FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anatomy Trains® First-Ever Human Longitudinal Dissection Exposes ‘Myofascial Meridians’ of Interconnected Muscles

Research by Tom Myers Demonstrates the Anatomy of Connection, That Muscles Are Functionally Linked Through the Unity of the Fascial Net

WESTMINSTER, Colorado – February 20, 2006 – Kinesis, Inc. today announced that Tom Myers, founder and director of Kinesis and author of Anatomy Trains®: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, has conducted the world’s first longitudinal dissection of the human body, exposing the interconnected myofascial layer that connects all muscles together in functional units that contribute to body stability, balance, and posture. This research supports the Anatomy Trains concept that Tom Myers originally devised in 1995 as a method to teach his students about fascial anatomy at the Rolf Institute.

“This dissection has proven to me that the ‘anatomy of connection’ is a real thing,” said Tom Myers, director of Kinesis Inc. “The notion that each muscle in our body works independently is no longer the full story; rather, as we have clearly demonstrated, muscles appear to be more like contractile pockets in long sacks that extend the entire length of the body, functioning as a unit, keeping the skeleton aloft, handling balance, and managing strain. For some reason, very few anatomists have looked at the muscular system in this systemic way over the last 500 years, and none that I know have dissected it in this way.”

The Dissection

Tom Myers spent five days in the Laboratory for Anatomical Enlightenment in Westminster, Colorado with a group of a dozen students and four assistants to perform the dissection under the direction of Todd Garcia, prosector. Altogether, the group extracted nine Anatomy Trains Myofascial Meridians, as described in the book:

• The Superficial Backline – from the underside of the toes, up the back of the leg to the sacrum, up the back to the skull, and over the skull to the forehead
• The Lateral Line – from the outer ankle, up the side of the shoulder complex, to the side of the neck and skull
• The Spiral Line (in two pieces) – from the side of the skull across the neck to the opposite shoulder and ribs, across the belly to the front of the hip, the outside of the knee, the inside of the ankle, and under the arch of the foot and back up the leg and back to the skull
• The Superficial Front Line (in two pieces – from the top of the toes up the front of the leg to the pelvis, and from the pelvis to the back of the head
• The four Arm Lines from the chest to the fingers
• The Deep Front Line - a strange anenome-like creature comprising the body’s ‘core’ from the inner arch of the foot to the tongue.

“Dissection of the human body is being done more frequently by those involved in massage and bodywork, and when it comes to anatomy, Tom Myers is a pioneer and leader in this field,” said Todd Garcia, director of the Lab for Anatomical Enlightenment. “This is the first longitudinal dissection that I have ever seen and, I believe, that has ever been recorded, and it was a very successful one at that.”

About Anatomy Trains

The Anatomy Trains myofascial meridians include eleven lines in total, all living within a unitary fascial network which, in turn, surrounds and suspends the individual bones of the skeleton. The 'Anatomy Trains' myofascial meridians is a revolutionary map for analyzing whole-body soft-tissue patterns that leads to new strategies for unwinding these patterns via manipulation and movement-oriented work. The Anatomy Trains concept provides a useful language to build links among manual and movement therapists, including acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, osteopaths, physical therapists, Pilates and yoga instructors, as well as athletic coaches and personal trainers.

About Tom Myers and Kinesis, Inc.

Thomas Myers, is a Certified Advanced Rolfer®, LMT, NCTMB, and is currently the director of Kinesis, Inc. Myers founded Kinesis, Inc. in 1994 to provide education nationally and internationally on Anatomy Trains and a certification program in Kinesis Myofascial Integration (KMI), an advanced form of Structural Integration. Kinesis courses are geared toward massage and physical therapists as well as chiropractors, yoga practitioners and Pilates instructors interested in making a change in people's lives through 'Spatial Medicine.' Tom’s research and approach has revolutionized the teaching of movement anatomy away from the 'single-muscle theory' toward a more holistic appreciation of muscular interactions and their role in posture and dysfunction. Kinesis offers courses internationally in integrated soft-tissue approaches, including Anatomy Trains supported by the Anatomy Trains DVD, and DVD-ROM series. Prior to founding Kinesis, Myers trained directly with Dr. Ida Rolf, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, and Buckminster Fuller and has practiced integrative bodywork for more than 30 years. For more information about KMI classes, books or DVD products, visit www.AnatomyTrains.net or call 888.kinesis.

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