Archive for the ‘ Health And Fitness ’ Category

Massage Therapy Programs – Career Training Opportunities Today

Find Massage Therapy Programs in the United States and Canada. Presently, students have many diverse massage therapy programs from which to choose. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 1,300 massage therapy programs throughout the United States alone.

In typical massage therapy programs, training begins with anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology, range of motion, business and ethics. Because there is such a wide variety of massage techniques, massage institutes and schools often differ in instructional methods. For example, base training in massage therapy programs usually includes practical instruction in Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and sports massage. However, several healing arts schools offer expanded variations of these techniques with additional training in other natural healing modalities.

While most massage therapy programs range from 300-500 hours, a number of these courses exceed 1,000 training hours. Students who prefer to examine unique massage methods find that elective and focalized training is available. For instance, were you aware that there are over 60 styles of massage therapy? In addition to traditional bodywork therapies like sports, deep tissue and Swedish massage, students can enroll in massage therapy programs that provide training in specific modalities like acupressure, Trager therapy, Thai massage, reflexology, polarity therapy, prenatal massage, myofascial release therapy, canine/equine massage, chair massage, Tuina, Lomi Lomi, Structural Integration, and Zero Balancing, among several others.

Successful graduates may be eligible to take an exam through the NCBTMB (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork) to become nationally certified. Requirements for taking this exam include a minimum of 500 hours training from one of a number of accredited, state-approved massage therapy programs.

Health insurance companies are beginning to cover natural healthcare treatments provided by qualified massage therapists. This, along with the fact that massage therapy is gaining in popularity, are some of many excellent reasons why prospective students may wish to enroll in any one of several massage therapy programs to achieve gainful and rewarding employment as professional massage therapists.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding massage therapy programs let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

*Occupational Resources: BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Massage Therapy Programs: Career Training Opportunities Today
? Copyright 2007
The CollegeBound Network
All Rights Reserved

NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.

By: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd

About the Author:

Resource Box: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd – Freelance Writer and Web Consultant for HolisticJunction.com, in association with CollegeSurfing.com – Educational Resources for Massage Therapy Programs, Massage Colleges and Schools, and other Studies.

Massage Therapy Training With Bamboo

Bamboo-fusion massage therapy is the latest and greatest spa treatment to hit the industry in years! It is easy to implement and the massage therapy training can easily be provided at your location to minimize travel for your staff, thus keeping expenses to a minimum.

Massage therapy training classes are readily available across the country specializing in warm bamboo massage. Bamboo-fusion has been featured in top spa magazines and trade publications making massage training for bamboo massage in high demand.

Nathalie Cecilia, originally from Nimes, South France is the original source in the United States for a brand new spa treatment she calls Bamboo-fusion. This trademarked treatment is in high demand by luxury spas and is gaining in popularity. Ms. Cecilia uses bamboo pieces cut into different shapes and sizes as extensions of her fingers during a massage treatment. She also “warms” the bamboo to allow the bamboo pieces to penetrate and relax the muscles quicker.

She originally discovered this form of massage during a massage treatment where the client kept requesting “deeper pressure” on his upper trapezius (shoulders). At a little over 5′ and only 100 lbs, Nathalie began to experience pain in her hands within only 2 months of doing traditional massage. As a Thai therapist, Nathalie sometimes did back walking while using bamboo poles that are 6 feet in length for balance. “As I was working on this gentleman who was in a sitting position, my eyes caught the two bamboo poles that I used for balance when back walking. I had the idea to use one of the poles for tapotement on his upper trapezius. So I stood about six feet from him, tapping on his shoulders with this very long stick, and he told me it felt really great!”

Small repetitive movements performed by the massage therapist when doing traditional massage can result in repetitive use injuries such as carpel tunnel. With the Bamboo-fusion massage, the bamboo tools allow the massage therapist to easily address deep pressure requests. Ms. Cecilia explains that she has noticed that after a few bamboo massage treatments, the client’s skin can actually become more supple.

In 2004, shortly after becoming a massage therapist, Ms Cecilia first started using bamboo and rattan tools to perform a flowing Swedish type massage. Imagine a skilled therapist using warmed bamboo to dissolve knots and tension throughout your body. These hand crafted tools are custom designed so that even the smallest therapist can give an effective deep tissue massage that is easy on their body, hands and wrists. This ecologically sound and sustainable product is currently made by skilled woodworkers, however when Ms. Cecilia first began bamboo massage, she actually made the pieces herself by hand.

Her bamboo tool sets have evolved over the past few years and are now made with 100% solid bamboo which is pressed into different shapes and sizes to match her Bamboo-fusion massage routine. The new bamboo tool sets, designed for full body massage, hold heat well and are very comfortable for the therapist to use. In addition to making bamboo sets that are commercially available, she also offers massage therapy training to other massage therapists. Her massage training offering for top quality professional massage training is well received by high end spas that need to offer unique treatments to their discriminating client base.

“There is a beautiful quality to the material; both you and the client feel very energized and revitalized, but also more relaxed.” Her technique uses massage oil or cream when performing a full body massage on a client. Shorter pieces of bamboo work well for smaller areas such as around the scapula. A 16″ bamboo stick is also used to knead the muscles and do a “criss-cross” technique that stretches the fascia in all directions.

Unlike warm stone massage, the bamboo is easy to heat without the use of a roaster or crock pot. In the heating device she uses, the bamboo stays warm (which of course the clients love), and there is little clean up between sessions. During the Bamboo-fusion massage training classes, we also offer suggestions to incorporate the use of a few hot stones into the treatment for those that desire to mix bamboo and stones.

As therapists and clients continually search for new approaches to massage therapy, bamboo is at the forefront of the industry, offering the most basic solution. The use of a renewable and sustainable resource that connects us to ancient times allows our modern need for deep tissue massage to be addressed. Nathalie is the pioneer of bamboo massage and is a leader in the massage and bodywork industry. Massage therapy training in bamboo massage is great for seasoned massage therapists or for those in school or new to the industry. Massage therapy training classes in bamboo massage can be held just about anywhere. The bamboo sets are very lightweight and easy to carry making the massage training classes portable.

Many Asian countries treat bamboo with great reverence since it has played a significant role in feeding and housing them. It is very common for bamboo to be used in making musical and surgical instruments, furniture, eating utensils and storage baskets in addition to hundreds of other uses.

Bamboo is a highly renewable (sustainable) resource and boasts more than 1500 different species that grow naturally throughout most Asian countries in addition to South and Central America. The Chinese and Japanese have used bamboo since ancient times; however is just now becoming main-stream in the American culture.

In the United States, bamboo is primarily symbolic and is gaining in popularity due to the fact that it is a highly renewable resource. It is also beautiful and considered “lucky” by many people that possess bamboo stalks commonly arranged in a small vase. Many high end resorts and spas are now decorating with bamboo in the form of flooring, furniture, and artwork. Clothing and linens made of bamboo fibers are also very popular. Top resorts and spas take this a step further and incorporate bamboo into their spa menus as part of a new exotic treatment that feels luxurious. The massage therapy training class covers all aspects of implementation, ranging from the initial massage training to writing a description for your spa menu.

Nathalie and her team of instructors are in high demand by individual therapists and spas/resorts seeking massage training in this new effective treatment using bamboo. To address this demand, Bamboo-fusion massage therapy training classes are offered in various locations in the United States and are approved by the state of Florida and the NCBTMB for Continuing Education (CE’s) for license renewal. Classes are offered at several training facilities on a regular basis in Sarasota, Florida where Nathalie resides, as well as taught in Everett, Durham, and Cincinnati. She also offers onsite massage therapy training at spas and resorts across the country.

In addition to massage therapy workshops, Cecilia also offers DVD’s and specialized bamboo sets for each of her techniques which are for use on the table for full body massage and on the chair through clothing. In addition, Ms Cecilia just created a new French ****** massage called Bamboo-Visage which utilizes a delicate tool set hand crafted from bamboo and rattan. This treatment was introduced at a recent spa show in Las Vegas and intrigued massage therapists as well as estheticians and spa directors.

By: Mason Rainy

About the Author:

Just ask yourself these simple questions:
* Do you need training in massage?
* Do you need training in massage using a tool?
* Do you need training in massage using heat to help warm the muscles?
* Do you need training in massage that is easy on your hands and wrists?
* Do you need training in massage for either deep tissue or relaxation massage treatments?
* Do you need training in massage to earn CE’s?
* Do you need training in massage to help your practice blossom?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you need training in massage with Bamboo-fusion.

Mason Rainy is the owner of Massage Training and specializes in Massage Therapy Training.

Massage Training in the 21st Century

Find Massage Training in the United States and Canada. While massage therapy has an age-old history, massage training today has taken this healing art to a whole new level by integrating a variety of bodywork modalities to meet growing health demands of people from all walks of life.

In addition to basic massage training, students enrolled in one of several massage therapy schools gain essential skills and knowledge to compete in the increasingly growing job market. Today, it is not unusual for students to learn fundamental theories and principles of the art, in addition to hands-on training in sports massage, Swedish massage and deep tissue massage. Likewise, students enrolled in a massage training program will begin to comprehend kinesiology and the application, thereof. Advanced massage training courses often include natural health concepts, herbology, aromatherapy, nutrition, and progressive massage techniques.

Though a great number of massage training programs involve at least 300 class and clinical hours, more and more healing arts schools are beginning to present more in-depth training options, entailing upwards of 1,000 hours or more. In cases such as these, students will qualify for state certification and national certification as well.

One can expect to encounter a vast assortment of practical massage training classes as diverse as their names imply. For example, Tuina is a Chinese medical massage that integrates meridian therapy into bodywork. This massage training is commonly taught at Oriental medicine schools, as well at a number of massage schools.

It is no longer uncommon for major sports teams to have a sports massage therapist at the ready, so if you’re interested in helping athletes, specialized massage training in sports massage may be ideal for this career goal. Other fascinating massage training options that may be of interest include animal and equine massage. Since public opinion for natural healing techniques has favorably shifted in recent years, more pet and horse owners are turning to animal/equine massage as a non-invasive alternative for common musculoskeletal disorders and conditions.

The growing trend of combining mind, body and spirit medicine has become quite the phenomenon. For instance, students wanting to become entrepreneurs in the field will find that many massage training programs now carry extra education in spa and salon management. Common massage training classes in these programs entail aromatherapy and aromatherapy massage, spa and salon management fundamentals, essential oils, body wraps, facials, holistic skin care treatments; and an assortment of bodywork methods including ****** massage, craniosacral therapy, hand massage, Swedish and Thai massage, as well as other related practices.

Overall, massage training is the modern complement to both conventional and alternative medicine and is quickly gaining leeway in the educational industry. In many cases, students who qualify may apply for financial aid programs and other scholarship options that are now afforded through a number of accredited massage colleges and schools. Once candidates have successfully completed all massage training and education, they have an assortment of work settings from which to choose – whether on the playing field, on the horse track, in a primary care clinic or on a sea-faring cruiser, massage therapists can enjoy both professional and personal rewards of the trade.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding massage training, let career training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs [http://school.holisticjunction.com/clickcount.php?id=6634739&goto=http://www.holisticjunction.com/search.cfm] near you.

Massage Training in the 21st Century
? Copyright 2007
The CollegeBound Network
All Rights Reserved

NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.

By: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd

About the Author:

Resource Box: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd – Freelance Writer and Web Consultant for HolisticJunction.com, in association with CollegeSurfing.com – Educational Resources for Massage Training, Massage Schools, and other Natural Health Schools.

As a professional training school for massage therapists, we recognize the amazing spiritual potential inherent in the body and the potency of massage therapy as an arena for the transformation of the entire being. As we progress in our exploration of working with others, we discover the inseparability of physical, emotional and spiritual healing. As we coax the muscles to soften with massage, we allow more breath, life and energy to flow through the body.

Emotions that were suppressed by the contraction of the musculature resurface and become available to consciousness for transformation. Physical relaxation can be sustained and stabilized only with the corresponding emotional integration required to tolerate increased feeling.

Massage therapists can be trained to alleviate stress, tension and physical discomfort, as well as to elicit remembrance of the pristine, untouched essence of the individual residing within the body. Students can learn to help clients remember the sacredness of who they really are, beneath the pain, tension, thoughts, emotions and changing drama of their lives.

The first aspect of a Massage Therapist’s training is to acquire skill. It is essential to thoroughly master a repertoire of bodywork techniques to adeptly address a variety of situations with creative expertise and confidence. A second and equally important component of education is the commitment to self -transformation on the part the practitioner.

Knowing that it’s only possible to share with others that which one has integrated within oneself, we recognize massage as an ongoing spiritual journey. The practice of massage becomes an increasingly exquisite way to reconnect with the sacred.

Our intention is to teach massage therapists to tune the subtle instrument of themselves. Students learn to become unwaveringly present, bringing the power of the infinite through their hands. They learn to love compassion, acknowledging the essential Divinity and innocence of another without denying or “taking on” their discomfort.

They develop the intuition to catapult their skills beyond the limits of technique.

They transmit with their presence an invitation to a deeper encounter with life, a trust and delight in the sacred unknowable unfoldment of each moment, gleaned from the palpable integration of their own inner work. Ultimately, they cultivate the ability to just BE with another person. Not to fix, heal, alter, advise or rescue them, but simply to be present and provide a safe space in which they can rediscover themselves.

All of these qualities are cultivatable and indispensable in the training of a professional massage therapist. If you are considering a career in bodywork or healing, be sure your training provides you with a strong holistic foundation on which to build a lifetime of fulfilling work.

By: Vajra Matusow

About the Author:

By Vajra Matusow
Diamond Light School of Massage & Healing Arts
http://www.diamondlight.net
PO Box 2110 San Anselmo, CA 94979
415-454-6651

Deep Tissue Massage Training

Find Deep Tissue Massage Training in the United States and Canada. In addition to the healing benefits of deep tissue massage, it is one of the main massage modalities taught in most massage curricula. Individuals interested in deep tissue massage training learn how this therapeutic massage is helpful for stress, bad posture, excessive fitness training, prolonged computer work, and any other overuse of muscles that can cause muscle stiffness, back and neck pain, and headaches.

In most massage therapy programs, deep tissue massage training is a foundational course; and with hands-on instruction, participants learn how to administer this stretching treatment, which releases stiffness and soreness. As part of the deep tissue massage training, individuals discover how this therapy penetrates deeper layers of muscles by squeezing and stretching muscles through skillful hand movements and pressure. Stimulating blood circulation, deep tissue massage may sometimes create a little muscle soreness but this reaction is normal as painful adhesions are being mechanically loosened. With regular deep tissue massage treatment, constrained muscles become loose and flexible; thus reducing pain and increasing range of motion.

As with many massage therapy programs, deep tissue massage training typically ranges between 300 and 500 hours; however, in some cases, courses may be longer and entail additional massage instruction in Swedish massage and sports massage, among others. In addition to deep tissue massage training, students learn about anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology.

Some holistic workshops and seminars offer introductory deep tissue massage training, but these classes are designed for those persons who would like to learn more about self-healing techniques, and are not offered as part of a professional career program. Other deep tissue massage training courses are provided as continuing education classes, in addition to home-study courses for those wanting to fine-tune skills. Upon successful completion of professional deep tissue massage training, graduates are eligible to become certified massage therapists.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding deep tissue massage training, let professional education within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Deep Tissue MassageTraining
? Copyright 2007
The CollegeBound Network
All Rights Reserved

NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.

By: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd

About the Author:

Resource Box: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd – Freelance Writer and Web Consultant for HolisticJunction.com, in association with CollegeSurfing.com – Educational Resources for Deep Tissue Massage Training, Massage Programs, and other Healing Arts.