Featured Speakers for the 2026 AGM Education Day

Gregory S. Johnson and Vicky Saliba Johnson, guest speakers for the 2026 educational day, are co-founders of theInstitute of Physical Art (IPA)and the Functional Manual Therapy® (FMT) approach to patient care. Both Gregg and Vicky trained under Maggie Knott, who together with Dr. Kabat founded the PNF approach to patient care.  Gregg was primary faculty at Kaiser for over 6 years prior to 1978 and began teaching the first weekend PNF courses for Maggie in 1977. Through the IPA, Gregg and Vicky continued Maggie’s work and expanded on the principles of PNF to develop the FMT approach, ensuring the continued use of PNF for decades as a critical component of advanced manual therapy. Together with their highly trained faculty, the IPA has educated over 55,000 therapists throughout the US and the world.  The IPA mission it to impart to clinicians a systematic, scientifically grounded approach to manual therapy, with the goal of restoring and optimizing efficient movement.

Education Day Overview

Lecture and labs will focus on the correlation of PNF to CoreFirst® Principles of posture and movement.  The lecture will lay the foundation for PNF as the most efficient manual approach to treat and facilitate efficient human movement, regardless of pathology. Labs will focus on the connectivity of extremities to the core and the facilitation of the core through the extremities. Specific techniques will include Tonic Spread (Saliba 2007), Combination of Isotonics (Johnson 1978), Prolonged Holds, Functional Mobilization, and total body patterns of movement (Functional Movement Patterns™). An emphasis will be placed on the importance of PNF in conjunction with joint and soft tissue mobilization to facilitate efficient functional movement.

PNF Relevance for Motor Learning and Manual Therapists in the 21st Century

Course Objectives

Through discussion, demonstration, and interactive labs:

  • The participants will gain an understanding of the genetic basis for human movement and Functional Efficiency

  • The participant will identify a functional task and then identify the mechanical, neuromuscular and motor control (MNM) part of that task.

  • The participant will articulate and determine the attributes and differences between tonic vs phasic contractions and isometric vs maintained isotonic contractions.

  • The participant will utilize PNF to differentiate the end feel of both physiological movements and accessory movement.

  • The participant will demonstrate the use of PNF manual skills to palpate and ascertain the quality and timing of a neuromuscular response and determine if and when a PNF intervention is appropriate.

  • The participant will identify and facilitate a CoreFirst® contraction using Tonic Spread™.

  • The participant will utilize the foundational principles of PNF to perform Functional Mobilization to enhance the mechanical capacity of dysfunctional soft tissues and articulations. 

NOTE: Please bring your own pillow for the hands-on laboratory sessions. Towels will be provided.

Participants who have access to a portable treatment or massage table are encouraged to bring it for use during the labs.

Course Schedule

7:30-8:00

Sign-in

 8:00 to 8:30

Introduction of Gregg and Vicky Johnson

8:30 to 9:30

Discussion on FMT, MNM, and The Genetic Basis of PNF

9:30 to 10:15

Demonstration of CoreFirst®, diaphragmatic

breathing and pelvic mobility assessment.  Demonstration

of intervention using Tonic Spread

10:15 to 11:00

Lab

 11:00 to 11:45 

Demonstration of Posterior Depression of the Scapula,

pre and posttest for shoulder stability in sitting, and use of tonic spread to train a CoreFirst® upper extremity response

 11:45 to 12:30

Lab

 12:30 to 1:30

Lunch

 1:30 to 2:15

Demonstration of connectivity to lower extremity for

transition phase of gait (full weight acceptance).

Utilization of functional tests as before and after assessment tools

 2:15 to 3:00

Lab

 3:00 to 3:30

Demo and talk through labs for Functional Mobilization

(FM) for thoracic mobility in on elbows position

3:30 to 6:00

Demo and labs for Functional Mobilization techniques for

the innominate and rib cage to restore functional mobility

for gait