The exact training requirements to become a massage therapist vary from one state to the next, but most massage schools around the country cover the same material. Therefore, it is essential to understand what you will be expected to learn while attending massage school if you want to become a massage therapist.
Business Management
Many massage therapy schools require you to take some business management and ethics classes. These courses are essential because they help you learn about the business side of becoming a massage therapist. As a massage therapist, you may work in a clinic or spa setting or run your own business. Many massage therapists end up running their own business, which is why most massage therapy schools now require their students to take business management and ethics class. These classes will provide you with a foundation of knowledge on how to set up your business and how to interact with clients. In addition, you will learn about how to build and manage your therapist-client relations and the ethical side of dealing with your clients.
Anatomy, Physiology, and Kinesiology
As a massage therapist, you need to understand how the body works. You are going to be a much more effective therapist when you understand the body's mechanics. That is why you will be required to take anatomy classes, physiology classes, and kinesiology classes.
In your anatomy classes, you are going to learn in-depth about the body. You will memorize and learn the formal names and functions of all parts of the body, from the muscles and tissues to the organs and organ systems. In physiology, you will learn more about how the body functions when it is healthy and when it is not healthy. In addition, you will learn about how the disease impacts the body. In kinesiology classes, you will learn about human movement and techniques to increase mobility in patients.
You will need to understand in-depth how the body works; these are hard classes that will require a lot of memorization and analysis skills.
Massage Techniques
Once you understand how the human body works, you will take classes where you will learn about different massage techniques. You will learn about the history behind these techniques, how they are designed to provide relief to the human body, and how to implement these techniques.
Clinical Hours
Finally, with most massage therapy schools, you will be required to put in a certain number of hours of clinical or hands-on training. You cannot be paid for this training, as you are not a formal massage therapist. Some schools will have you practice with other students; others will run clinics where you can provide free massages to people or practice with family and friends.
If you want to become a massage therapist, you are going to need to attend massage school. In massage school, you will learn massage techniques and get hands-on training. You will also need to take anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and business management and ethics classes. This combination of training will give you the foundation you need to succeed as a massage therapist.
