As a massage therapist, you enjoy the satisfaction of contributing to a person’s health and well-being. However, it is important to note that being a massage therapist requires strength, dexterity, and stamina. Not sure you have what it takes? Well, the good news is that there are ways you can build up your strength, stamina, and dexterity to become a successful massage therapist.
Why Do People Become Massage Therapists?
In addition to the satisfaction of helping others, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the need for massage therapists will grow by 18 percent from 2023 to 2033. This figure is higher than the average rate for many other professions.
More people recognize the need for a healthier lifestyle, which may include massage therapy as an alternative healing method. Plus, medical professionals are increasingly turning to alternative medicine as a complement to traditional medicine. Many doctors even prescribe massage therapy for their patients. As the demand for more qualified professionals grows, the job market will continue to expand.
What Is Dexterity?
Dexterity is the skill of performing a task, specifically with your hands and fingers. As a massage therapist, you must use acute, slight motions with the hands and fingers. This helps identify tense, sore, or painful muscles and allows you to apply the proper amount of pressure to relieve the stress. You must have strong hands and fingers to manipulate soft tissue to alleviate pain or discomfort.
What Is Stamina?
Stamina is the ability to withstand prolonged mental or physical activity. As a massage therapist, you must possess strength and energy. Treatments require you to stay on your feet for long periods of time, stand in place, and reach and bend. Fortunately, stamina can be built up over time.
How Can a Massage Therapist Prepare for Stamina and Dexterity?
While working as a massage therapist, you may care for people all day. You will need stamina and dexterity to alleviate your stiff, sore muscles, so it’s crucial for you to keep yourself healthy. Staying fit is essential to physical as well as mental health. When you’re healthy physically and mentally, your outlook is more positive. Being healthy makes it easier to face daily challenges and stress. What can you do to increase your stamina and dexterity?
- Go to the gym for a workout whenever possible. Exercise is an excellent way to stay physically fit.
- Take regular breaks to stretch your muscles and get your blood flowing. Standing up and stretching a few times daily can help you avoid lower back pain.
- Take an exercise class. An exercise class keeps your mind fit as you listen to instructions and remain focused. It’s often easier to exert extra effort when exercising with a group.
What is the Proper Technique for Giving a Massage?
You must have the stamina and dexterity to give a client a massage treatment for an hour. To be effective as a massage therapist, you must:
- Learn all the principles of practical body mechanics
- Be able to assist elderly patients on and off the massage table
- Keep from getting fatigued at the end of the day
Effective body mechanics includes making healthy choices about diet and exercise after a long day. Healthy lifestyle choices impact body mechanics. The proper techniques for a massage therapist include stamina, strength, balance, breathing, foot stance, groundedness, and stability.
Technique #1: Stamina
One of the most effective ways to have enough endurance and stamina to treat clients throughout the day is to take care of yourself. The best way to increase stamina is cardiovascular training. It is important to keep your heart rate up for intervals of 30 minutes a few times each week to increase stamina. Proper sleep and hydration are also necessary. Drinking plenty of water and fluids keeps you hydrated and reduces fatigue.
To improve stamina, warm up before you start a massage session to increase blood flow and reduce the risk of injury. Take time for regular stretching of your whole body, including hands and fingers. When you’re treating a client, use the proper stance and positioning. When lifting a client, stay as close to the table as possible to avoid injury.
Technique #2: Strength
Strength training and proper nutrition can help you avoid fatigue. Massages require physical ability. Strength training builds muscle mass, making it easier to manipulate soft tissue. Resistance and weight training also help build muscle mass, offering additional stamina and dexterity.
Technique #3: Balance
A balanced posture during a massage therapy session reduces fatigue and energy loss. Yoga and Tai Chi are exercise regimens that promote excellent balance. Taking a class in either of these exercises teaches you the basic moves to increase stamina.
Technique #4: Breathing
Using the proper breathing technique makes you more adept at pacing massage movements. Proper breathing helps send oxygen to your muscles, which reduces fatigue and makes you more relaxed and focused. Correct breathing technique also enhance physical and mental health.
Technique #5: Foot Stance
How your feet are placed provides a stable base and influences the direction of your massage strokes. It also significantly affects your body’s alignment. Massage therapists use two standard foot stances, bow, and warrior, to provide stability and balance during treatment.
Bow Stance – used when standing at the head or foot of the massage table and applying strokes that proceed from one point on the body to the next. Your feet are positioned at a 30 to 50-degree angle—your lead foot points forward, with the other foot pointing to the side. Your knees should be flexed, and the weight will shift from one foot to the other.
Using the Bow Stance allows you to maintain contact with the client while maintaining a consistent flow of therapeutic touch. To avoid back injury, it’s important to bend at the hips rather than the waist. Bending at the hips also aids in keeping your balance.
Warrior Stance – used when performing short strokes that cause friction on the body, this stance helps you reach the far side of the client while maintaining balance and stability. Using this stance allows you to face the opposite side of the massage table while keeping your feet approximately hip-distance apart. Your toes should be pointed straight ahead, and your back should be kept straight. Your hips should point toward the table to reduce the risk of injuries.
Technique #6: Groundedness
You have a strong connection between your mind and body when you’re grounded. Being grounded is an essential principle emotionally, physically, and mentally. Taking the time to be grounded makes you more compassionate and better at providing healing. You can learn to be grounded by practicing yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation. This groundedness will significantly improve your stamina and dexterity.
Technique #7: Stability
Your feet are the foundation for all movement during massage sessions. Using the lower portion of your body during the procedure is more powerful. This provides more stability than moving the upper part of the body. Standing and applying equal weight to each foot and shifting a substantial amount of pressure to the lower portion of the body reduces the risk of injury.
Final Thoughts
Anyone who wants to enjoy an active lifestyle is an ideal candidate to work as a massage therapist. During a session, you will use your hands, arms, and feet for treatments. Not only do you help clients to heal, but the strenuous activity helps to keep you in excellent physical condition.
If you have the strength, stamina, and dexterity to work as a massage therapist or need to improve your skills through proper techniques, becoming a massage therapist is a great career path. You will be helping others and working in a growing field that is only becoming more popular every day.
Are you interested in learning more about starting a career in massage therapy? Upon graduation, Massage Therapy Program students will receive diplomas and be qualified to seek entry-level positions as clinical, medical, or deep tissue massage therapists in wellness clinics and centers, spa environments including resorts and franchises, and self-employment.
The massage therapy training diploma program consists of a well-planned sequence of courses, each preparing the college student for the more intensive information to follow. The school curriculum includes training to provide college students with scientific knowledge, manual skills, and business mastery to become a professional massage therapist.
Contact us to learn more about how you can become a massage therapist today.