Touch For Health Kinesiology Association © 2004

The Art of Communicating

How Muscle Testing Works

In TFHwe use muscle testing as acommunication tool. Successful muscle

By Larry Green

what Touch For Health is? 00 you give themfeedback and coaching on the skills

testing includes communicating to the client necessary to communicate what we do?(or testee) their part in this co-operativeventure. And communicating the value ofusing TFH.

Most students who take TFH 1 do not go onto TFH 2. Some people finish their first classunsure of how to approach someone and

TFH instructors spend a lot of time offer a balance, so they don't practice. Some(hopefully) in TFH 1 explaining, find it hard to successfully balance thedemonstrating, observing, correcting, people who they do work with. Manymodeling, fine tuning and providing hands students get discouraged when their initialon feedback of how to do a muscle test. A lot balances don't go well, so they stop.of attention is given to mastering thephysical skills involved with muscle testing.(See page 10 of the Touch For Health classmanual - Book I.)

But we also tell our students that 50% ofsuccessfully performing a muscle test iscommunication with the client. Explaining tothe client what muscle testing is and how itworks. And educating the client about theirrole/responsibility in the muscle testingprocedure.

Although we say communicating TFH isimportant, there is very little information inthe class manuals on how to successfullycommunicate all this information. As an

I believe more students will succeed inmuscle testing and balancing if we empowerthem with more training, practice and skillsfor communicating what we do. The 50% weneed to give them is the ability tocommunicate all that we do.

An important aspect of communicating TFHis both knowing what to say, and also,tailoring what you say to your audience.Talking in technical jargon to some people isa convincing strategy. They are impressedwith facts, technical and scientific language,polysyllabic words and references tostudies. Other people are turned off orintimidated by this approach. Tailoring your

instructor do you have your students practice presentation to your audience is good forthe 'art' of communicating muscle testing? anything you are presenting. In this paper I00 your students practice explaining will offer a number of different ways to

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Touch For Health Kinesiology Association © 2004

'language' what we do.

When you offer to balance someone who hasnever heard of TFH,you are selling them ontrying TFH. In sales it is a useful strategy tohave what is known as a 30 secondexplanation of your product or service. Andalso a 2 minute explanation, and a longerexplanation. You never know how long theopening opportunity to tell someone aboutyour service will be.

probably have more energy after a balance,pain often decreases.)

People also respond well to stories. Knowsome good stories of people who have beenhelped with a range of issues. Andparticularly share your own experiencesreceiving and giving balances. If you wouldlike to see many testimonials from studentsand clients check outwww.USkinesiology.com

Lastly before describing ways to talk aboutwhat we do, I often introduce people to TFHand muscle testing by asking them if I canshow them something (prior to explaining it.)I then ask them to hold out an arm which Ilightly test and have them notice mypressure. Then using spindle cells, centralmeridian or "think of something stressful" I

In my classes I have my students break into give them the experience of being musclepairs and practice explaining TFHto each tested. This almost always gets their

To that end choose an explanation that youlike and feel comfortable with, andmemorize it. This can be very usefulespecially for beginners. That way you don'thave to stumble finding the words whensomeone asks, "Just what is Touch ForHealth?"

other for 2 minutes. Most people experience curiosity.their first attempt (or their first number ofattempts) to be like dancing with two leftfeet. Better to trip in class and recognizewhat you need to learn. In TFH classwe already have the students practice theirmuscle testing skills to develop proficiency; Ialso have my students practice theircommunication skills.

Another important distinction to make whentalking about TFH is the difference betweenfeatures and benefits. Features describe

Each person is going to have their ownpreferences and unique ways of talkingabout TFH.There is no right or wrong, justwhat works for well for you.

Sample Explanations of TFH

Here are some ways of communicating whatTouch For Health is. This list is not completeand there are many other ways you maydiscover.

what we do ( we push on muscle, we balance + In TFHwe allow and facilitate the innatemeridians, we check for hydration) Benefits healing powers of the body to restoreare what people are interested in (we canhelp you feel less stressed, you'll

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harmonyIn TFHwe work with a series of 'energy

Touch For Health Kinesiology Association © 2004

reflexes' developed by western doctors tore-balance the system.

• We can upgrade our present and futureperformances physically, emotionally andmentally with TFH balances.Our body is electric, if the heart stops youjump start it, like a car. TFH helps jumpstart the stuck places in the energysystem.

• TFH helps with neurological integration.This helps us think clearer, be morecoordinated, more alert and responsiveto life.

• Learning the 'language' of TFH is likeseeing your body as a bio-computer

• In TFHwe share information that willenhance personal power for healthimprovement, disease prevention, andreleasing natural healing energies.

• The potential for having peakperformances and 'personal bests' isincreased when the energies arebalanced using the TFH methods.

• Western science with its reductionisticand mechanistic world view has tendedto look upon us as anatomical andphysiological beings, like a complexmachine. TFH addresses us as wholistic,

mental and spiritual levels.

• TFHand kinesiology blend both Easternand Western research. It draws upon5000 years of acupuncture theory andexperience, and western scientificobservation (empiricism) and controlledstudies.

• We are structural, biochemical,emotional, mental and spiritual beings.When anyone of these sides of ourselvesis stressed or unbalanced, all the othersides can become affected. Emotionalstress affects our chemistry, which caneffect our mental states, which can effecthow we hold ourselves structurally, whichcan cause pain creating emotionaldistress. TFH can balance for all of these.

• A TFH balance is more than just astructural assessment of the body'smusculature. Muscle testing of each ofthe body's meridian systems can give usa 'computer readout' of the internalstatus of the body

• TFHcan help people care for themselves,their family and friends. It can savemoney on doctors and medications,though it does not completely replace theneed for medicine. TFHtechniques aresafe, simple and easy to learn and use.

holographic and multi-dimensional and is • You have within you a unique human bio-more effective in bringing harmony andbalance to the entire system.

• When you get a TFH balance, yoursystem has more of it's inner resourcesavailable to address challenges orstresses at the physical, emotional,

computer, which serves you by makingmoment to moment decisions. How youlook, feel and behave is a result of thesedecisions. The bio-computer alwaysmakes the best possible choice it can,given the information it has available at

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the time. Using Touch for Health, you are + We are looking for differences in muscleactually using a language that strength and performance. (or musclecommunicates with our bio-computer. You create communicationlinks that allow the bio-computer toevaluate how good a job it is currentlydoing and to upgrade decisions thatcontribute to your well-being. There aremany ways to interpret the language ofthe bio-computer, such as recognizingpain, taking blood test,using bio-feedback, looking at postureand function, etc. However, TFH is alanguage that allows you to establish atwo-way communication that is easilylearned and can be used by anyone.

+ This is for someone with a strongChristian or religious background,courtesy of Or. Thie (I am paraphrasingwhat I recall he says.) 'We were createdby a Oivine creator, who imbued creationwith an intelligent design. When we doTFH we are accessing the intelligentdesign that the Oivine creator placedwithin us.'

Sample Explanations of Muscle Testing

+ Muscle Testing is an art and a science.

+ Muscle testing is a stress responseindicator

+ Muscle monitoring is a biofeedbackmechanism

+ Muscle monitoring is a biofeedbackmechanism that allows us to access thebody's biocomputer and upgrade itsperformance.

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response.)

+ The brain is like a computer and we areaccessing its information.

+ Muscle testing is an extension of ourintuition

+ When we muscle test we are gettingfeedback about the energy system in thebody. It is really more of an energyassessment than a test of musclestrength.

+ With our words and mind we can editwhat we tell each other, but muscletesting shows us what is so.

+ Every individual responds somewhatdifferently with muscle testing. It's likedancing the foxtrot, the steps are alwaysthe same but you have to find the rightrhythm which each new partner.

+ Muscle testing is a co-operative venture.We decide together about the results. Asthe tester I have a part to play, and so doyou as the testee . Your role is to notice ifthe muscle locks or does not lock. Ooesit have integrity with each test? Bothroles require an unbiased, neutral stanceand a degree of curiosity.

+ Through accurate muscle testing we findenergy and muscular imbalances. Wecan also find stress patterns in thesystem at structural, biochemical,emotional and mental levels. With moresophisticated approaches in testing wecan discover a wide range of specific

Touch For Health Kinesiology Association © 2004

imbalances or stressors to the system.

• Physiologically, when we muscle test, oursensory nerves have recorded our testingpressure and sent this information to thespinal cord, limbic system and brain. The •system responds by sending informationdown the motor nerve to tell the muscleto lock or unlock. If the muscle does notlock we know that somewhere in theenergy circuitry an imbalance isoccurring. (Or: there is stress in thesystem).

• In muscle testing we start with themuscle in it's contracted position andpush back into extension. This isopposite of what the muscle does when itworks. For example the quadriceps bringthe leg up. We start with it up and pushdown

Sample Explanations of the Meridians

• 'Meridians are the interface between thephysical and energetic bodies' - RichardGerber M.O.

• The meridians are 'energy pathways' thatwere discovered 5000 years ago by theChinese.

• The body has an energetic blueprint thatdirects it's incredible intricate workings.We call this blueprint the acupuncturemeridian system.

• The meridians are subtle and constantlyin flux. And like our body temperature onhot or cold days aim towardshomeostasis or equilibrium.

• Energy flows like water in a hose until itgets a kink. If it gets blocked it backs upor flows elsewhere. We work withmeridians to unblock the flow.

The meridians have been measured bywestern science using electronic, thermaland radioactive technology. Moderntechnology has verified that the Chinesecorrectly mapped the meridians 5000years ago.

• The acupuncture meridian points aremeasurably lower in terms of electricalresistance than surrounding tissues.

• The meridians were named for organsand life functions by the Chinese. Theyhad to call them something. There is avery complex interplay between all themeridians, and just because today youhave one that is under-energized doesnot indicate a problem with the organ orfunction it's named after.The acupuncture meridian system existsin chicken embryos 24 hours afterconception and before celldifferentiation. (From VibrationalMedicine by Richard Gerber M.D.)

• When we have a goal and test themeridians, we get a snapshot (or energyreadout) of the energetic imbalances inrelation to that goal. We can re-set theenergetic pattern connected to that goal.This allows us more opportunity andaccess to our innate healing, and moreoptions in responding to life.

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These are 'sound bites' of introductoryinformation about TFH, muscle testing andthe meridian system. Write down similarlines when you hear your colleagues,students or other sources say somethingthat sounds good. With this information you'llbe better prepared to share a variety ofdifferent ways to introduce muscle testing.For TFH instructors you'll have a wide varietyof ideas on how to better empower yourstudents in communicating TFH.

Larry Green, Chapel Hill, NC- has studied TFHsince 1990 and had taught TFHsince 1995. Hehas been a past TFHKApresident and boardmember. He currently teaches classes inKinesiology, works with a local cancer supportcenter, and is president of a state wide coalitionof complimentary and alternative practices.

Arlene and Larry Greengreentfh@mindspring.comvisit our websiteat: www.uskinesiologyinstitute.com

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