
163: A Master in Plain Sight (with Art Riggs)
From The Thinking Practitioner by Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe
February 4, 2026 · 40 min · Episode 164
About this episode
Art Riggs discusses the importance of listening and refining touch in deep tissue massage, emphasizing communication with the body over mere technique.
🎙 A Master in Plain Sight (with Art Riggs) Art Riggs is a Certified Advanced Rolfer™, massage therapist, and creator of some of the most influential instructional video courses in our field. His recordings were among the first truly comprehensive video trainings available to bodyworkers. Decades later, practitioners still return to them again and again, finding new insights each time. They age well because they’re packed with technique, yet grounded in principles that never go out of style. Here’s the paradox of Art’s work: he shares a staggering wealth of techniques, yet what he emphasizes most isn’t technique at all. It’s listening, allowing, and refining your touch. “Deep tissue,” he explains, isn’t about pressing harder. It’s a conversation with the body, where pressure is just one word in the vocabulary. At 80, and still seeing clients most days, Art brings warmth and infectious enthusiasm to everything he discusses. He’s humble about his contributions, generous with credit to his teachers, and genuinely delighted by the craft he’s practiced for decades. This conversation is a joy from start to finish. ✨Topics discussed include:Whether you’re early in your career or decades…
People in this episode
Hosts: Til Luchau, Whitney Lowe
Guest: Art Riggs
Topics covered
- deep tissue massage
- listening and touch
- technique and principles
- communication through touch
- masterclass in bodywork
Keywords
- deep tissue
- massage therapy
- bodywork techniques
- listening
- touch communication
- Art Riggs
- instructional video courses
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Certified Advanced Rolfer™, bodyworkers
More episodes of The Thinking Practitioner
- 172: Lateral Hip Pain: Stop Blaming the Bursa (with Whitney Lowe & Til Luchau) · June 10, 2026 · 49 min
- 171: The Most Skipped Step in Assessment and Why It Matters Most (with Whitney Lowe) · May 27, 2026 · 27 min
- 170: Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos, Fascia, and Pain (with Tina Wang) Listener Favorite · May 13, 2026 · 55 min
- 169: Exploring Anterior Neck Work (with Walt Fritz) · April 29, 2026 · 58 min
- 168: Back Pain, Stiffness & Manual Therapy (with Stuart McGill) Listener Favorite · April 15, 2026 · 1h 4m
- 167: Cupping & the Nervous System (with Joi Edwards) · April 1, 2026 · 49 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Thinking Practitioner podcast page.