I had such a great Ashi-Thai Barefoot Massage Class this weekend! 2 of the therapists took their barefoot massage training originally in 2002 (the year I learned ashiatsu barefoot work), one took my massage ceu class just this past June, and the 4th is a barefoot deep tissue massage grad from a couple of years ago.

The Ashi-Thai class is a ball. You learn to use your body weight to do compression and stretching to loosen up the client's body. They wear loose, comfortable fitting clothes. The therapist needs no cream, so it's no fuss, no muss!

If you go to my website at www.AffinityMassages.com, you'll find my class schedule.

www.Deepfeet.com is the founder's site, where you can find locations for Barefoot Bar Massage Training throughout the United States. My studio is located in Cincinnati, OH.

I'll post photos tomorrow of my ashi-thai barefoot massage workshop.

Have you ever had someone walk on your back? Sometimes, it's one of your children. Or maybe your spouse stepped on you when you came home from work with an aching back.

If your massage therapist doesn't "walk on your back", maybe you should ask him/her about taking a class.

Back walking, in my case, actually, is a mis-nomer. When I did a demonstration for massage students one time, a woman told me I looked like I was "skating on the client's back." This is actually a perfect visual for ashiatsu (well, minus the cold and the skates).

The massage therapist using gliding and sweeping movements across the client's body. And one of the reasons you can't learn barefoot massage properly online or from a video or book is because it's vital for the therapist with whom you practice to give you feedback while you work.

So our barefoot massage workshop / training / classes are the perfect place to learn to skate or discover the art of back walking. You can learn Ashiatsu barefoot bar massage in our Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy classes across the United States. Go to deepfeet.com for the nationwide schedule.

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy deep tissue barefoot massage is really a massage treatment that is like no other. Well, others have imitated it, but it's the orignal source of barefoot massage using an overhead bar system with a table and client underneath.

Why so different? Because with traditional deep tissue massage, the therapist uses bony thumbs and elbows to give deep pressure. Unless their arms are well insulated/padded, it usually hurts the client. Enter a soft heel and ball of the foot. A much broader surface, it is the perfect tool to work out knots on the client without their silently (or loudly!) swearing at the therapist.

Ashiatsu is the perfect choice for clients who need deep tissue work but don't feel like lying on the massage table for an hour or more of torture. (Just my opinion, by the way). 

If your clients love your deep tissue barefoot ashiatsu massage, it may be time for you to add on to your repetoire! I have an advanced class in May in Cincinnati. Check out the class schedule and register online. I only have a few spaces available, and the class is only being offered one time this year.

Massage increases circulation, helps excrete toxins and has been proven to relax. It does a ton of other interesting things, too, such as improving skin elasticity and reducing scar tissue.

Why not get a massage? Your body will love you for it. I have times available this coming week!

Yes, I did a Groupon feature. I was the first massage therapists in Cincinnati to be featured, and just the 3rd business in town. I didn't know the ramifications of big, big discounts, but 2 years later that has changed.

I did the Groupon massage on a whim. I worked for 25% of what I normally do, which is what most businesses do when they do Groupon. You offer 50% off, they take 50%, and WHAM! You're making a few bucks an hour.

Yes, I do have a few loyal customers. I can tell you that almost all of my clients were wowed by their session-they told me so. I treated everyone as if they were a potentially new full paying client.

One of my regulars stopped coming to me since his wife "just keeps buying me massages on Groupon!" One acquaintance of mine, an LMT, has been featured several times on both Groupon and Living Social. Why? Because the clients don't come back if they're not getting an inexpensive massage.

It's sad, really sad. Having analyzed my own spending habits, and realizing that I would buy a Groupon with no intention of returning to said business, I refuse to buy them. Because businesses are featured so that they can obtain new clients, not break even on the service they perform.

If you're a massage therapist who does deep tissue work, you may want to consider taking our Barefoot Basics Ashiatsu class. Your clients will love the deep tissue massage because it's smooth and comfortable. You'll love that you can do deep tissue massage without having to ice your hands (or feet)!

I pushed  my advanced ashi dates back one day to May 19-21 2012. It'll be Sat - Mon. 

Why is massage so expensive? If you're not self employed, it's hard to understand why someone can appear to earn such a high hourly rate. Here are some reasons for the price for many massage therapists:

~If we don't work, we don't get paid. There's no such thing as a paid vacation, sick day or holiday.
~Being self employed, there are no 401K plans, dental, vision or health insurance included.
~Rent, utilities, phone, website, internet access, online booking, gift certificates, business cards and brochures are regular expenses that come out of our wages.
~An electric massage table costs about $1500 or more, a good quality portable is at least $400 (my original massage table purchased in 1997 was over $600).
~For me, every 3 clients = 1 load of laundry, which requires detergent, water, electricity and of course a washer and dryer.
~ An inexpensive gallon of massage cream currently runs $48. Oil is often more. Don't forget the cost of sheets, towels, paper goods, CD/ipod player and music.
~Any responsible LMT will have liability insurance, which costs several hundred dollars per year.
~Continuing education is required--many professional memberships or licensing boards require 48 hours every 4 years, most of which is very pricey. (Not to mention that we often have travel expenses included).
~Licensing fees are paid to licensing boards, typically every 2 years.
~Any advertising done is paid out of pocket by the massage therapist.
~Full time for a massage therapist is considered 20+ hour of hands on due to paperwork, laundry, time in between clients, etc. So although we may have 20 hours of clients, it's more like 35-40 with all the other stuff involved. (Unless you work for someone else, then you get paid less but work less too).
~And then there are taxes...

I'm sure I've not remembered everything, but there's a good start. As you can see, this ends up being not a very high hourly rate after all!

And as a tangent, Groupon takes 50% of your 50% off deal, giving you 25% of your original price minus 3% for credit card fees. Living Social is slightly better, taking only 40% or so. If you use one of those deals for massage, tip your therapist and return to him or her. That's the whole point of a vendor doing a big deal.

 

Still have some space available in my February Ashiatsu barefoot basics class where you learn all the strokes on the posterior (back) side of the body. Register online and learn how to save your massage career!