didn't figure out until quite late that due to my short attention span (I had to really teach myself discipline) that I had to keep switching how the information actually got in:

Visuals- 2d and 3d -diagrams/real pics- (like dissection pics & videos)
Auditory- say it, sing it, make up your own rhymes!
Tactile- palpate/activate on yourself, on everyone else

*also figure out how long/short your attention span is- do it in bits, take breaks!

Keep us posted!

 

[[email protected]]

Very Discourged with Anatomy

I've always been heavily in the arts and I want to be a writer but thought this would be a great way to have a steady income to support my future plans for having a family, writing, and doing art. I never was good at science, or math, or business in high school.

Also just to mention, although it doesn't deal with Origins and Insertions, Job's Body by Deane Juhan is the most beautifully written take on the science (physiology I suppose) of the body. It explains the science in a graceful and artist way that your artistic brain might resonate with. It was written for bodyworkers so it adds elements of how bodywork relates to the body systems.

 

[BLONDEDAGO]

draw pictures

My instructor suggested drawing the muscles and attachments. Some of his tests had us diagraming and even if you can't draw very well, he would understand if it was just symbolic (a triangle for the muscle for instance)


This method of learning was very helpful for me.

 

[mr_know_it_all]

I'm glad you're going to stick with it! Once you graduate and out in the real world, you'll never look back (but save your study guides 'cause you never know too much).

Like you, I'm a kinda visual person, but I also learn different things in different modes.

All of the suggestions offered above are excellent! Take what you need and leave the others in your toolbox to be considered later). The only thing I will add to these is this: own the information in as many ways as you can. A few things that helped me accomplish this were:

1. Viewing the muscles in various ways. Look at the individual bones. What muscles attach to them and where.

2. Observe. Look at people around you. What are they doing? Someone's turning his/her head - what muscles are working to move the head? Etc.

3. Visualize (this should be easier for you) with your eyes closed - imaging the muscles in relaxed state and then in various seforum.xxxes.

4. Palpate, palpate, palpate. Let your fingers guide you (try this with your eyes open and closed).

5. When someone asks a question in class, study group, etc., don't just recite the answer, but explore it.

6. Having a study group was very beneficial as were people willing to let me explore their bodies - sometimes spending an hour or more on either a single muscle or muscle group.


I graduated from Chicago School of Massage Therapy in 12/05; it was the last class before all the classes were taught and graduated from downtown. While the school has changed, there are still some great teachers there. Talk with your teachers (or any of the admin people who graduated from CSMT), I know they will be more than happy to at least point you in the right direction and will offer sound advice.

Hang in there. Yes. There's a lot to accomplish. But with determination and dedication, you'll be more than fine!

 

[M T]

I used my manual (printed in black and white) and grabbed a box of colored pencils... mind you, it was a large set of pencils. I'd color each muscle group it's own color, and each individual muscle it's own shade of that color repeating action, origin and insertion to myself (out loud at home) as I did it. Later when I needed the information, if I thought about the color of the group, it was easier to recall.

I did the same when we got to cell structure and function, nerves, etc. I drew pictures in my manual and colored them - even if there were already illustrations in my text books, drawing those images in my manual (where I took other notes) helped reinforce the information.

 

[Cathy C]

It helps to think out of the box with large amounts of info.

In just this short amount of time, with the help and support of this great forum and my own willingness to find a system that worked for me, I am happy to review I am doing great in Kinese.

I had to try a few different methods, but now I'm comfortable with how I learn and how to put it into my brain.

One thing REALLY helps me and that is looking at a picture, palpating that part of myself if possible, like the arm or leg, and then saying it OUT LOUD. For some reason, if I say it all out loud, I remember it SO much better.

I also type every muscle out, O, I and A, print it and tape it onto a big index card along with a little picture reference of the muscle so I can focus on just one at a time. Once I get comfortable with them, I study them in groups.

One muscle at a time, and in groups that make sense to me so I can relate them all. I find a common denominator so instead of getting confused, I use what is the same about them to my advaneforum.xxxe.

 

[Angeline L]

Everybody has had such great suggestions, here is the one that helped me the most.

If you have a friend, boyfriend, parent, anyone who is willing to help..... you can get some body paint or washable marker and draw the muscles onto the person. While you are drawing, say OUT LOUD the O, and I. Then, have them move through the actions. Actually visualize the muscle underneath and palpate it with your hands. I found this especially useful just before tests.

Hope that helps, and stick with it!

 

[KendrickWarren]

Trail Guide...

I suggest getting the trail guide to the body...the red book...its a very good book that has illustrations of all muscles and bones in body. as well as the different movements.

 

[Robert Plankton]

get a muscle anatomy book. most are pretty much the same. relate the muscle location to your own body. feel your own body. it's better to visualize the muscles to your body as a memory aid. then where ever you are. you are the muscle reminder/trigger to the info. since you can't do the back side, maybe use a friends body to explore back side.