This is a question we’ve been getting a lot lately–not only from people wanting to learn barefoot massage, but also from those who are interested in teaching. What’s the difference between FasciAshi from the Center for Barefoot Massage and Ashiatsu massage from other programs? Intuitive versus a routine There are many differences such as how we teach educated, intuitive myofascial work…
Have you ever gotten really excited to see a new client walk into your massage office because they’re so big that they are going to be an AWESOME barefoot massage client? But then you have a moment of dismay because they are so big that you don’t have room for your feet on the table? I’ve tried hanging on for…
“In 3 days, we’ll teach you to intuitively use your feet like you do your hands.” This is true, but there’s more to learning barefoot massage than that. Sometimes we get therapists who look ridiculously amazing when they are in their barefoot massage training class for the first time. Sometimes they have a dance or ice skating background, and other times…
Jeni and I have been featured on Massage Business Blueprint’s podcast with the subject being “What you need to know before you take a CE class.” In the interview, we discuss our history into how we became massage therapists and forayed into the careers we have now. We also go over various points of our experience in having taught for…
Strange title, right? Why would we tell you to not take our ashiatsu certification training when we obviously want people to take our classes? While this may come across as a little snarky, it’s not meant to be–it’s honest insight on if you’ll be a good fit for our barefoot massage workshops.
We are not for everyone. Craniosacral is not the best massage for the client who wants deep tissue and barefoot massage is over the top for clients who are petite or want a feather touch.
There’s a fair amount of competition for barefoot massage certification training.
You can learn online with some companies. Maybe you think you can figure it out from YouTube videos with no formal training at all. Or find an old DVD on the topic.
We are not your people.
Today’s Wow Wednesday testimonial features Deb Fukano, a fantastic massage therapist of 18 years! She originally learned barefoot massage about 10 years ago and came into our FasciAshi class to learn new moves and invigorate her career. She raves: The more I do the new ashi the more I’m hooked. Love the strap! The slowness is what I love the most.…
As I mentioned in our last blog post, our Tuesday Toesday tips aren’t usually rocket science. Sometimes they are easy fixes that just take us a heck of a long time to figure out for some reason. Today’s tip for scooting the client up is one of those — super easy but with big results.
Although I am normal height (5’5″), my legs are short. So for years when I tried to do seated anterior neck, shoulder, and pec work, I’d get myself into some bad body mechanics.
The client was all cozy on the massage table like they were in bed for the night, far away from the head of the table.
Since I couldn’t reach their neck our shoulders well, I’d try a variety of, shall we say, interesting positions.
Perhaps you’ve tried these too:
- scooting the stool forward so you can reach the client’s neck and therefore giving yourself no back support.
- leaving the stool nestled by the wall and keeping your back there but scooting your rear end forward, giving you no lower back support.
- tilting your stool forward, praying that it doesn’t tip over and thrusting you on your client’s head!
- hunched like Quasimoto with a foot on the floor and the other foot on your client and using no stool
When Jeni, Paul, and I started this little business in 2017, and we spent a lot of time visioning and planning how we could make our barefoot massage company different from others. Not only in the strokes and how we teach, but in our post-class support. A barefoot massage membership site made sense.
It would be a place for our community to review strokes, download marketing and business materials, ideas on how to better run their massage studio and more.
I’ve been doing barefoot massage since 2002, and Jeni was shortly behind me in 2003.
Together with our instructors, we’ve learned so much about what helps barefoot therapists.
By the same token we’ve also discovered what also prevents other skilled therapists who have learned ashiatsu from actually doing it in their studio and growing a business.
Once you’ve learned barefoot massage and have practiced, sometimes the biggest challenge is how the heck you get your clients to try it. Let’s talk about the transition to ashiatsu barefoot massage.
The question recently came up in our FB alumni group, so we thought this might be a question that others have as well.
First off, you must practice and accept feedback from non-paying clients about your newfound barefoot skills. Why non-paying? Because if you are fantastic at hands-on massage but only mediocre, at best, from having recently learned ashiatsu, your clients will not love your new skills.
They’ll say, “Thanks, but I’ll stick with what I know and love” or some similar jargon that will deflate you and make you wonder what you’re doing wrong.
Our Center for Barefoot Massage membership site is now live in beta testing! There are different levels based on what classes you’ve taken with us. And we’ve even got a free level even if you haven’t taken our classes. Yes, sometimes you get something for nothing. 😀
Today we’re adding another bonus: free downloadables for Valentine’s Day.