Thai yoga massage blog

How to generate more clients:
For anyone who is new to the therapy world and starting out in business it is important to be realistic about building a client base as it can take some time, often many years and a fair bit of time and effort to get your name and what you do out there. It does not need to be financially costly but it is worth dedicating some time to thinking about it.
Ideally clients will enjoy and benefit from your treatments so much that they will return time and time again for many years, and will recommend you to their friends – a personal recommendation goes a very long way!
I hope you find this advice useful:
Ensure that each treatment you give is to a high standard. There is no room for giving a sub-standard treatment if you want regular clients. If you put your all into each session, the client will be confident that their money is being well-spent and will immediately notice the benefits of the treatments. Make sure you get feedback after each visit to ensure that the client liked everything you did. If there were certain moves or techniques they didn’t enjoy then listen, and adjust the next treatment accordingly.
Receive massage or treatments yourself. Contact other local practitioners and arrange swapping your treatments for theirs. We learn a lot from being a receiver, and if you enjoy a particular move/technique/stretch, you can incorporate it into your treatments. There is a well-known saying from the Bible which is ‘physician heal thyself’. We cannot expect to give profound treatments if we are not feeling relaxed, so looking after ourselves and making sure we are healthy and calm is fundamental.
Talk with passion and knowledge about what you do to as many people as possible. Opportunities to do this arise quite frequently so when you meet someone, (whether it be a friend, or a parent at the school gates, a work colleague, another member of the gym you attend, a stranger at a party etc) and you mention that you are a massage therapist the response will often be ‘oh my back’s been really aching lately’, or ‘I have had this problem with my knee/shoulder/neck’ etc and this is the perfect opportunity to promote what you do. Just by asking some simple questions (how long have you had it, where is it exactly, is it constant etc) you could ascertain whether your treatments could be beneficial for that person, and if so then suggest they come to see you for a treatment or 3! Being able to talk about Thai massage in simple terms that people understand is important. You might for example mention the effects of Thai massage on increasing vitality and flexibility through applied stretching and energy line work. Often new clients love the idea that Thai massage is given through the clothes and is a very thorough 2-hour treatment. Being able to explain the links between one area of the body and another can be of interest and shows that you have a comprehensive knowledge of working with bodies. This leads me onto:
(CPD) – Continuous professional development. It is now a legal requirement in the UK that all practising therapists undertake training every 2 years or so. This really is invaluable for many reasons. Firstly it is very easy to get into ‘bad habits’ over a period of time, and attending courses where you can practise under supervision with your training provider will ensure these get ironed out, which mean that your techniques will improve, as will your ability to continue to work safely and effectively for many years. Clients tend to get bored if you are repeating the same old routine each time they come to see you. To avoid this you need to be able to tailor your treatments for each client’s needs on any particular day. Having a wide range of techniques and stretches to add to your repertoire means your clients enjoy their treatments much more, and you can vary how you use your body to apply pressure (i.e. you might be able to use your knee instead of your thumbs for certain moves, so your thumbs get a rest, and the client experiences a different type of pressure). Learning more in the field of bodywork gives you new enthusiasm and inspiration, which the client feels through your hands (or feet!). If you are fascinated by the body, then you can never learn enough. You are on a journey of never-ending discoveries and the more knowledge you have about the anatomical structures, organs, connective tissue, nervous system, joints etc give a depth of understanding and knowledge that ensures clients feel safe in your hands.
Contacting local yoga teachers & personal trainers to offer a free taster session, or a swap of skills is a great way of them knowing what you do so they can get word out to potential clients who already have an interest in stretching, fitness and health. Arrange referring clients to each other.
Building a network of local practitioners that you can refer your clients to, and that will refer back to you is essential. Clients often need a well rounded or multi disciplined approach to help them so having homeopaths, Nutritionists, Bowen technique practitioner’s, physiotherapists to be able to refer your clients on to will ensure the client gets the help they need.
Get flyers printed and find local places to put them, such as schools, coffee shops, health food shops, car valeting, running shops, gym wear shops, dentists, notice boards etc. Some local schools will give out your flyers in the school bags, or will put an advert in their weekly/monthly newsletter for a nominal fee.
Write a short and interesting editorial and approach the local newspapers with a good story of your successful treatments.
Parish newspapers are a really good place to advertise cheaply and locally. They are often published quarterly or monthly so make sure you know when the deadline for print will be. You could also try to make an arrangement for regular advertising space to bring the cost down.
Have a stand at local school events (may fair, summer fair, Xmas bizarre) with literature and vouchers and offer mini treatments. You can offer a voucher with a discount for the first treatment. Make sure you get contact details of anyone you give a mini treatment to, so you can do a follow up call and see how they were after and have your diary at the ready to book them in. Most schools have a small publication for these events and are often looking for the advertising space to be filled, so this is a cheap way of getting your name out there. These school events often have a silent auction and this is a great opportunity to place one of your treatments as something to bid on and often leads to new business.

Dedicated Thai yoga massage practitioners want to be able to give a profound and strong massage treatment without tiring.  They can learn to do this by cultivating awareness of their internal strength, and by using breathing techniques. In doing this the practitioner will be able to relax and give a deeper massage and will work in a meditative and focused way with increased intuition.

There are two techniques that are fundamental to being able to give a strong massage. The first is the awareness of the internal power source in one’s body, called the ‘hara’ and which is often described as the ‘sea of energy’ or the ‘seat of life’.  The hara is located around the navel and is the centre of intrinsic energy.  It can be seen as a ball of energy that interacts with all the internal organs. The ‘hara’ is cultivated in martial arts as an internal power source. In Pilates and yoga this area is also focused on as being a key aspect to effective practice.

Using the awareness of the hara to centre oneself and maintain balance is similar to having an internal anchor, which can be useful when commencing a physical practice such as Thai yoga massage, Pilates or yoga. It can help to get rid of conflict in both the body and mind, that otherwise might get in the way of the physical practice one is about to commence, thus allowing the work to be accomplished without effort.

Pilates focuses on a pulling up from the pelvic floor and pulling in the navel, to encourage core strength and stability.  All exercises are done whilst these muscles are focused on and used in this way.  In yoga practice the theory is similar with the root chakra, or ‘mula bhanda’ being pulled up and locked, to keep the energy flowing between the body and the earth. The concept in yoga practice of pulling up these pelvic floor muscles to the abdomen is to stop any leaking of energy, to strengthen the core stability in the body and help with maintaining balance during postures or asanas.

Whilst giving a Thai massage the practitioner should maintain the focus on pulling up the muscles from the pelvic floor, and pulling in the abdominal muscles towards the navel. In keeping this focal point the area is kept strong, and using this technique will ensure good posture throughout whilst protecting the lower back from being strained.

The second technique, which is essential to life, is breathing. Breathing, which is something we rarely give a thought to, but cannot do without, is often done badly. The diaphragm, which is in fascial continuity with the pelvic floor, has the heart sitting on top of it and the liver attached to it, and each full and complete breath will massage these and all other internal organs.  Poor or shallow breathing,  can lead to all kinds of problems, including low energy, poor digestion, lack of concentration, poor posture to name but a few.

By focusing on bringing deep breaths to the abdomen, feeling the belly rise and fall, the ribs expanding and contracting, the diaphragm can function optimally.  The focus on a longer and deeper breath will encourage the development of power and strength, and will maintain the focus on the ‘hara’.  The awareness of one’s breath is intrinsic to keeping a relaxed body and mind.

An exercise to power the hara and strengthen the general condition of the body:

Bring your attention to the hara, the area around the navel. Breathe deeply, feeling the breath expanding into the lower abdomen, whilst noticing the expansion of the diaphragm as you inhale. As you exhale draw the belly inwards, pulling up from the pelvic floor, letting the energy circulate through the body. Do this each day for a few minutes.

Natasha de Grunwald

London Institute of Thai yoga massage

07885 85 85 79

The search for professional Thai massage training

Are you interested in learning Thai yoga massage but confused by the different lengths of time courses seem to run for? If so read on and I will try to give you some important information to help you.
When looking for a professional Thai massage course, there are certain factors you must consider if you want to be able to provide safe, effective and proficient treatments when you are qualified. If you want your clients to return on a regular basis, because you are able to provide excellent treatments, then you must have had extensive and professional training, over a period of a few months.
A complete Thai massage should be two hours in duration- no less. This is so that the practitioner has sufficient time to work all the energy lines thoroughly. During a treatment the Thai massage practitioner will cover each energy line again and again; palming, thumbing and stretching the lines on each section of the body to ensure the flow of energy and re balance the body. The aspects of Thai massage that make it so unique is that it is thorough, effective and unhurried, and the receiver ends the session feeling deeply relaxed, yet energised. It is not possible to achieve this end result in a shorter space of time.
If you are thinking of becoming a Thai massage practitioner and want to be able to give professional and traditional Thai massages, then you cannot expect to learn this art form in one day, or even one week, as you will need plenty of time to practise before mastering this art.
As a student of Thai massage it is vital that each section of the massage is taught in manageable chunks, and that there is sufficient time between lessons to practise what has been taught, before moving onto the next section.
For example, on my courses (London Institute of Thai Yoga Massage) students learn how to massage the feet on the first day (Thai massage starts at the feet). They have the whole day to practise this section with supervision, and plenty of time for note taking, Q & A, demonstrations, as well as receiving this section of the massage (amazing how much you will learn from experiencing the massage). Students then have two weeks to practise the foot massage at home on friends and family, before returning to the next lesson. On the next day of the course the same format is used, but this time with students learning the location of the leg lines, and how to apply pressure to them, with palming and thumbing techniques, before again having two weeks to practise and so on.
By the end of the 12-day course, students will have learnt a full Thai massage, with a multitude of stretches, and have a good understanding of how to use their bodies to apply pressure with leaning pressure, (so they do not tire). They will also have learnt when to avoid certain moves, techniques or stretches, ensuring that they are practising safely, and are not going to cause any harm to their clients. They will also have learnt how to choose the techniques that best suit the individual needs of a client on any particular day, and will be confident in their approach, using their feet, forearms, knees, elbows, thumbs & palms.
Most importantly, students who undertake training over the 12 days will have substantial knowledge of Thai massage, including theory, philosophy, correlations to yoga, Buddhism and reflexology, history, sen line location, safe practise, health and safety to name a few.
So when you are searching for your Thai massage course make sure that the training school you chose is going to supply you with all the relevant skills that you will need to ensure you build a business, enjoy your work, practice safely and confidently, and that you learn to give a treatment with the expertise of a professional.

Natasha de Grunwald
Founder and principle tutor, London Institute of Thai Yoga massage
www.learntomassage.co.uk
07885858579

Tennis season is upon us and for those of you who wish to improve your game and play your best tennis, why not consider Thai yoga massage?

Known widely as ‘lazy person’s yoga’ and ‘applied Hatha yoga’ this incredible two-hour massage will certainly improve your performance, and all without lifting a finger!

The massage involves deep pressure, joint mobilization, assisted progressive stretching and applied Yoga, whilst also including reflexology and acupressure. Not many treatments are so unique that they incorporate as many elements into one treatment, and a knowledgeable and qualified Thai practitioner will be able to work out the very best sequence for the individual. If you have a match to play she can concentrate on your problem areas, using all the many varied techniques and multitude of stretches to enhance your performance, increase your flexibility & lengthen the muscles.

Many of the A-list tennis players are known to practise yoga these days as this kind of workout lengthens and tones the muscles, whilst also increasing flexibility and improving energy. Thai yoga massage has very close links to yoga. One only has to look at the postures of either approach to see the similarities. Yet Thai Yoga massage is ‘applied’ to the body whilst the receiver is in a relaxed state, which allows the practitioner to apply a deeper stretch to the body than what he or she might be able to give him/herself.

Two techniques called ‘palming’ and ‘thumbing’ are also given to the receiver’s body before the dynamic yoga stretches are applied, in order to warm up the body sufficiently, before then commencing the postures. This is another of the key points that makes Thai massage different from Yoga, as in a yoga session it is unlikely the teacher will be massaging the body! These two techniques, whilst warming up the muscles, are working more specifically on energy lines in the body. Once these lines have been adequately massaged the body is then ready for the powerful stretches, and the practitioner is able to take each stretch a bit further than she would if she had gone straight into the stretches.

During a Thai massage a sequence of stretches is applied to the body, usually in a series of three. This is a technique called ‘assisted progressive stretching’. The practitioner will first take the receiver into a stretch, finding her limit. She will then release the stretch a small way before reapplying the stretch, this time taking it slightly further until the limit is again reached. She will then repeat this once more, taking the stretch further again, before releasing the stretch and moving onto the next posture where she will start again with the series of three.

A Thai massage usually takes 2 hours, the whole body is massaged and stretched thoroughly, and the receiver is left feeling as though they have had all the benefits of yoga and much more.

For more information on massage treatments and training contact me – Natasha de Grunwald at London Institute of Thai Yoga Massage