Becoming a Message Therapist

Posted on March 5, 2010 by admin

Massage therapy techniques are important to study if you are interested in a career in massage therapy. Massage therapy is a career field that potentially allows you to earn a decent income while building a stable career based on a growing clientele. Good massage therapists have returning customers who recommend them to friends and family, so the massage therapist is able to rely on their sole talent and technique to earn a substantial living.

So what does it take to become a massage therapist? It might not be necessary to have the natural, physical talent to “give a good massage,” but it is necessary to have the desire to positively affect others through touch and the urge to understand the physical anatomy of the human body. It is also important to create a comfortable environment for the customers, because receiving massages or any sort of touch therapy from a stranger can be difficult for the modern, Westernized individual.

It is important to take classes in massage therapy techniques and receive certification in massage therapy when choosing this career. There are many regulations and laws that require a certificate if you choose to practice massage therapy professionally. Depending on your jurisdiction, you will have specific requirements that you have to meet in order for you to become a licensed massage therapist. It is not difficult to find programs that offer you the classes you need to learn massage therapy techniques.

There are massage schools that offer wide varieties of classes that will train you in different massage techniques. There are even community college programs that allow you to earn a certificate in massage therapy. The downside to going to a school specifically for massage certification is that massage schools can be very expensive because they are private institutions. However, you can investigate in student loans or check out your local community college to see if they offer a massage program with certificate included.

Once you earned your massage therapy certificate or license (depending on jurisdiction) you will then have the option of starting your own business or working as a massage therapist in a working establishment. It might be easier to build your reputation on a professional level if you work for an establishment because you can have a steady income and your clientele will hopefully grow.

Once you already have a following and steady income, considering starting your own business might be a wise investment. Either way, you have options in a career practicing massage therapy techniques.

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Prenatal Massage Techniques

Posted on March 5, 2010 by admin

Prenatal massage has been used throughout the centuries as a means to both focus on the fetus as well as the mother in a safe and gentle manor.

Today, modern studies have shown that prenatal massage is extremely beneficial for the receiver and her over-all pregnancy. It is often considered a controversial topic to people who might not know the facts about a prenatal massage because it is well known that the woman’s body is constantly changing and her muscles and ligaments are stretching.

This idea of constant change in muscles and ligaments can create fear because manipulating muscles through massage might injure a pregnant body. It is best to receive a prenatal massage from someone who is not only a certified massage therapist, but someone who is certified to give prenatal massages.

Prenatal massage uses the Swedish technique because it addresses many issues that a pregnant body might come into contact with such as circulation issues or skeletal alignment pains due to hormone changes. Circulation problems can cause swelling of the joints, or edema, which makes it very uncomfortable during pregnancy. Gentle approaches of the Swedish massage pays attention to the soft tissues that gather and hold fluids in order to allow the stagnant fluids to flow easily through the body.

Prenatal massage also pays gentle attention to the other, smaller party involved- the baby. When a pregnant woman is receiving a prenatal massage, she is able to lay on her stomach because of the special padding provided, which is temporarily beneficial when laying positions become limited. The massage therapist also gently strokes the stomach of the pregnant woman, which not only encourages circulation but also relieves pressure within the abdomen that the baby often creates either against the ribs or bladder.

In my experience, I highly recommend receiving a prenatal massage when going through pregnancy. Besides for the physical benefits I discovered it was emotionally beneficial to just lay and relax, as well as appreciate and enjoy the attention to my growing and changing body.

Being able to lay on my stomach was also very emotionally and physically relieving because lying on my stomach is the most comfortable position for me, until I became pregnant. I also enjoyed the time spent on my stomach because the massage was soothing and helpful.

My massage therapist was able to gently move my baby off my bladder by delicately stroking around my stomach. I was not sure how much pressure or pushing I was able to do on my growing stomach, but after receiving a prenatal massage I learned I can effortlessly and comfortably move the baby when he or she is putting pressure on my body.

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Western Massage Techniques

Posted on March 5, 2010 by admin

There are numerous Western massage therapy techniques that are used today. Many incorporate Eastern techniques, but fuse them with other modern approaches. In the Some of the most popular Western techniques include the Swedish massage, Deep tissue massage, Barefoot Deep Tissue massage, and Hoffman massage.

In the United States, the most popular or fundamental technique is based on Per Henrik Ling’s Swedish massage therapy techniques. Swedish massage uses a specific massage stroke called effleurage, which incorporates smooth, gliding motions over the muscles. Oils are used in order to make the gliding strokes move smoothly across the body’s muscles. There are other techniques used in the Swedish massage such as kneading or petrissage, tapping, vibrating, and friction (which the massage therapist attempts to push the muscle in opposing directions that create a crossing motion).

Deep tissue massage is a massage therapy technique that often is used to relieve chronic pain or a major injury. It can sometimes be painful because the massage therapist has to massage deep into the tissue of the muscle in order to find the root of the problem. Deep tissue massage is similar to acupressure in that it finds specific points of the muscle, but unlike acupressure the goal of deep tissue is not to find specific pressure points that affect various aspects of the body. The goal of deep tissue therapy is to find the point of a muscle that is the direct reason for the pain.

Barefoot Deep Tissue massage uses deep tissue massage therapy techniques specifically for the foot. There are many nerves in the feet which suggest various points of the foot can create tension throughout the entire body. Due to the obvious fact that the majority of humans walk on their feet, it is well known that our feet carry the weight of our bodies, which can be stressful to the muscles. This type of massage incorporates Eastern techniques, such as the Shiatsu massage, with Western methods like trigger point therapy to focus on the heal, arch, and ball of the foot.

The Hoffman massage developed by Bronson Bertschinger incorporates the spiritual aspects of massage. Focusing on energy flow and the spiritual well being, this massage attempts to find a balance within the receiver different physical systems. This massage therapy technique focuses on the importance of feelings and emotional health because this method believes that the inner balance is directly affected and once there is an emotional and spiritual balance found, the body will soon follow.

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Eastern Massage Therapy

Posted on March 5, 2010 by admin

There are many different types of massage therapy techniques. More specifically, there are many different Eastern approaches to massage. Since ancient times Asian cultures such as China, Japan, Indonesia, and India have delved into the importance of massage. Some of the popular Eastern techniques include the two traditional types of Chinese massages, Shiatsu, Thai massage, Ayurvedic massage, and Balinese massage.

Zhi Ya, one of the two Chinese methods, uses acupressure techniques to find important points on the body that could relieve large areas of the body from muscle stress and pain. Acupressure focuses on discovering specific points throughout the body that when pushed or are under pressure connect to nerves that will create large reactions throughout specific parts of the body- relieving tension or even causing specific bodily functions to function fluidly.

Tui Na, the other Chinese method of massage, focuses on the stretching and kneading of the muscles. Instead of focusing on one specific point of a muscle like in acupressure, Tui Na focuses on the entire muscle and relieving tension over a greater space of the body. In eastern traditions, it is not considered a massage therapy technique, but rather a medicinal practice that is a part of Chinese medicine.

Shiatsu massage is an oriental massage therapy technique that incorporates both acupressure and the stretching of muscles by using the thumbs, fingers, and palms of the hand to put pressure on the muscles. It also incorporates techniques using vibrations, rolling, and strumming along the body. In our western culture you might have seen the term “shiatsu” in the battery-operated massage chairs that can be purchased or found in spas.

Ayurvedic massage is a technique used in India, that directly ties to Yoga and meditiaton. Indians consider it more of a medicinal technique for the health system rather than a massage. The Ayurvedic therapists use heated herbal oils directly on the skin during the massage in order to relieve tension through the skin’s pores.

Thai massages are routed from the Ayurvedic and Zhi Ya massages. It incorporates Yoga positions throughout the massage as well as finding pressure points through acupressure.

Balinese massage is an Indonesian massage technique that focus on gently making the person feel calm and relaxed. Aromatherapy oils are used on the skin of the person to aid in the calming factor, and gentle rolling and kneading are used on the muscles. It is said that the energy flow, oxygen, and blood flow increases after receiving a Balinese massage.

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Types of Massage Therapy Techniques

Posted on March 2, 2010 by admin

Massage Therapy techniques have been universally utilized since ancient and medieval times because of the numerous physical and emotional benefits. Massage is the physical manipulation of putting pressure or tension, friction or kneading of the muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues found throughout the body.

There are many different types of massage therapy techniques. These techniques range from the ancient Eastern European and Asian techniques such as acupressure to modern Western techniques such as the Swedish massage and even prenatal massage. There are a wide variety of massage therapy techniques that are used to achieve different goals for the body.

Using different methods to work through various muscles allows the body to work through both physical and emotional issues that may be hidden deep within the soft tissues. The use of touch is very important for both the physical body functions as well as the mind and emotional aspects.

As humans we are capable of learning not only basic information about the muscles in our bodies, such as how they move and their abilities to grow and develope, but we are also able to learn how these muscles are connected to the rest of our body parts such as the bones, nerves, and brain.

By learning massage therapy techniques we are learning about the muscles we use on a daily basis, and we are learning about the positive or negative affects of how we move them.

Many believe that emotional events have direct effects on our physical situation. Memories, stress, and life changing moments are events that are thought to physically alter the state of muscle tissue in both positive and negative ways.

As the brain is connected to the body, our psychological traumas or breakthroughs are connected to the body and many believe that we harbor feelings, and memories in certain parts of our bodies or more specifically, muscles and tendons.

Through the plethora of massage therapy techniques you can delve into your deep routed issues and alleviate chronic or irregular pains that do not disappear on their own.

Massage therapy techniques are used throughout hundreds of societies. Massage has been popular since ancient times and is used in today’s world more than ever. The many techniques of massage are used for different purposes as well as used based on geographic location.

Massage therapy is beneficial because it is a way to comfort and even heal the body through touch, which is very important to the psychological development of people. Also it is a great way to take care of yourself because it is often difficult or even impossible to massage yourself without putting other muscles in your body through stress or strain.

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