About Ruth

Ruth Z Cummings, BA, LMT, NTS, CPT

Ruth Z. Cummings started Athletic Touch in 1994, in a small 12 by 12 room on San Mateo Blvd, here in Albuquerque, after graduating from the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics.  After being in business for over 25 years, she has worked on thousands of clients and has 50,000+ hours of experience doing all types of massage.

She loves to teach and improve athletic or musical performance through every form of Massage, Sports Massage, stretching and breath work. She tends to work with marathon runners in training, football players, UFC Fighters and golfers of all levels.

Her massage treatments combine massage, deep tissue, stretching, breathing, strengthening, neuromuscular therapy (NMT), Myofacial therapy, Core Synchronism, emotional work, and Patterning-which unwinds emotional patterns that may be intertwined with physical patterns.

Ruth works well with all ages, especially teenagers, and has a special passion for improving the health of Moms. Ruth enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, golf and their dog, a hypoallergenic “Golden Doodle”, Fred.

I love my job! 

Each massage teaches me more and more.  I have the privilege of helping people and seeing immediate results.  

Still Love Massage

Yes, after all these years and 10,000’s of hours of massaging people, I still love what I do.

What makes massage easy to do is enjoying who you are working on, and I truly have the BEST clients in the world!  Some of them I have have been working on for decades!  

It’s so much fun seeing their lives twist and turn, meanwhile keeping their bodies flowing nicely and pain-free.

Massage is a hard career on the body, and I’m very fortunate to have stayed active myself, to stay flexible and strong. Teenaged athletes as kids helps that happen!  

My hands haven’t given up yet, so I will go as long as I can.

I’ve tried to retire in the past, here and there, and it just was never the right time.  

Even during the pandemic, I kept seeing people, which was a blessing for many, since human touch just wasn’t happening for so many. Amazing how easy it is to take human company for granted.

Massage is NOT a luxury

Massage Is My Favorite

I’ve seen people let go and relax in a way that they may have not done ever, if not for years and years.

That is the amazing thing about touch.

And, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a massage, but just a pat on the back or a hug.

The connection between people, even who have never met before is something that humbles me over and over.

It makes meeting new clients very fun.

I ask them “what is your list today?,” referring to their list of what’s hurting in their body.  They may have never heard that term before getting a massage, but it’s a fun laugh when they realize how many areas included.  

Their list will change in time, and some areas get better as others start to hurt.  Either way, the list is rarely the same from week to week, month to month.  Though, some areas are tight on almost every human, and our pressure for constant everything make our relaxation muscle quite weak.

I’m also great at preaching… yet my relaxation muscles need some attention also. 🙂 You can tell me I said that.

Breath-work & Stretching REALLY DO have an incredibly positive affect on your health! 

Massage Can Help

Just like many professions, when you see things outside of the office that it’s hard to turn off your working brain.  

For massage therapists, that comes at the airport, when we are waiting for our plane, or in the line at the grocery store.  My mind evaluates where someone is hurting in their body and how I can help them.

I’m guessing that will never go away.

My kids get tired of me telling them that someone we have never met’s hip hurts, or neck is stiff.  “Oh Mom.” 

But, massage can help so many things, especially in our over stressed world.

Just imagine if every single person had a massage once a week, how much calmer and kind our world would be! 

Of course, massage can’t help everything, but the amount of ailments caused by stress is staggering, as is the levels of stress and anxiety we experience in a lifetime.  

So, remember massage, and get one.  

It’s NOT a luxury.

In fact, i have a nick name for my office which a kind client once made a sign for:

Ruth’s House of Pain

Massage shouldn’t be VERY painful, but there ARE some areas that are VERY tight and need some pressure to stop spasming.  

A “Fluff & Buff” massage might be good for falling asleep, which may be what some people need.   But, I find that most people need a little of both.

Deep in certain areas and calming in others.  

Just remember to take care of yourself, and add massage to your list of Self-Care. 🙂

Massage Schedule For Best Results

I have written about this on several pages, but just in case you haven’t gone to other pages, I wanted to go over my suggestions for a massage schedule to heal again here.

My suggestion is for people to come in 3 weeks in a row, 1 massage per week, depending on your pain level and where your pain is.  After those 3 sessions–and you may only need one or two sessions– then we make a plan.

We try to get you out of pain for a longer and longer period of time.  At first we try to get you pain free for one week, then 10 days apart, 2 weeks apart, 3 weeks apart, etc, until you can go at least 6 weeks without pain.

Then, you “graduate”!

And I don’t get to see you very much  (sad face, lip out) until you do something silly like step weird off a curb during your next run, gardening in one position all day or reaching wrong for groceries.

Have patience!  I’m full for about 1-3 weeks in advance, but I have a cancellation list and can spontaneously text you with a cancellation!

Keep trying if you don’t get through the first time or if all my appointments are full.  I have a rotation of people, coming in until they are out of pain.  Some pain takes longer to “massage” than others.

Also, full disclosure, I get a D- for calling back.  Texting is much easier for me, FYI.   And, fuller disclosure–I don’t always get back to those right away either.  Keep trying!

I’m coaching soccer and tennis, even during the pandemic, and I get easily side tracked. 🙂  If you are lucky and I answer the phone (a miracle in itself!) I probably will schedule you right away! (maybe)

Please call 505-332-9292 or click this button to make an appointment.  Then text me.