The profession of massage therapist attracts many. Firstly, it brings good income, and secondly, anyone can master it. But just where to start your journey? What does it take to become a massage therapist? And how long will it take to learn the basics of the profession?
It would seem that finding answers to all these questions is quite simple. But it’s worth digging a little deeper - and hidden facts come up that generate more and more questions. Therefore, in order to dispel all myths and prejudices in one fell swoop, let's talk about how you can really become a good massage therapist in Russia.
The first step is the most difficult
Let's say a plan called “I want to become a masseur” arose in your head. Thinking about it, you will obviously come to the conclusion that this is a good idea, which is easy to realize. But for some reason, most people simply do not go beyond empty ranting.
Therefore, the first advice will be banal: "Act!" That is, do not just read the article on how to become a massage therapist, but really begin to follow all the recommendations that are written in it. After all, the only way to succeed. And remember: the first step is the most difficult, it will be easier next.
What qualities should a massage therapist have
So, let's put aside thoughts of professional skills for a while and focus on what personal qualities each massage therapist should have. After all, if a person does not have those, he will have to sweat a lot in order to develop them in himself.
- Good physical shape is the first necessary minimum, since almost all types of massage require strength in the hands. Otherwise, the specialist will not be able to properly stretch large muscles and tendons.
- Endurance and patience are the key to productive work. This is due to the fact that some massage sessions can stretch for an entire hour, or even more. Therefore, a person must prepare himself in advance for such tests of the soul and body.
- Indomitable craving for knowledge. For some reason, some specialists stop, having studied only a few massage techniques. This is the wrong approach, because a good master has many skills. Therefore, if you seriously think about how to become a massage therapist, you should be prepared for the fact that you will have to study for the rest of your life.
On the threshold of an important choice
There are several ways to learn the profession of a massage therapist. At the same time, any of them will have both its pros and cons. Therefore, it will be right to discuss them in separate paragraphs in order to figure out which one is still better.
In short, the first way is to finish preparatory courses, which will give an idea of the basics of this profession. The second is to go to a medical college or school, which will open access to more popular massage techniques.
How to become a massage therapist without a medical education
Many people incorrectly believe that the presence of a medical diploma is a fundamental factor in the work of every massage therapist. However, this is far from the truth. Today, thousands of specialists in various parts of our country successfully cope with their duties, without having at all any medical education.
After all, the truth is that the basics of mastery can be learned at special massage courses. At the same time, they are carried out in almost every city, with the exception of perhaps remote provinces and small villages. Therefore, registering for such courses is as simple as it would be a desire to study. Now about the advantages of such training:
- The first is accessibility. On average, the cost of training varies from 4 to 8 thousand rubles for the entire course. And thanks to this, everyone can accumulate enough funds for its passage.
- Secondly, a quick result. The basics of massage can be learned in 2-3 months, which will soon start working in this specialty.
- Thirdly, upon graduation, all graduates are issued special certificates that allow them to officially work in this field.
However, there are also disadvantages. And the main one is that the presence of such an education does not give authority for conducting therapeutic massage courses. And this greatly limits the list of places where the master can work, and also cuts his upper bar of monthly income.
On the path to excellence
The fact that you can become a massage therapist without a medical education is pure truth. But in this case, you will have to come to terms with the fact that you cannot provide certain types of services. For example, the same therapeutic massage that is so in demand by people of advanced age.
Therefore, it will be quite reasonable to talk about how to become a massage therapist with a medical education. And again, there are two ways of development of events:
- The first is to graduate from a medical school, college or university, and then take massage courses. Naturally, this option is best considered by those who have already received a doctor’s or medical assistant’s diploma, since it’s stupid to spend 4 years of your life just for the sake of getting this profession.
- The second is to go to special preparatory classes for therapeutic massage. They are carried out at medical schools, universities, clinics or centers. However, it will take much longer to study here than in regular courses. But the end result justifies such costs.
Specialization Choice
It should be clearly understood that today there are a huge number of varieties of massage. Therefore, in order not to torment myself with the question: “Why did I become a massage therapist in this area, and not in another?”, Let's discuss the main areas of the profession.
- Cosmetic or relaxing massage. The beauty of this trend is that for him it is not necessary to have a medical education. Just go through the training course and you can start searching for customers. In addition, over time it is quite possible to improve your skills by choosing one of the narrow areas. For example, aromatic and energetic massages are very popular today.
- Wellness. In this case, the healing properties of the procedures are put in first place, which requires certain knowledge in medicine. The practical skills of a specialist are no less important, because, unlike cosmetic massage, any inaccurate movement can harm the patient. This is especially true when it comes to patients suffering from defects in bones or muscle tissue.
- Oriental. Although this is a relatively new direction for Russia, today it is very much in demand. So, Thai massage parlors are opening in many cities today, and their client list is truly impressive.
How to become a massage therapist, or what will you have to learn?
No matter what specialization a specialist chooses, he will still have to master the following basics:
- general human anatomy;
- basic hand massage techniques;
- features of the use of vegetable oils and extracts;
- rules of sanitary control at the workplace.
A few words about practical skills
So how to become a good massage therapist? The answer is quite simple: to be able to do an excellent massage. Alas, to achieve this, courses alone will not be enough. After all, they will not be able to give one important thing - practical skills. After all, no matter how hard the teachers try, they simply cannot give due attention to all students.
Thus, the fate of students is in their hands. In order to better consolidate the material you have learned, tirelessly repeat the lesson in practice. Fortunately, few today will refuse a free massage session. In addition, you can always bring your loved ones, friends or even neighbors to this process. And who knows, maybe in the future they will be your main customers.
Where to go to work?
We talked about how to become a massage therapist, now it remains to understand where then to look for a job. The good news is that you can even receive customers at home, the main thing is to get a massage table and some accessories and supplies (the same oils). At the same time, even several receptions per day are able to quickly recoup the money invested in training.
But for those who want to develop, it is better to think about working in a massage parlor. Thanks to the constant influx of customers, you can quickly develop practical skills, which in the future will only play into the hands. Well, if you have a medical education, then a private clinic or sanatorium will be an ideal place of work, since the level of payment here is the highest.
How much do massage therapists in Russia get
Is it possible to become a massage therapist and still earn little? Of course, you can, especially if you do nothing. Indeed, one of the main features of this profession is that each specialist himself determines the minimum threshold for his salary. So, working in the clinic, the master can calmly accept additional clients after school hours. Or, owning a massage room, a person may well conduct preparatory courses in it or read seminars.
As for the approximate figures, the minimum bar varies between 15-20 thousand rubles per month. Little? Yes, but, as practice shows, most good craftsmen work for a lot of money. So, their average indicator in Russia stopped at around 45 thousand rubles a month. However, there are those who manage to help out from 80 to 90 thousand rubles. What is true, such income requires maximum dedication and an innovative approach to business from a person. Go for it!