The Sugi School of Health & Fitness

SCHOOL OF HEALTH & FITNESS

Our Mission and Approach

At the Sugi School of Health and Fitness, we are passionate about offering you a program that encompasses all of the knowledge that a professional needs to be successful in the field of health, wellness and fitness. There is no other school or programs that blend several proven disciplines and the Sugi practices of health and wellness in such a way that will positively change the health of so many people. Our programs are designed for aspiring teachers and students who are committed to creating profound changes in their personal health as well.

Our new practitioners learn the techniques and skills necessary to help their own clientele improve their health and fitness over a period of time without injury or pain.

Students participating in the holistic bodywork and massage program will be well versed in the importance of movement for health. While students participating in the movement and fitness programs, will be knowledgeable in the use of touch for optimal health and fitness.

Program Summary

The complementary courses that make up our programs allow students to learn the Sugi Way™, gain deeper knowledge through advanced studies, improve themselves, help others, and enjoy a transformative experience.

The programs are built around three main tenets:

1) Incorporating a variety of gentle, effective bodywork techniques will improve health without pain, discomfort or injury.

2) Learning movement and coordination skills will always provide better fitness and performance results versus forced effort.

3) True wellness comes from honoring yourself, others and the environment.

All of our programs have been approved by the State of California:
• Sugi Touch™ (C.M.T.) - 250 hour certificate
• Sugi Fitness™ Trainer (S.F.T) - 150 hour certificate
• Sugi Yoga® (S.Y.T) - 200 hour certificate

Who would benefit from taking the Sugi Programs?

• People looking for a new career in health and fitness
• Personal trainers, massage therapists and bodyworkers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, aestheticians and other professionals who want to increase the benefits they offer their clientele
• The everyday person who wants to relieve stress and pain in a simple, profound way
• Weekend warriors and professional athletes wanting to increase their skills or recover from injury

Programs:

>SugiTouch™ (C.M.T.) - 250 hour certificate
Fees: $2,845 + $65 ABMP membership (liability insurance)

SugiTouch is a unique array of simple techniques for increasing the communication between the mind and body. Light touch and gentle movements can easily create profound change. Learn how to make small changes that result in big differences.

• Relief from chronic tensions
• Erase movement limitations
• Increase balance and coordination
• Slow down the aging process
• Heightened sense of well being
• Self-help techniques included

Ofer Erez created SugiTouch by combining and simplifying complex concepts from the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Wilhelm Reich, William Glasser and other great thinkers.

SugiTouch Course Work (66 hours)
Six weekend workshops on the following topics: Head, Face and Jaw; Neck, Shoulders and Arms; Hands and Feet; Back; Hips and Legs; Breath and Sleep. (The first two weekends are open to the public, then the program is closed to newcomers.)

A Sugi Foundation™ (17.5 hours)

• Learn practical skills for responsible, respectful living
• Create healthy thought patterns
• Apply peaceful attitudes to difficult situations
• Increase health and well being
• Deepen community and personal relationships
• Develop a connection to spirituality

Practical Anatomy and Physiology (17.5 hours)
A practical introduction to the structures and physiological functions of the body and how to affect the anatomical structures by creating healthy habits and general wellness. Special emphasis pertaining to the practices of SugiTouch, Sugi Yoga and Sugi Fitness.

Business (11 hours)
This course instructs the student as to the importance of planning a business/career and looking at the options available for employment upon completion of the training. The psycho-spiritual aspects of business are emphasized in this class.
• Writing a plan
• Marketing
• Ethics
• Branding
• Finances
• Your first job

Movement Practice (20 hours)
An exploration of movement threads in your own body with assigned starting points.

Homework (10 hours)
Review class notes and record questions for next class.

Volunteer Practice (20 hours)
Regular attendance at pre-arranged locations for practicing mini-sessions on public people.

Group Practice (20 hours)
Practice and review class materials with co-students and friends to practice on.

Kidfest (8 hours)
Attend this annual family fair in Concord, CA for a minimum of 2 – 4 hour shifts to practice on the public doing mini-sessions. A great opportunity to observe Ofer working on people!

Case Studies (49 hours)
Record experiences with practice clients. A minimum of 5 case studies is required. For example: 5 clients seen for varying number of hours equaling 49 hours total; 7 clients spread over a total of 49 hours, etc.

Practicum (11 hours)
This course provides supervised practice with public clients as a test for completion of the full certificate program.

>Sugi Fitness™ (S.F.T.) - 150 hour certificate
Fees: $2,845 + $60 for books and supplies

Sugi Fitness is a complete method of training in techniques for effortless gains in strength, stamina and flexibility to reach all of your fitness goals.
• Bring back abilities lost through injury, illness or the aging process
• Learn new movement skills to enhance any athletic activity– running, tennis, bowling, bicycling, golfing, swimming, martial arts, team sports and more.
• Reach fitness goals that seemed impossible before in an effortless and enjoyable way!

Sugi Fitness Course Work (66 hours)
Six weekend workshops on the following topics: Strength; Flexibility; Stamina; Breathing; Balance and Coordination; Agility. (All courses may be attended without registering for the entire program.)

A Sugi Foundation™ (17.5 hours)

Home Practice (12 hours minimum)
Practice concepts of Sugi Fitness at home.

Case Studies (15 hours minimum)
Integrate all weekend topics during discussion and teaching for case studies. Record experiences with practice clients. Minimum of 15 hours of case studies is required for 3 – 5 clients.

Practicum (11 hours)
This course provides supervised practice with public clients as a test for completion of the full certificate program.

>Sugi Yoga (S.Y.T.) - 200 hour certificate
Fees: $3080 + $43 for books and supplies

Sugi Yoga® is designed to offer a new approach to yoga, melding traditional hatha yoga with Feldenkrais®. Students are provided the opportunity to learn practical knowledge about movement and energy while building their confidence and skills to teach Sugi Yoga.

• Better health through better habits
• Improved functioning
• Reduced pain
• A deeper sense of peace
• Improvements integrated into many areas of life
• Better stamina, strength, mobility, balance and flexibility
• Increased self-awareness and self-confidence

Sugi Yoga does not insist on the perfect execution of yoga postures, but is concerned with how one approaches them – seeing the postures as a web of interconnected movements and understanding the common aspects between them. This understanding gives the teacher and the students more ways to benefit from yoga. During the training, you’ll progress mindfully from simple to sophisticated concepts, postures and exercises, choosing your own pathway for growth.

Over time, you will experience a wider range of movement and abilities, gain strength, increase mobility and improve endurance. This will lead to expanded self-awareness that will transform and inspire your life and make you a great yoga teacher.

Sugi Yoga Course Work (77 hours)
Seven weekend workshops on the following topics:
• Descriptions, variations and teaching methods for Asana (yoga postures, Pranayama (breathing exercises), Meditation techniques
• Relationships between all of the postures
• Connections between the postures, pranayama, and meditation
• Structure and organization of the world of yoga
• A code of ethics and conduct for a responsible yoga instructor
• Theoretical and practical aspects of teaching and learning
• Five pillars of yoga practice – relaxation, exercise, breathing, diet and meditation.
(The first two weekends are open to the public, then the course is closed to newcomers.)

A Sugi Foundation™ (17.5 hours)

Homework (54 hours)
Reading assignments, writing articles, review class notes and record questions for next class.

Yoga Classes (12 hours)
Attend Sugi Yoga classes once a week for a minimum of one hour or practice at home with Ofer’s taped classes.

Practicum (11 hours)
This course provides supervised practice with public clients as a test for completion of the full certificate program.

The following courses may be taken without registering for a full program:

A Sugi Foundation™ (17.5 hours)

Practical Anatomy and Physiology (17.5 hours)

Business (11 hours)

PROGRAM CALENDARS

Spotlight on Education
(pdf 1.80mb)
-Jan Enderle

"I have been practicing SugiTouch on my boyfriend, Reed, for about 10 weeks. Over this time I have noticed many improvements with posture and movement. One morning I found him sleeping, sitting, on the couch. When he awoke he had no movement from the shoulder to the head. I tried to do a little SugiTouch but it was not working. I tried to get ahold of our chiropractor and she was not available. So Reed stayed home from work and I went to my SugiTouch class – the subject that weekend was on Hands and Feet.When I returned home, I practiced what I had learned in the class on Reed. After working on him for about 15 minutes on the shoulder and hand, he was 85% better. He was able to return to work the next day. When he has had this same problem occur in the past it has taken up to five days, with chiropractic treatment, before he could return to work.On my way to class the next day, it dawned on me that I was able to help Reed myself without a visit to the chiropractor and that the money we saved paid for my SugiTouch class!"
Danica Boggs, 34, SugiTouch student

“I always thought of fitness as the “no pain, no gain” model. I thought you had to sweat while practicing fitness and have subsequent aches and pains afterward. I used to take analgesics and muscle relaxers to treat the little everyday aches and pains I had. When I retired from work at age 58, I discovered the Sugi Way of life and found I could feel lighter, more coordinated, stronger and more resilient by practicing Sugi Fitness. Learning the Sugi Way has given me a complete new approach to physical fitness and health. I am now able to use movement in a healthy and constructive way, greatly expanding my physical strength, flexibility and comfort. Not only have I found a way to deal with my life in more physical comfort on a daily basis, the Sugi philosophy has filtered into all areas of my life. Pain and discomfort are no longer ‘necessary’ parts of my life.”
Linda Spragens

“Sugi Yoga Training gave me the opportunity to work on improving my own personal health in mind, body and spirit. I have less stress, take fewer pain medications and my outlook on life is much brighter! I feel like I am part of a FAMILY where each member supports each other to build new connections and pathways in our yoga practice and in everyday life!”
Leilani Kirby, Physical Therapist
Graduate of the Sugi Yoga Training

“I took Sugi Yoga Training to deepen my individual practice. I had no intention to become a teacher. I gained so much knowledge and connected so deeply with the ‘Sugi attitude’ that it seemed a natural progression to start teaching. It’s one of the best things I have done in my life.”
-Sugi Graduate Jan Enderle

"My teaching has escalated to a higher level. Before, I would do the motions and tell students what to do. I've acquired more skills in giving students an understanding of where they're going with their bodies. Now I model and give direction, observe and give feedback. My classes don't look at all the same because people are doing different things at different times. It's hard letting go of control, but in the long run I think this approach is more effective. People pay more conscious attention to what's going on with their bodies. Sugi Yoga is a much more creative form of yoga. You're listening to what your body needs next, rather than following a set sequence."
Kat King, Sugi Yoga teacher