How to Prep for Your ART Seminar

Elite Provider^™ and ART instructor, Dr. Drew Cuiffo, walks us through everything you need to know about an ART seminar from what to expect and his advice to help you succeed.

What is ART treatment?

ART treatment is a non-invasive system that treats soft-tissue and nerve dysfunction at the source. This hands-on treatment uses a combination of provider touch, depth, and tension with patient movement to pinpoint and treat the origin of the affected area.

ART Certified Providers^™ find and eliminate restrictions and sources of pain quickly to get patients back to doing whatever it is they do best.

The ART Diagnostic Algorithm has an ART protocol for every muscle, intersection of muscles, and nerve in the body.

ART seminars teach ART treatment in four main sections – upper extremity, lower extremity, spine, and nerve.

It is a lot to learn, but the providers who choose to better themselves and their practices are the best in their fields.

Here are my tips as an ART Instructor for your first ART seminar so that you have the best experience possible.

Which ART seminar do I need to take first?

We often get the question, “which ART seminar do I start with?” There is no perfect answer, but I can help guide you.

First-time attendees can sign up for any level one seminar and take the other level one seminars in whichever order works for your schedule.

I would advise someone to sign up for whichever region interests them the most or that you would use right away.

Are you a chiropractor? Consider Spine Level 1 for your first.

Athletic trainer for a baseball or softball team? Maybe consider Upper Extremity Level 1.

Click here to find a seminar. You can search by seminar type or location.

Plus, if you enjoy exploring new locales, an ART seminar could be a good excuse to travel to a place you have not visited yet – Boca Raton, Florida anyone?

Once your registration is approved, set your travel accommodations. It is advisable to book a hotel at or near the venue.

Mental preparation

The best way to have success at an ART seminar is to study the anatomy of the region you will be learning about well ahead of time. This is why HQ always advises registration at least 4-6 weeks (about 1 and a half months) in advance of your seminar.

Where does the infraspinatus insert and what actions does it perform?

What about the quadratus femoris? Rectus capitis anterior?

It would serve you well to know so that you can reverse engineer the protocols if you’re stuck.

Set realistic expectations for yourself.

Learning almost 90 ART protocols in two or three days can be overwhelming and exhausting.

Make sure you study so you can pass the test. Yes, there is a practical exam at the end, but don’t expect to master every single ART protocol right away.

I have been practicing ART treatment for eight years and I am still constantly looking up ART protocols and trying to refine my touch.

It is okay if you are unsure about something. We [ART Instructors] are here to help, so feel free to reach out if you are stuck on an ART protocol or need advice on a case.

I am traveling to the ART seminar.

Be sure to arrive in town the day before to accommodate for any potential travel delays.

Maybe even scope out the venue and find the location the day before so that you can plan for unforeseen traffic or construction.

What should I know about the day of the ART seminar?

On the day of the seminar, dress comfortably.

I took my first ART seminar as a student. I remember being so excited, yet nervous to be interacting with professionals, that I dressed up in clinic attire complete with dress shoes and a tie.

Totally unnecessary.

Workout clothes are far more appropriate for the weekend. Be sure to dress comfortably.

Prepare yourself for a few very long days. ART typically does a great job of keeping seminar attendees well caffeinated and fully snacked up but be sure to bring a water bottle and stay hydrated.

It is easy to fall behind on your hydration curve which is followed by an imminent crash.

The ART instructors are all leaders in their field with a ton of hard-earned knowledge and experience.

The clinical pearls ART Instructors share are almost as valuable as the actual ART seminar.

Every time I attend or teach an ART seminar, I am reminded of a patient whom an ART protocol could have helped, but I missed. There have been many times I emailed a patient saying, “Hey I just learned something awesome that might help you a lot. Come in on Monday!”

Be sure to ask your ART Instructor any questions you have, not only about the technique or ART protocols but also about how they have used it.

Meet your people! It’s always a great opportunity to grow your network and talk shop with other providers.

When I first started my practice, I was a lone wolf provider – I did everything in my office for years.

My weekends at ART seminars reminded me that I was not completely on an island and there are many other amazing providers out there who have overcome the same struggles I was dealing with.

So, be sure to network with as many providers as possible!

So, what is the secret to acing an ART Seminar?

Preparation is the key to success at an ART seminar.

Reduce anxiety and guarantee yourself a positive experience by studying anatomy, integrating yourself into your new network community, and scheduling the appropriate travel plans.

But most of all, be sure to approach an ART seminar with humility and an open mind.

See you in class.

Dr. Drew Cuiffo, D.C., CSCS

Dr. Cuiffo is an ART Instructor and Elite Provider. He has the privilege of working in Dr. Leahy’s office, Champion Health in Colorado Springs, CO. In his spare time, you can find Dr. Cuiffo in a CrossFit gym or on his bike climbing up a mountain.