The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
Tips for Correct Body Positioning for the Professional Hairdresser
The experts at Sam Villa offer their tips for correct body positioning when performing a cut or color.
April 23, 2019
Can you spot the right - and WRONG - way to stand when cutting? Andrew Carruthers offers some choices.
3 min to read
Are you in pain at night with funny aches and pains? Are you all twisted up from not standing properly after a full day of applying color or executing the perfect cut? Are you on a first name basis with your Chiropractor?
One of the core principles of the Sam Villa tool and education company is helping hairdressers have a long career free from the repetitive use injuries, aches, and pains normally associated with marathon days at the salon.
According to the Sam Villa experts, the positioning of a stylist’s body in relationship to the haircut not only affects the quality of the end result, but more importantly, how much stress they are putting on muscles and joints to achieve that result. "Healthy body position is a fairly simple goal," says Andrew Carruthers, Sam Villa Education Director. "Stand in a comfortable upright position with shoulders relaxed, head up, and weight balanced between two feet. If stylists are struggling to get their body to cooperate and stand in a more ergonomic position, try working with a physical therapist, Pilates/yoga instructor, or that chiropractor. They can help heal old injuries and build better habits to support a healthy career."
Here Carruthers shares additional tips:
Tips for Correct Body Positioning
Is your head lined up over your shoulders? Your shoulders over your hips? Your hips over your feet?
Often, heads hanging very far forward to get closer to work
Another common imbalance is the hips either pushed forward with knees locked or hips pushed back with the shoulders hanging forward
Are you reaching for your sections?
Placing your body in a position either right in front of your section or parallel with your section will keep you from leaning and reaching to hold your sections properly. (hand/cutting position can affect this)
“Un-stick” your feet. We often get frozen in one place as we work which is also bad for the balance in a haircut! Your feet highly influence the overdirection in your haircut. Where your feet are is where you will naturally want to over direct the hair to. This is a VERY common cause for imbalance within a haircut.
Do you feel cramped as you are cutting?
In the attempt to feel like we have control over our sections, we tend to crowd in closer and closer to our guest which results in “t-rex” arms… elbows are pulled in close, shoulders are shrugged with tension, and wrists are bent uncomfortably.
Take a small step back and allow the shoulders to relax, the elbows to have a softer bend, and the wrists to straighten out to a more natural position.
Are you crouching or bending over often?
Invest in a cutting stool! Many of us were told that sitting down while working is “lazy”… forget that nonsense! Taking care of your body and having a long career is the priority and as long as you are working with intent and purpose, there is nothing lazy about using a cutting stool to support you.
Video that supports this point and others above:
Originally posted on Modern Salon
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
by Staff