Becoming a massage therapist.

[Deleted User] · 09/02/14 - 15:28

Hi All,

I want to earn extra cash & I'd like to become a part time massage therapist at the weekend.
I am finding that google isn't being that much help! Does anyone have any ideas on how I should go about it? What is the requirement qualification to practice?
Thanks
Strict

gulliverfoyle · 09/02/14 - 19:37

will you do extras?

scottie2121 · 09/02/14 - 21:25

Have you tried looking for courses at a local FE college?

Zenton · 10/02/14 - 00:01

You don't need any training just advertise on an adult website. Although I doubt there's almost zero demand for a male masseuse, not unless your gay and provide more intimate services.

[Deleted User] · 10/02/14 - 00:20

I can see this career choice having a happy finish.

Summer Breeze · 10/02/14 - 01:06

Strict wrote: »

Hi All,

I want to earn extra cash & I'd like to become a part time massage therapist at the weekend.
I am finding that google isn't being that much help! Does anyone have any ideas on how I should go about it? What is the requirement qualification to practice?
Thanks
Strict

Where do you live to answer that properly.
A 'proper' massage person is a rare find, by that I mean one who is very skilled at it.

It is not cheap to go on proper courses, and of course to set up a room takes money.
Attracting clientele is not as easy as you may think as well.

Not many young men would even think of this, how come you think you can do it please may I ask?

QFour · 10/02/14 - 02:35

I can see a problem advertising

Pumping Iron · 10/02/14 - 12:21

I did an nvq level two in sports massage at college. I hope you have strong hands op!

Toby LaRhone · 10/02/14 - 12:32

Strict wrote: »

Hi All,

I want to earn extra cash & I'd like to become a part time massage therapist at the weekend.
I am finding that google isn't being that much help! Does anyone have any ideas on how I should go about it? What is the requirement qualification to practice?
Thanks
Strict

Well, being positive, you have a good professional name.
I'd start off with a sturdy ironing board or wallpaper pasting table with a hole sawn out so they can fit their face through, get some nice appropriate CD's, build up some clientele and then save up for an upstairs room in your local pub or bookies.

Cissy Fairfax · 10/02/14 - 12:49

It would depend if you're going to be a specialist in a particular field. I'd only use a massage therapist if I had a strain or niggle and would at the least need to have felt like it was well worked on at the end. Most of the masseurs I have used have been highly skilled and knew the exact style and techniques for each injury or strain.

Aura101 · 10/02/14 - 18:54

If you are male, then sports massage is what you would need to qualify in.
That way you get could get a job at health clubs etc.

If you just want to do Swedish massage then the only way you are going to make decent $$ is if you add extras

I'm not joking around either.
I knew a guy with a lovely big house with a merc in the driveway.
He is in his 40s, but all he appears to do these days is massage from his home, then yanks the dinkle of his clients for the happy ending.

Summer Breeze · 10/02/14 - 18:59

Aura101 wrote: »

If you are male, then sports massage is what you would need to qualify in.
That way you get could get a job at health clubs etc.

If you just want to do Swedish massage then the only way you are going to make decent $$ is if you add extras

I'm not joking around either.
I knew a guy with a lovely big house with a merc in the driveway.
He is in his 40s, but all he appears to do these days is massage from his home, then yanks the dinkle of his clients for the happy ending.

So he has male clients then, no women?

Aura101 · 10/02/14 - 19:04

Summer Breeze wrote: »

So he has male clients then, no women?

Well yeah. Is there a market for female customers?

Summer Breeze · 10/02/14 - 19:44

Aura101 wrote: »

Well yeah. Is there a market for female customers?

Maybe not for the happy ending

unless he is really good ;-)

luckylila · 10/02/14 - 20:28

If you're serious, there's good information about courses/qualifications and professional bodies here.

I am female and have used both male and female massage therapists (I have a medical condition which affects my muscles - massage helps), but I would be VERY wary of a male therapist unless a) I had a personal recommendation from a trusted friend and b) he was fully qualified, and c) he had a very well-established reputation.

You may find it difficult at first to build up a clientele, as both men and women tend to favour female massage therapists for Swedish / aromatherapy massage. You'd have less of that problem with sports massage, but still might struggle to find clients at first.

Other things you need to consider: you'll need to be comfortable massaging all shapes and sizes of bodies, including the obese, the elderly and those with nasty skin conditions etc. Are you OK with all that? Also, the cost of the course plus the cost of the equipment is a BIG investment (the courses are very pricey, then there's the table, supply of laundered towels, disposable paper covers for the table, oils, membership of professional bodies etc) - it's a pretty big outlay. If you are only going to be working a few hours a week, it may take you a very long time to break even.

Wolfsheadish · 10/02/14 - 20:35

I can't speak for where you live, but here it's a three-year full-time college course and is very expensive. Of course once you're qualified you have the potential of earning some good money and it's the kind of career that you can carry with you almost anywhere in the world. Good luck!

Hey there!

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