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