Technical Development History

Jahara(R) Aquatic Bodywork (1995) Aquatic Therapy

Saddles (1995)

Aquatic Footwork™ (1999) and ActivExercises™ (2001)

Jahara® development begun in 1995, when Mario Jahara was hired as an aquatic specialist by an upscale resort in Southern California.
Mario was then a successful author, with 2 body-therapy books released in Portuguese, and an advanced Shiatsu and aquatic-bodywork teacher. He had extensive training in body-structure related methods, including the work of Françoise Mézières and Frederick Matthias Alexander.
His aquatic training at the time, although extensive, proved inadequate to his professional day-to-day needs. After injuring his back while treating a heavier client, Mario started to experimentally use a Styrofoam flotation device in his sessions.
This flotation device was to became Jahara's characteristic Third Arm.
Mario also developed a series of moves using his legs to support the client. This technique avoided lifting the client out of the water while doing many maneuvers.
He called this class of movements Saddles.
At the time he also developed the TCS (Triangular Cervical Support) — one of the signature methods of Jahara® — as a way to protect the neck of his clients while floating them.
Jahara® was first demonstrated to a group of aquatic therapists in May 1996, in Berkeley, California, USA. The original, anatomically-sound techniques presented instantly captured the interest of the students.
That first introductory class quickly became a fully-fledged program — initially offered in several states in the USA, and then internationally.
Today, Jahara® is considered a most influential method. Many of its original ideas and techniques, like the Saddles, Aquatic Footwork™, TCS™ and ActivExercises™ were adopted, to some extent, by other aquatic bodywork methods.
Jahara® was born based in clear principles, and the soundness of its methodology has been attested by the countless well-known aquatic teachers and professionals who have honored us as students.
Jahara® Technical Development Table
Inspired by the principles that originated the technique itself, the Jahara® Program was structured in a democratic and teamwork-based way from the very beginning. Visit our Teachers page to meet some of the people who have been a part of Jahara's development.
1995

april
Development of Saddles.

Jahara's original Saddle, later also known as Open Saddle.

Baby Cradle, later also known as Folded Saddle.

4-Shaped Saddle, also known as Figure-4 Saddle.

Touché.

Horizontal Lap.

Crossed-Leg Saddle—and others.

may Development of Positions 1-2-3-4, base of the Aquatic Footwork™.
july Development of techniques using the Third Arm™.
october Development of TCS™.
1996
may
First Jahara® Demonstration.
july First Jahara® Weekend Class.
september Courses based on 6 progressive weekends offered in Berkeley.
september First Jahara® Video includes Saddles and Third Arm™ techniques.
1997
february
First level-2 class (with underwater movements).
september
First 50-hour intensive class.
november
First comprehensive class notebook.
1998
may
Establishment of the Jahara® Teachers Program.
july First class outside of the USA.
december Jahara® Concepts and Principles table included in class notebook.
1999
JANUARY
First Shiatsu for Aquatic Therapists™ class.
August Classes are named Basics, Expansion, Underwater—then Integration.
september First Expansion class.
september Aquatic Footwork™ is now taught with every movement in class.
2000
december
First certified group of Jahara® Specialists.
2001
september First Specialist year-long program, at Wingate Institute, Israel.
october Formal introduction of ActivExercises™.
2002
april
New Shiatsu for Aquatic Therapists class.
december First Specialty class—later called Jahara® Professional class .
2003
april
First Jahara® Integration class.
2004
march
Relationship established between 5 Chinese Elements - 5 Jahara® Concepts.