Surviving Massage School –
Learn What to Expect
Entering massage therapy school can be a scary and exciting time! Here you'll find some savvy pointers to help you work out the 'knots' of trepidation you may have about starting a whole new career.
Preparing for Your Massage School Education
Different massage schools offer different course curriculums, but there are some core areas of study that all massage schools share. Learn more about what to expect in the three basic components of a massage education – science education, hands-on training and business knowledge.
Massage Science Education
Anatomy and physiology will be a major focus of study in any massage school. There are hundreds of bones and bony processes and landmarks to be committed to memory, some of which share strikingly similar names. Just keep up the repetition, make yourself a good set of flash cards and hunker down with a study partner. You'll be surprised how quickly it all becomes second nature.
Kinesiology, the study of muscles and movement, is also core to the teachings of massage. You will learn each of the muscles of the body, including their origin, insertion and action. You'll emerge with a comprehensive knowledge of the muscles and how they function, their agonists and antagonists working together in harmony.
You'll also learn about conditions for which massage is "contraindicated" or not recommended. In order to practice massage responsibly, you will need to know how to recognize these conditions and what to recommend in the event that your client presents in any of these states.
Hands-on Massage Training
Most massage therapy schools focus on Swedish massage techniques and supplement this core instruction with modules addressing other methodologies. You will learn and practice the standard strokes from effleurage to petrissage, and on to friction and tapotement or percussion. You will be taught proper body mechanics, so your own body doesn't wear out while helping others. You will also learn how to use different parts of your body to assist in these different massage techniques. Did you know you could use your elbow to get a muscle knot out? Your knuckles, too!
Some additional techniques you may learn:
- Hydrotherapy – This technique literally means using water to heal. Hydrotherapy encompasses many temperature-related modalities, including the use of hot and cold packs, hot towel wraps and ice massage.
- Reflexology – Reflexology is the application of pressure to specific points on the feet, hands or ears, with the goal of stimulating energy flow to certain organs and eliciting nervous system responses.
- Hot stone therapy – This very relaxing modality is offered in many high-end spas. It involves placing warmed smooth stones on the body to bring extra heat to the muscles and encourage deep relaxation.
- Aromatherapy – Applying essential oils and other aromatic compounds to the body can elicit mood responses from relaxation to stimulation.
Massage Business Knowledge
Massage schools typically offer some kind of business coaching for students and alumni. Whether you intend to hang out a shingle and start your own practice, or go to work in a spa or salon, you're heading out into the world of business. There are basic tenets of running your own business, from taxes to ethical dilemmas. Learning from those who have gone before you is the best way to avoid some of the common pitfalls made by freshman and seasoned practitioners.
From Survival to Success
Your decision to enter into the massage and wellness industry is well timed. Never before has there been such widespread understanding of the wellness benefits of massage. The market is wide open to you as a new practitioner, and life as a massage practitioner can be the most rewarding work you've ever done. With enough preparation and practice, those feelings are bound to overflow into your own life!
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