Monika Volkmar

I am a personal trainer, movement educator, and holistic bodyworker from Toronto, but my first career was in contemporary dance- A career that went down the toilet after a string of injuries, and I was forced to stop at age 22. I transitioned into personal training and bodywork, fascinated with the question “how did things go so wrong for my body?”. I dedicated myself to seeking the “truth” of how the body is supposed to move, knowing this would help both myself and my clients.

In 2015 I was introduced to Anatomy in Motion and everything changed for me, personally and professionally.  For the first time ever, I saw hope that I could live and move pain-free.

From the first 5 minutes of my first AiM course in 2015, I knew this was the “truth” I was seeking.Their conceptual and practical teaching blend was challenging and effective- I wasn’t being asked to believe and memorize something from a book, but to learn gait mechanics using my own body as the educational vehicle. I immediately understood so many things about why my body was still in pain, and had new information that led to breakthroughs with my challenging clients. Of course, I got hooked on the stuff…

Since 2015 I’ve participated in seven 6-day immersion courses, in 6 cities, 4 countries, and 3 continents: Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Santa Cruz, Melbourne, and London.  The most useful thing I learned through AiM is how to view the body both as a whole and as its individual parts. How to see the patterns of movement on both a macro and micro level. For example, how to recognize a foot that can’t pronate, work with that foot in isolation, then integrate it with the rest of the body in the appropriate movement relationships as a whole.

The hardest thing about learning AiM is also everything I just wrote above: Using the Flow Motion Model as a map to hone the skill of pattern recognition and logical thinking. But this challenge is also what I love about AiM- Every session with a client is an opportunity to learn more. As a dancer, learning the actual biomechanics was the easy part. The ongoing challenge for me is in the practical application of the work, and striving to do so as efficiently as possible.

Anatomy in Motion permeates and informs every facet of my professional practice, from personal training sessions, to my work as a practitioner of Thai massage and craniosacral therapy. When I’m not playing with AiM wedges, I also love to read, write, practice hand-stands, and spend time in nature.

For more info about me, visit www.monikavolkmar.com

You can follow me on Instagram @monvolkmar