Now you’ve made the decision to become a massage therapist, and pursue a lifetime career in the field of bodywork, you need to decide what type of therapy to specialize in. Many therapists choose to focus on more than one section of therapeutic massage. This opens up the entranceway for more services you can provide (and also, more places where you can find employment, which translates into more income). Each modality requires its own specialized training. You can find approximately 80 different specialties of massage but, we’ll only mention some of the more popular ones here.
Swedish. Swedish massage may be the most common and best known type of massage in america. Swedish massage is founded on the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology and was pioneered by Swedish physiologist Per Henrik Ling. Throughout your training to specialize in this modality, you will focus on five basic strokes, all which flow towards the heart. This type of massage therapy is a great choice for beginners. One of the beauties of the form of massage is that it can be performed slow and gentle or vigorous. Generally, a Swedish massage lasts between 50-60 minutes. To perform this type of massage, you’ll use massage oil to help warm up the muscles. Your client will generally be nude, underneath a towel or sheet. Much like other types of massage, Swedish massage helps to promote relaxation.
Deep Tissue Massage. Deep tissue massage is really a style of massage that targets working with the layers of your body to greatly help relax, lengthen, and release holding patterns. When you think about deep tissue massage, you almost certainly think about the masseuse being extremely large and exerting and extreme quantity of pressure. However, that is an incorrect assumption. As a way to obtain the results of deep tissue massage, you will learn how to use your elbows and forearms to acquire deep results. Additionally, you will learn how to change the angle of one’s touch to the body. GearHow.com Deep tissue massage can be carried out without straining and requiring hardly any massage oil. It’s all about proper technique, hence why it is critical to receive training in the areas of massage therapy for which you want to specialize.
Sports Massage. Because so many athletes push their bodies to the extreme, it’s no wonder that lots of of them could greatly benefit from the art of massage. Sports massage is a style of bodywork that focuses on applying massage techniques and stretches to greatly help enhance athletic performance. Massage can be provided before an event, after an event, and during times where the athlete is really a state of maintenance work (such as for example an off-season break). Sports massage is wonderful for people who have injuries and/or restricted range of motion. When performing a sports massage, you’ll generally focus on a specific problem area, just like the neck or shoulders.
Pregnancy Massage. Pregnancy is a time in which a woman’s body undergoes many changes. Pregnancy massage aims to help a female find balance as she goes through these changes. Massage is tailored to the various trimesters, since the body changes drastically during all three of these. During your training, become familiar with the best way to position a pregnant client on the massage table. Pregnancy massage will reduce stress, improve circulation, and donate to the overall wellness of the mom-to-be. A number of the conditions you will help to alleviate include pain, sciatic nerve pain, and edema or swelling. Additionally, you will find out about the anatomy and physiology of the pregnant body, precautions to aid healthy pregnancies, and emotional concerns of pregnant women.
Shiatsu Massage. Shiatsu is really a form of bodywork, specifically acupressure massage. Shiatsu, in Japanese, means finger pressure and much of the foundation originates with Traditional Chinese Medicine and the concepts of energy pathways in the body. You will usually perform Shiatsu massage on a floor mat but, you can learn to perform it on a table or while litigant is seated in a chair. No oils or lotions are employed and the client only removes their shoes. Shiatsu massage really helps to relieve stress, digestive discomfort, and headaches. Become familiar with how exactly to apply firm pressure to energy points, in order that the flow of “chi” (life force) is restored.
This by no means describes each of the different modalities associated with therapeutic massage. There are over 80 recognized massage modalities. When you undergo your formal education and training, you will probably become adept at two or three 3 different specialties of massage. As you gain more experience during your career, you may begin to direct your focus to specific direction. The higher you are at a specialty, the more results you will get, leading to happier clients and much more business for you. You’re ultimate goal would be to satisfy clients. So, set out to learn about as much different modalities as possible, until you find the one which feels right to you.