Massage School | Learn Massage

Therapeutic massage is done by manipulating the soft tissues of the body to relax the muscles, encourage circulation, and aid in healing. Good therapeutic massages have become very popular at spas and places for relaxation. Many people are also interested in learning the different techniques involved in therapeutic massage.

Types of Massages
Massage schools teach various forms of massage. Popular forms of massage include Swedish, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, etc. Swedish massage involves 5 basic strokes used to manipulate the soft tissues. Therapists use a combination of kneading, rolling and vibrational movements. Additionally, the application of oil reduces the friction on the skin. Shiatsu massage uses a finger-pressure technique to put pressure on traditional acupuncture points of Oriental healing. Shiatsu concentrates on unblocking the flow of life energy and restoring balance in the meridians and organs in order to promote self-healing. Deep tissue massage involves manipulation of deeper muscle areas and usually focuses on a problem area.

Choosing a Massage School
When choosing a therapeutic massage school, make sure you research the credentials/accreditations the school offers, the types (modalities) of massages they teach, distance from where you are and where you want to work and costs. There are many massage schools that may not be approved by the state licensure / certification process. The massage school should be accredited with one or more of the following: Commission on Massage Therapy and Accreditation, American Massage Therapy Association, Integrative Massage and Somatic Therapies Accreditation Council, and Accreditation Council for Continuing Education and Training.

Once you have narrowed down your list of massage schools you need to visit them and do your research. First you should ask about the quality of massage therapy instructors and find out if they are well known in the field of massage. Next, you want to talk to students who have graduated from the massage school and find out where they are working. If careers of these massage students are inline with what you want to do then that is a plus. Most massage schools teach the standard modalities and some will specialize in certain types of massages. It is best to start general and then figure out which type of massage you want to specialize in. Also, the location of the school to where you want to eventually practice your therapeutic massage career is important. Some massage schools have local connections that can help get your massage therapy career started.

Alphabetical List of Product Reviews and Shopping Advice