“FIVE STARS! YOUR BODY WILL THANK YOU. This is a wonderful DVD for anyone interested in taking care of their body. Finis identifies major muscle groups that are often over worked or simply hold tension from our contemporary lifestyles. In addition he introduces self massage tools that target these areas. These are simple tools. Most are inexpensive and easily acquired. No expensive motor driven recliners! His instruction, as always, is interesting and well informed from his life long work as a dancer/teacher. There is no ‘follow along’ workout here. This is instruction and suggestions and an invitation to work on your own with this new knowledge. Finis always gives his students the space to figure things out for themselves and this DVD is no exception. I have gathered a few tools and gotten motivated to do this work. It is wonderful and feels great! If you are struggling with arthritis, injury or fatigue this body work can be beneficial. Thank you Finis!”

— Amazon Customer. June 10, 2018

“I’ve been doing your DVDs with my mother in her 60s. It’s helping her out a lot with learning to keep her balance and have good posture. Even the slightest movements have helped strengthen her muscles. We love you.”

— Trula Hudelson

“5 out of 5 Stars

“Worth every penny. I’m feeling stronger and pain is much less of a problem. Thank you so much Finis.”

—Amazon Customer

“Thank you for recommending your Self-Message DVD! I did not realize how much tension I was holding in my muscles until I worked through the DVD. I am now using the tools shown in the video on a regular basis to relieve that tightness and pain. Also, it has helped my dancing to become more enjoyable as I am better able to recognize where I am holding tension while I dance and how beneficial it is to let it go.”

— Leslie Miller, College Station, TX

“I just streamed and finished watching this massage video. Since I don’t have props yet, I simply watched without doing anything. But just watching the video gave me a lot of information and ideas. Moreover, it was a lot of fun to watch because of your very special sense of humor. The video has quite a soothing atmosphere: it made me feel relaxed and once a while even made me laugh out loud, which was, I think, very good for my health physically and mentally. I ordered some of the props after I finished watching, so I am very much looking forward to doing self-massage using those props in Arizona! Thank you!”

— Erico Platt, West Kabab Estate, AZ

“I am an adult ballet beginner. My experience with my first Finis Jhung DVD (Ballet Barre for the Adult Absolute Beginner) convinced me not merely of Finis’s deep knowledge of ballet as an art, but of his unsurpassed pedagogical ability to make is accessible to adults with no prior experience of ballet. Since then, I have subscribed to his website and been working (slowly) through subsequent ballet DVDs in the ‘red series.’

“The Self-Massage with Finis Jhung DVD is NOT ballet-specific. Rather, this is a full-body oriented DVD. Its individual chapters are devoted to various muscles groups and the massage tools that is most effective in reaching and working them. Finis covers [each muscle group] not at random but in a very systematic way: taken as a whole, this DVD addresses all of the most problematic regions of the body (back, hips and legs, neck and shoulders, etc.), not just for dancers, but for most people in the contemporary world. The last chapter features a helpful summary of all tools reviewed.”

— Natalya A.S.

“This is a wonderful DVD with so much information and very specific to the dancer. Many different tools that address the areas of tightness and how to release them with various methods. When I hear Finis speak it immediately helps me to breathe and relax. Everyone needs this DVD.”

— Julie Caprio, Ballet Technique, Hamilton Ballet Theatre, Mercerville, NJ

“The DVD introduced me to new areas of the body I’ve been completely neglecting. Using the foam roller on the hip flexor introduced a new sensation and tightness I didn’t know existed. Learning to massage, relax and stretch out that part of the body took some practice but the results were worth it. I also appreciated the way it enhanced the calf stretches.  I always thought I was doing a good job stretching out my calves, but shaking and rotating the ankles while stretching really made a huge difference.”

— Sooji Pak, New York, NY

“I first encountered Finis Jhung when I was 19-years-old, and I am forever grateful to him for teaching me how to dance generously and intelligently. In class he pushed me beyond what I thought were my physical limits, and that propelled me to a long and successful 25-year career as a professional ballet dancer and Broadway gypsy. Time has marched on, and now Finis is continuing to enlighten me so that I can age gracefully. In his new Self-Massage DVD, Finis shares his own experiences with a variety of self-massage tools and techniques in a very gentle and encouraging manner which feels like an intimate private session in his Upper West Side apartment (because it is!). The exercises are organized into muscle group and massage tool chapters which makes it very easy to go back and review whatever specific area(s) one needs to target. Because I’ve lost so much flexibility in my hips, it’s very difficult to satisfyingly stretch my adductors, and Finis’s DVD has helped me discover a more creative way to get at that muscle group using my foam roller. As a professional dancer, I’ve always used balls on the ground to get at my glutes and trochanter area… it’s brilliant that Finis shows how to use a soft ball against the wall so that I can self-massage while I’m teaching! Thank you, Finis, for continuing to teach me new things and for inspiring me to have a better attitude about being an aging dancer.”

— Irene Cho, Ballet Department Director, The Performing Arts Center, Van Nuys, CA

“Wow, what a helpful video! Finis is so inventive in the way he manipulates these tools to get to those rough spots that we all have. He shows us that sometimes the answer to eliminating a muscle ache is actually quite simple — and I don’t mean a pain pill —you just have to know how to work on it yourself. Drawing on his more than 40 years of teaching ballet and seeing countless dancers suffering through their aches and pains and not being able to dance their best, he shows us how important it is to keep muscles relaxed and loose so that they don’t stay knotted up and preventing our joints from moving as they should. This video is especially useful for dancers, but your family members and friends who are experiencing painful twitches and muscle issues also might be very glad you showed them this video. Hey, who doesn’t have tight muscles and stiff joints? Thanks for broadening your audience, Finis!”

— Cynthia Elmas

“I found the newest this newest DVD by Finis Jhung to be a valuable addition to my collection of his DVDs. Each exercise is explained in detail, and recommendations given for the specific tools he uses. I have complete trust in what Finis recommends, and I have found relief for a persistently sore hip using his methods, when nothing else has worked. It is such a luxury to have an entire DVD devoted to tending the aches and pains we adult ballet dancers endure in our love of dance. Bravo, Finis!”

— Sylvia C. Lausted

“This DVD takes a creative approach to releasing muscles in order to free up movement, whether for dancers or athletes or ‘ordinary folks.’ Creative because it stitches together Finis’s own experiences and ideas into a single approach — one that uses pressure, gentle rolling, stretching and the weight of your own body to help correct the tightness, stiffness and pain that most everybody feels sooner or later. Finis is the demonstrator here. He shows how to release tight muscles in every part of the body — neck, shoulders, back, glutes, hips, quads, calves and feet. People who overwork their muscles in the studio will benefit, as will those who spend too much time sitting at the office or in front of the TV. It can be used to improve your flow of movement or just therapeutically, to relieve pain. He shows how to use a number of ‘tools,’ like foam rollers, stretching straps and balls of various size, weight and density. One I’d never come across before, the ‘ma roller,’ is helping with a chronic pain in my back, which started when I was a kid studying the piano. Maybe it can undo years of pain. I have ordered some of the other tools he recommends. I hope these exercises will become part of a regular practice for me. As usual with Finis’s DVDs, there is a lot here — more information than you can absorb in one viewing. You get a lot for your money… something you can go back to again and again.”

—Donna K, NY, NY

“Very personable, helpful to anyone struggling with arthritis or injury rehab. Helpful advice includes: ‘Every day is another day’ and ‘Get up from sitting every 15 minutes.’

“I am waiting for some of the Massage Tools to arrive from Amazon, but the explanations by Finis are very informative and crystal clear. The DVD can be used for either instruction or work-along demonstration. A nice personal touch at the end is when he lets the viewers know that the whole video was shot in his apartment, and it is not only the first video of this type (rehab) he has ever made. It’s also the first time for a father-son collaboration with his son Jason (who briefly appears on camera to say hi at the end). Cannot recommend this video highly enough, this is what I have needed for years.”

— Khezia Durr, Amazon Customer

“I love this DVD! I ordered it because I was looking for some new ways to alleviate the aches and pains of getting older. I tried physical therapy and massage, but did not get the relief I needed, so I began to consider hip/knee replacement. I wanted something that I could do on my own. Since working with Finis’s program, I am more firmly convinced that I want to keep moving my own joints, not artificial ones. I ordered the tools from Amazon and immediately started my self-massage program, following the techniques that are thoroughly and precisely explained by Finis. I know that these exercises work if they are done every day—fortunately, it’s easy to incorporate them into my lifestyle! There are many exercises to choose from and they can be done anywhere, anytime. I especially love the Franklin textured balls and the palm urchin. The Thera Cane and The Stick are great for massaging the knots in my neck. Try this wonderful DVD. You will not be disappointed!”

—Jane Coyle, Retired Teacher, Lakeland, FL

“This DVD contains so much information and many valuable lessons about treating muscular pain with self-massage which was all new to me. I was having a lot of pain in my hip and leg (I was unable to perform for a while) and am so happy I was able to find great relief using one of the techniques shown in the video. Finis’s calm and self-assured teaching method makes it easy to understand and practice what he demonstrates in the video. I had never heard of many of the massage tools, or how to properly use them. This video has opened a whole new world for me! I will continually go back and refer to other methods and techniques to prevent further injuries as well as to improve my overall well-being. Thank you Finis for such a lovely, easy to follow, and effective resource for keeping me active and healthy.”

—Mayumi Omagari,
Musical Theatre Performer, NY, NY

“I think that this video can help ALL people no matter what age or profession. For me, I have always relied on massage for my aches and pains but—as you said—I can’t go every day. And I literally have learned to just live with pain. And as I get older (I will turn 50 in Sept); it gets worse and worse. My body just cannot tolerate the 4-5 ballet classes a day and running from being on the ice choreographing to giving a ballet class and back downstairs to the freezing cold ice. And I have no demonstrators. It’s all me! But, this is my job and I love it and I hope to be able to continue for many years to come—just like you! Finis you are my hero and my mentor! I am forever grateful for the knowledge you have bestowed upon me. I now have the Cane, the Palm Urchin, and love them all! My massage tools are coming in handy and my life is much less painful!”

—Tanya Burke,
Professional Figure Skater, Off-Ice Ballet Trainer, Culver City, CA

“Finis Jhung, the creator of many DVDs about ballet and his training method, has just released a new DVD somewhat more personal in nature entitled Self-Massage with Finis Jhung. I have recently viewed this DVD and find it extremely interesting and valuable to dancers of any age, because as we all know, dance always bring with it some aches and pains in the striving for strength and technique. Mr. Jhung also points out that as we age, we may have further need for some tools to lengthen muscle and release tension in our bodies. He uses several props which are easily available on Amazon. This is a very thorough example of how one might keep one’s body in optimal shape. Thank you, Finis!”

—Lawrence Rhodes,
Artistic Director, Juilliard Dance Division, New York

“Thank you so much for making the DVDs Meditative Stretching and the new one about Self-Massage. I have needed something like this for a long time and nobody out there does the comprehensive, detailed, and compassionate way of teaching this that you do!”

—Carol Laitinen, St. Lous, MO

“How can you get rid of aches and pains that have been plaguing you for years? Sometimes, as Finis Jhung shows in his new video, it’s just a question of having the right equipment and knowing what to do. Finis guides you through various exercises that directly alleviate stiffness and pain. With over 40 years of working with the body in ballet, you get his expert suggestions on the types of issues that build up over time.”

— Cynthia Elmas, New York, NY

“This is a unique DVD! You will not find anything similar anywhere else. It offers an informative, thoughtful, practical and applicable approach to maintaining a healthier body and a peaceful mind. Finis Jhung examines each part of our body discussing common problems one encounters in everyday life due to either a lack of physical activity, too much of it or simply the aging process. As a former professional dancer and ballet master extraordinaire who has taught ballet for over forty-four years to both professional and non-professional dancers, Finis has used his body intensively and continuously as a tool for his art form. Thus, it is no wonder that now he uses his experience, his profound knowledge and creativity offering solutions to preserve a well-oiled body, flexible and youthful in spite of aging — ‘It is inescapable,’ he smiles a bit nostalgically. He suggests self-massage as an immediate solution before going to a doctor or a PT session. He uses a variety of utensils found on Amazon at a low price or simple improvisations like a ball in a sock for the massage. The video becomes even more compelling when Finis himself shows us each tool and how to use it, leaving the choice of the exercise or tool up to the viewer. His brave disclosure of his personal struggles with aging, his calm and optimistic tone of voice transform the viewing into an intimate discussion with a friend. Finis is a wonderful role model for all! The quality of the shooting is also outstanding: the angles of filming, the use of light, the use of close ups, the colors of the décor, all create a relaxing ‘Zen’ atmosphere. The image emphasizes the general mood of serenity and encouragement as well as clearly showing how to self-massage correctly. Finis is right in implying that we can all age more gracefully and gently.”

— Ileana Ray, High School Teacher, Brooklyn, NY

“Self-Massage with Finis Jhung has made my body wonder what I have been doing all these years! Until now massage had always meant pleasurably spacing out while someone else kneaded away. Not that there is anything wrong with that! But I am too impatient a person. This how-to self-massage DVD not only demonstrates simple and effective techniques but also it has made me aware of bodily discomforts that hereto I chalked up to too much exercise, too little exercise or too-bad-just-live-with-it. The techniques are clearly and precisely demonstrated. One can choose which ones to do and when and where and for what length of time. Muscles you didn’t even know were tense will relax. ‘Don’t force but ooze like water,’ reminds Finis Jhung. ‘Think mini-vacation rather than rushing through.’ The DVD includes an easy to peruse list of suggested tools — most on Amazon — which one can order all at once or as needed. (You can even make one at home. Ball in a sock!) This is an opportunity NOT to space out but to go within — literally and figuratively. I tried it. I liked it!”

— Marie Paquet Nesson, Author, Ballet to the Corps

“Finis generously invites us into his home and shares his self massage techniques with us. Finis explains and demonstrates each exercise with the wisdom that comes from 44 years of teaching experience. I’ve been teaching for over 35 years and after watching his video once I’ve already incorporated several of his gems into my morning routine. Everything he says in this video resonates with me, and my body.”

— Joyce DiLauro, STARSHIP STUDIO, Guilford, CT

“Quads, glutes, hip flexors, rotators! We all have them and inescapably experience soreness and fatigue from time to time. In this new video, Finis Jhung teaches practical and beneficial muscle-relaxing therapies. Using various tools including several different rollers, air balls, baseballs, tennis balls, a door pull-up bar, a stretch-out strap, and hand-held tools, the video includes 13 easy-to-follow chapters, an introduction and summary. Finis personally demonstrates using each massage tool in a soothing informative manner while encouraging viewers to be creative and aware of their own physical needs, abilities and limitations. This video is a must-have for anyone seeking to learn how to release daily stress from their life and is just what the doctor ordered for a senior citizen and retired ballet dancer like me!

— Salli Silliman, Philadelphia Pennsylvania.