Come to Class Prepared

Fitness & Conditioning

Sarga Bodywork will absolutely get easier with practice, however learning this modality can be quite rigorous at first and excellent physical conditioning (particularly isometric strength), is a must to gain the most from an in person course. Yoga, Pilates, dance, martial arts, or any full-bodied practice that encourages both strength and flexibility will help to condition you for practicing Sarga Bodywork.

Sarga Bodywork does not have specific weight restrictions for students who attend Sarga Bodywork courses. We recognize that a person’s weight is not necessarily indicative of fitness level, however we reserve the right to deny applicants of our in-person courses based on our evaluation and will inquire further with applicants who are more than 175 pounds in weight and/or more than 6 feet in height. This is especially important for Sarga Bodywork practices on raised massage tables. For more information on practitioner weight and safety considerations, please review our “Safety Considerations for Sarga Bodywork on Raised Massage Tables" on our FAQ page.

Here are four basic fitness measurements that can help to gauge your ability to learn and perform Sarga Bodywork with success:

1. The ability to balance on one foot for at least 1 minute without holding onto anything for support.

2. Excellent cardiovascular conditioning and the ability to perform cardiovascular exercise (jogging, swimming, etc.) for 10-15 minutes without stopping.

3. The ability to perform at least 3 sets of 20 squats.

4. The ability to isometrically hold a plank for at least 1 minute.

If you do not feel confident that you could meet these four requirements but would still like to attend a Sarga Bodywork course, then our floor-based courses would be a better place to start. While basic strength and conditioning is still important here, a floor-based practice provides practitioners a much wider and more stable working area, and fitness level is less of a consideration.​​​

Arrival & Departure

• We highly suggest that you do not book non-refundable travel arrangements until your course is confirmed (meets minimum enrollment), and that you purchase flexible airline tickets/travel insurance if you are arriving from out-of-town.  As per our Course Policies, in the event that a course has not reached the required minimum student enrollment 25 days prior to the class start time, Sarga Bodywork reserves the right to postpone a course to a later time or to cancel it altogether. In such an event, registrants have the choice to either transfer to another course without paying the transfer fee, or to be refunded their full payment.

• If you are arriving from out of town, please book your flights so that you arrive (at least) the day before the first day of class and leave (at least) the day after the last day of class.

• Class times are 10:00am - 5:00pm (with a one-hour lunch break between noon and 2pm each day). Please arrive a few minutes early, or with enough time to get settled before class begins and allow up to 30 minutes "flex time" after 5pm each class day.

• Since we are a certified CEU provider, any missed class time has to be made up, case by case.

Required Reading

• Once you have registered for a course, and after the course has been confirmed, you will receive a code to access the online course manual. Please read the entire manual up to the Technique section before coming to class. Watching the technique videos before class in not required.

What to Bring

1. Depending on your learning style, you may want to bring a notebook for taking notes and/or a smartphone for taking pictures/video.

2. One clean hand towel and one clean washcloth per day.

3. One set of clean sheets per day (one fitted sheet, one top sheet, and one face rest cover). If you are packing lightly and plan to launder your sheets each day, make sure your lodging has access to a washer/dryer. Please make sure that your sheets are not slippery synthetic, satin or silk sheets! This is a safety consideration for standing practitioners and we recommend cotton flannel or cotton jersey massage sheets. Note that some course locations may offer a linen service if you would prefer to not travel with your linens. If you are interested in this service, please email your instructor directly.

4. A pair of clean rubber flip-flops or sandals to wear exclusively in the classroom for treatments. These should be made entirely of rubber, without fabric straps, for ease of sterilizing and drying in-between practice sessions.

5. A nail clipper and nail file in case you need a trim.

6. Snacks, drinking water, and a lunch if you will not be eating out during the 1-hour break.​

Please note that you do not need to bring a massage table, massage lotion, or a lotion holster as we will provide tables, Sarga equipment, Myo.Rub and the Sarga Holster for use in class.

Personal Care & Other Considerations

• Please come with clean, pedicured feet every day of class (clipped and clean toenails and cuticles, filed calluses, etc.).

• If you don’t already have a quality foot file for personal use, please get one. We like the “Swedish Clover Foot File” which can be purchased online.

• Participants must be willing to disrobe (with appropriate draping) to receive bodywork every day of class.

• We recommend not eating a heavy meal at breakfast or lunch, as this is not ideal for receiving/giving bodywork.

• Please arrive a few minutes early on class days.

• Keep your evenings free with plenty of time to rest. You will be learning a lot of new information and new ways of using/moving your body. The work is deep at every level and it may stir up layers of thoughts and emotions. Give yourself space to integrate the work and use your free time to rest and relax.

Beginner's Mind

We celebrate the diversity of therapists who attend Sarga Bodywork courses, and whether one is still a novice bodyworker or has 10+ years of barefoot massage experience, cultivating a “beginners mind” is your best asset when preparing for a Sarga Bodywork course. Previous barefoot massage experience is usually an advantage when learning Sarga Bodywork, however if one expects this prior experience to translate into an effortless mastery of Sarga Bodywork, you can be sure to prepare for some frustration and disappointment! As a student of Sarga Bodywork it is in your best interest to cultivate an attitude of Shoshin. Shoshin is a word from Zen Buddhism meaning "beginner's mind" and refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would (paraphrased from Wikipedia).