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A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 57 HOW TO BEST LEARN ANATOMY? How can we best learn anatomy as the basis for our successful manual/movement therapy practices? There are several keys: Excellent Anatomy Instructor The best way to learn anatomy is to have an anatomy instructor who can not only clearly explain the anatomy we are learning, but can also make it interesting and applicable by drawing connections to the patterns of how the body is structured. Also helpful is the anatomy teacher who understands manual/movement therapy and can explain how the anatomy knowledge being studied at the moment will relate to hands-on assessment and treatment skills that will be learned later. Excellent Textbook Another key is to have a textbook that, like the teacher, both explains the anatomy clearly and also relates it to the applications of the hands-on manual and movement therapy skills that will be used later in practice. Quality Digital and Other Resources A third key is to take advantage of all the other resources now available to the student and therapist. This includes video resources that can help make anatomy visual for the manual and movement therapy student/ therapist. Another excellent learning tool is to attend an Anatomy in Clay workshop (or other such workshop in which the student makes the muscles of the body in clay and applies them to a miniature skeleton). This adds the component of being kinesthetic, which is so valuable given how many people in the fi elds of manual and movement therapy are kinesthetically oriented. It also requires being creative as you actually form and create the muscles you apply to the skeleton. Plastination Cadaver Exhibits It is also possible to visit plastination cadaver exhibits. These exhibits have the advantage of having cadavers that have been beautifully (and often artfully) dissected and presented. The disadvantages of plastination exhibits are that there is no instructor present for detailed explanations of the cadaveric anatomy, the fascial tissues are often dissected away, and palpation is not possible. Cadaver Labs No anatomy learning experience can rival the knowledge one gains by attending a cadaver lab workshop in which the participant can actually see and work with the true three-dimensional form of the human body. There are generally two types of cadaver lab experiences: observational labs and dissection labs. Observational Cadaver Labs Both observational and dissection cadaver labs are excellent, but of the two, observational cadaver labs are far easier to attend and require less investment of time and money. In observational labs, participants simply observe the body that has already been dissected by others, often students at the university where the cadaver lab is located. All the better if the participants are allowed to also palpate the dissected structures, because this adds the kinesthetic component so valuable to learning. Observational cadaver labs are usually anywhere from 4–8 hours and can be done in one day. Dissection Cadaver Labs—The Gold Standard The gold standard cadaver lab experience is attending a cadaver dissection lab workshop in which participants perform the actual dissection. Of course, this is done under the supervision of experienced instructors who not only know anatomy but also have expertise in guiding the dissection process. By virtue of the time needed to perform the dissection, these labs are much more time intensive and usually require the commitment of fi ve or six days if the entire body is dissected. Consequently, these labs are also costly. However, they are well worth the expense given the knowledge base and increased understanding the student gains from the experience. The beauty of cadaver dissection labs is that the participant is able to actually uncover and discover the structures of the body as the workshop progresses. Further, the time spent allows for refl ection, application, and appreciation of the inter- relationships between the structures being dissected.