Your success as a massage therapist depends largely upon you, of course. But the massage therapy school you attend has a huge impact as well. When looking for massage therapy schools, make you you check into their history.

For instance, what is their graduation rate? Success rate after graduating from massage school on their massage therapy board exam? Do they teach you business and ethics as well as anatomy/physiology/massage theory and practice?

How many hours is the program? Are you able to work full time while attending the program? How many hours are you expected to put into studying in the massage therapy course?

Just because a massage therapy training school has opened up around the corner doesn't mean that it's necessarily the course for you!

Here are a few photos from our Advanced Ashiatsu barefoot massage training class this past weekend in Cincinnati.

         

    

My teaching massage schedule is slowing down, so I thought I'd get back on track with doing a blog here and there about my Cincinnati massage studio.

In my opinion, Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, otherwise known as "AOBT" or "ashi", is one of the best ways to deliver an amazing deep tissue massage. I've been doing ashi in Cincinnati since 2002, longer than most other therapists in the area. AOBT comprises about 80% of my practice, with warm Bamboo-fusion massage coming in 2nd.

I no longer do deep tissue massage with my hands because of the strain on my wrists and elbows. In fact, I have tendonitis (tennis elbow) as a direct result of doing hands on massage. If you are a massage therapist, you can certainly understand that!

From a client standpoint, ashiatsu is superior than traditional deep tissue massage by hand for a variety of reasons:

•  With barefoot massage, the therapist can easily work deeply because gravity is on his/her side. It's much easier to sink down with weight to give pressure than it is to "muscle" it.
• The ball and heel of the foot is more comfortable than pointy elbows, thumbs and fingers, making deep tissue massage much more bearable.
• Ashiatsu strokes are done at a slow pace, enabling the client to really relax into the strokes.
• Anterior (on the front of the body) work on the quads is much more comfortable than when the therapist uses her hands/forearm because the arch of the foot comfortable nestles the muscles.

These are the top benefits just off the top of my head. I've been on a mad teaching streak for 5 weeks now, ending tomorrow with the completion of Advanced Ashiatsu, so forgive me if I ramble!

You can schedule a massage through Bookfresh on my website www.affinitymassages.com. There's a tab at the top of the site as well as a button to the right of each page.

I have one spot remaining in the Dallas Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy Barefoot Basics class in November. Actually, someone filled out the last registration spot but hasn't yet paid her deposit. So if you know of any massage therapist who needs to learn barefoot massage or needs CEUs, send them my way!

Can't travel to come to our 2 day Bamboo-fusion class? Still want the tools and learn the massage? Some massage therapists buy our solid bamboo tools and teach themselves. I am an authorized instructor for Bamboo-fusion as well as resaler of the tools. We even offer free shipping for both the bamboo table kit as well as the Visage facial kit. Order online here at www.affinitymassages.com!

Just 2 spots remain in my Barefoot Basics Ashiatsu massage training class in Dallas. Class is in November, and it looks like it's going to fill up soon. If you know of any LMTs who need some CEUs, would like to save their career or simply reinvent their practice, let them know about class!

Barefoot Basics is 3 days, 25 CE's and runs from 9-6 each day. The massage therapists get to practice on each other for 2 days and on guest clients on the 3rd day of class. Anterior and Sidelying is 1 day, 8 CE's from 9-6 also. LMTs work on each other and receive about 3 hour of amazing barefoot work.

Come join us is class--it's well organized but laid back. You can register online!

Bamboo-fusion massage is a specialty massage treatment where the massage therapist uses solid bamboo tools, warmed to perfection, to massage the client.

The tools are heated in a commercial grade heating pad, and are easily cleaned using anti-bacterial wipes. The massage feels great to receive and helps to ensure a longer career for the massage therapist.

There's something almost magical about the way clients melt into the table the moment the therapist gently places the bamboo tools on the skin and starts to effleurage. The heat is nuturing, relaxing and physically softens the client's muscles.  This helps the therapist sink more deeply with less effort into the clients tight spots.

I charge the same amount for a Bamboo-fusion massage as I do for any other massage in my Cincinnati studio, $65 for an hour and $90 for a 90 minute session. If you're in the mood for a new style of massage, you can schedule an appointment online at www.affinitymassages.com at the "schedule an appointment" tab.

Of course, I also teach a 16 credit hour continuing education class for massage therapists as well. It's 2 days, and costs $399 (tools included). And at 80% hands on for class, it makes the therapist very happy to be in class!

What are the advantages of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy?

They are numerous for both the massage therapist and the client. For the client who craves deep tissue work, they receive the pressure they need. Unlike traditional hands on massage where the therapist often uses pointy elbows and fingers/thumbs, the round surfaces of the feet are used in Ashiatsu. Many clients assume that a good deep tissue massage is going to hurt. It doesn't with our style of barefoot massage. The client should never feel any discomfort--maybe a "hurts so good," but that's about it!

The well trained Ashiatsu barefoot massage therapist uses parallel wooden bars above  the massage table for balance and support, and the client lies comfortably on the massage table. Because gravity is used, it's easier for the therapist to control pressure with his/her body weight (as opposed to having to "force" their weight/pressure upon the client).

I have a video regarding the subject uploading to my Facebook site: www.facebook.com/AffinityMassageStudio. Check it out! It's totally informal, but it may give you some more ideas!

Ok, we're down to 3 places remain for the Dallas Ashiatsu barefoot massage class. The link to pay for the class wasn't working properly, but it's been taken care of now. You can register for the Barefoot Basics here on my site, on the Ashiatsu Registration link. After you register for class, it will take you to a page where you can either do your deposit for Basics as well as Anterior/side-lying, or you can pay in full.

Signing up for class online is simple and effective. You can do it any time of day or night, and you don't even have to use your cell phone minutes to call. Of course, you can register for class the old fashioned way, too, if you want to!

So if you're anywhere around Dallas, TX, make sure you sign up for our November Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy barefoot basics massage CEU class! Only 3 spots remain!

We have just 4 spots remaining in our Dallas Ashiatsu class in November!

Sign up online to earn your massage therapy CEUs and learn some awesome barefoot massage techniques!

Did you know that it's possible to bring Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy to your location? If you live within a 12 hour drive of Cincinnati, I can do a barefoot massage class training for your team of massage therapists.

Just last week I taught a group of 8 LMTs at the beautiful Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA. 

The group or spa needs to provide room for me to set up my portable ashiatsu bars, have 6-10 massage therapists who want to take the class, and we can work it out!

If you live in Des Moine, for example, and you and a bunch of your LMT friends need some massage CEUS but can't travel, I can come to you! We just need space such as a conference room, yoga room, heck--even a large living room would work!

I bring the portable ashiatsu bars, stools, masssage tables and more. Think about, why don't you? :)

How time flies when you're having fun! I just got back from Lenox, MA on Saturday after having taught 8 talented massage therapists the art of barefoot massage at Canyon Ranch.

Today, I'm finishing teaching Bamboo-fusion to another group of therapists back in Cincinnati. Tomorrow, off to St. Pete, FL for another round of Barefoot Basics barefoot massage!

If you know of any massage therapist who needs continuing education for massage, I do have space available in my August barefoot massage Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy class next weekend!