17 Jun Instructor Spotlight and Q&A: Kerrie Flynn, LMT!
Kerrie Flynn, LMT, RYT offers dynamic sessions that focus on soft tissue dysfunction, increasing range-of-motion, and creating strength and balance within the muscular-skeletal body. Choose from a wide range of sessions to give your body what it needs, whether it is Sports Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Neuromuscular Therapy or Active Isolated Stretching.
Q: What inspired or directed you into a career as an LMT?
A: Injuries! I was a professional dancer who wasn’t extremely flexible, so I was straining muscles all the time. Massage – to be specific – Sports Massage, was the only physical medicine modality that got me back on the stage. So I believe I naturally jete’d into this healing career. It has been a blessing to work 25 years with passion.
Q: How does your yoga certification, practice and work influence your massage therapy work, or visa versa?
A: I can and always will get the patient/client OFF the massage table and visa versa – take the client off the yoga mat and onto the massage table! I incorporate movement and stretching of fascia and muscle in all my sessions of bodywork. I was always a believer that having flexible joints was a necessity in a healthy life. Getting a massage definitely releases the muscle tension or spasm or cramp (if done correctly), but it isthen that the physical body has to lengthen – stretch the soft tissues – to return the body back to equanimity.
Q: How would you describe an active isolated stretching session?
A: It is a workout! AIS is a very dynamic session. The client wears comfortable stretching clothing. We work on a table or chair or the floor. It is a one-on-one session with me. I teach you the specific movement to stretch the muscles or joint and then we do it together and I assist you. Stretches are repetitive, only held for 2 seconds each and opens your joints’ range of motion by inches immediately (and it doesn’t hurt – it actually feels good)! AIS stretches, strengthens and is a cardio-vascular workout!
*Stay tuned for an Active Isolated Stretching class at Kinected!*
Q: Tell us about the Dance Massage Clinic at the Joffrey Ballet School; what was the impetus to start it?
A: The impetus…..the soft spot in my heart for dancers who are always muscle sore or injured and have NO MONEY for health care. I teach the following at JBS: Active Isolated Stretching, Anatomy for Dancers, Kinetics Studies and Self Dance Care. I also teach orthopedic massage and sports pathologies at The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, therefore I suggested we do an Externship Clinic for the Joffrey Ballet School dancers. They LOVED the idea! The Massage Interns learn Sports Massage and how to work with professional muscle: dancers/athletes and the dancers receive a complimentary massage plus a great education about their bodies! I supervise, teach and get paid! Win – Win – Win for everyone!
Q: From your work specifically with professional athletes and dancers, how does active isolated stretching sessions and sports massage help to re-pattern or un-do dysfunctional movement patterns that come from years of training and discipline?
A: AIS creates excellent alignment and postural strength to support the new movement patterns. Muscles really do want to lengthen and utilize their full potential. This is why we always enjoy a good morning full-body yawning stretch. My experience is that people do NOT know how to stretch correctly. When they do understand it, it feels good! It is only then it becomes an enjoyable and healthy re-patterning habit without possibilities of injury.
Q: Do you have any fun memories or stories from working at the Olympic Games?
A: I have 2 stories about the Olympics:
1) There were 100 LMTs from 19 countries on this Sports Massage Team. I met a Massage Therapist from Chicago who worked with the Joffrey Ballet Company and asked for my business card to give to one of his company dancers who was moving back to NY to dance in “Moving Out” on Broadway. The dancer: Davis Robertson! He did indeed call me and it has been an 11 year professional relationship since. He is now the Artistic Director and that is how I got to teach Active Isolated Stretching at Joffrey in NYC…Network – Network – Network!
2) I also speak Italian so I was stationed in the Olympic Village near the Italian residences. It also meant I had access to all nations, all sports, male and female, everyday. I got the opportunity to work all the Italian athletes. GORGEOUS BTW. ☺ They were so grateful to have sports massage available and to be able to explain their specific needs in Italian! FANTASTICO!
And last but not least:
Fave muscle: FHL – Flexor Hallicus Longus – but of course!
Fave exercise: On the Stability Big Ball: lie backwards and GENTLY stretch the FRONT OF YOUR SPINE! Listen to your favorite song and melt! Delicious and a must!
Fun fact: I rode elephants in the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus!! YUP! I LOVE ELEPHANTS!
Book with Kerrie on Tuesdays and Fridays at Kinected. She looks forward to working with you toward a flexible and pain-free lifestyle!
Marilyn Freedman
Posted at 05:22h, 02 JulyWhere are you these days? Would love to make an appointment and refer patients.
getkinected
Posted at 04:47h, 13 AugustHi Marilyn! Apologies for my delay in responding! Kerrie Flynn is seeing patients at kinected; you can make appointments by visiting http://www.kinectedcenter.com, calling (212) 463-8338 or emailing info@kinectedcenter.com. Thank you for your inquiry!