Chair (On Site) Massage Training - best place to learn?

[KayatoCop]

Hi all,

I want to get qualified in on-site massage and purchase a chair. Any opinions of where is the best place to learn - specifically regarding the depth of the course and its recognition in the UK?
P.S. I'm based in London so looking for courses locally.

And also what brand / type of chair to get? Where to look?

Let the debate begin.
Thanks in advance.

Henry

 

[chris w]

Hi Henry,

The two main companies I have seen are Touch Pro uk and the Academy of On Site massage and I here great things about both, Touch Pro is the UK people who work directly with David Palmer who is the originator of the Chair Massage treatment in the USA. I have read lots of different things about chair to use in this forum and the Avila II by Earthlite and the portal pro by Oakworks are mentioned frequently (I would probably go for the Earthlite as I have a fantastic table by them and cannot praise enough for quality).

Check out these websites for details:

http://www.aosm.co.uk
http://www.stressbustersco.uk (Touch Pro)
http://www.injuryprevention.org.uk (Avila II)

Hope this helps you

 

[David Nelson]

The Academy of On-Site Massage is very good, I know one of their trainers and she is excellent.

As for chairs, I currently own an Earthlite Avilla II, however would say if I was buying a chair again I would go for an Oak Works Portal Pro 3.

Mat xx

 

[sussan]

I have recently qualified with the Academy of OSM. They were brilliant, very professional and effective tutors wtih good course layout and information. I can't recommend them highly enough. They have also been helpful with contacts to get you started with work. I did the course up in London and the tutors there were great. It was run on 3 weekends with work to do inbetween.

As to chairs - definitely spend a bit more and buy the best chair you can. I tried to buy a cheap chair initially - a Trave Pro from Earthgear but it fell to pieces after only a few weeks and I have replaced with a portal pro. The Massage Table Store does a deal for students on the course with AOSM and you can rent a chair to see if you really want one.

Hope this helps and good luck with your new avenue of work!!

 

[Rhyaddan]

Hiya
I have doen the TouchPro course and they are brilliant.... don't like the Oakworks Portal Pro though... I believe AOSM promote them as they are the Oakworks dealer in the UK... try before you buy...TouchPro let you rent chairs to see how you get on.

The TouchPro and AOSM are very very similar with their Kata's (Kata is the technique of Anma massage) if not exactly the same. The acupressure technique was designed by David Palmer (TouchPro)who has been the director of The Anma institute in the Us for ages. David designed the first massage chair way back when....he is a nice guy.

enjoy the course!!!!
The AOSM and another school, I think the Seated Acupressure school have also just merged

 

[Dudly Pikchit]

Thank you all for your replies. I have just enrolled in the AOSM... because they had the most convenient course dates... and I'm going to hold off on choosing a chair til I know what I'm looking at.

I have another question for those of you who do a lot of chair massage. Where does most of your work come from? Do you operate out of a clinic? Do you do home visits? Is it corporate i.e. offices or some other type of environment / client-base, like stands in markets or events? Do you operate out of a clinic? Do you do home visits? Do go through an agency or did you literally go round local businesses, cap in hand (so to speak)? How do you market yourselves?

Ok, that's lots of questions, but I would love to hear how others have set themselves up...

Warm regards

Henry

 

[bryanhughjr]

Hiya Henry
I used to work out at Glasgow Airport doing shifdt work there for a massage company... that got me other company referrals too.
I know that some of the ASOM folks here got together and made their own company and promoted it that way.... you will get more info I am sure when you do the course.
I am sure that your course will cover marketing, the TouchPro one did.
There are a few companies in London that promote chair massage and if you contact them and let them know you do chair massage they will put you on their register. ... try looking through the search engines, I am sure there will be a few of them.
Also there are a few clinics around that have chair massage in their receptions or foyer. Some hotels offer it too.
My friend has a regular spot in Borders books 2 days a week and does really well.
There is also folks at covent garden doing chair massage for festivals etc... maybe something your way similar to that.
Exibitions are good too as are theatres for the folks on stage.
Like everything you start the best way you can and the business will build.
I am sure you will be successful.. chair massage is very popular.. I just got tired of lugging the chair around.........like you say wait till you try the chairs...the oakworks portal pro is big compared to some others... take your time and choose the rioght one for you.. don't just take what the school promote, try them out, rent if you can too.

 

[Larry B]

By the way it's great you chose the AOSM.... my top choices were either the AOSM or TouchPro
I started my chaor massage with TouchPro in the US so it made sense to complete it here and if I decide to go back to the US then the TouchPro course is ok there, the AOSM would not be, just cos TouchPro are an international company., Most of my therapust friends are AOSM and when we worked on each other the Kata was the same, maybe TouchPro were a little more precuse about the footwork... precision dancing around the chair

 

[shellmo_x]

Hi,

Didn't want to start a thread, but has anyone got any advice to give me and information about on-site massage? I have been asked to perform this by my sister's company. The main things I'd like to know are:

Is 10 or 15 minutes better per person?
Which areas would I work on for most effect?
How much would I charge if the employee were to pay? (I live in Derby)
How often would I go to visit?
And any other information gratefully recieved!


Thanks,

Jane.

 

[Danielle T]

Hi Chord,

I'm afraid I can't answer any of your questions, but just wanted to say 'hi' because I notice you're new to HP and from Derby. Am also based in Derby.

Jo
[sm=wave.gif]

 

[CipBerGreelia]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your advice. Here's an update...

I am almost through the AOSM course. Aside from the standard kata, we were also shown a whole range of additional techniques to cover different body types and situations, as well as a number of other routines for the legs and face... a lot more than I expected. I wanted to understand how to translate remedial massage to the chair and the tutor really helped me. I now have enough material to be able to deliver a one hour massage on the chair if I wanted to! The emphasis on foot work and perfect posture when delivering the massage was relentless - something I feel very strongly about. I really didn't expect I would get so much out of it!

In short I have been very impressed... Chord, consider this a recommendation!

Warm regards

Henry

 

[JoMo number 1 fan]

has anyone heard about onsite massage agencies in the uk preferring touchpro graduates to AOSM graduates? i had a rather unnerving tel conversation with touchpro uk where they alluded to this.

cheers

henry

 

[Sidepocket8ball]

hi to everyone on this thread!

I am also strongly considering AOSM course in September (London) as I'm hoping to progress from the 'flat on a couch' massage that I have qualified and practiced in so far!! I'd like to do something more accessible to workplaces etc and hope this will be ideal and help my tiny business to grow..

Wanted to ask if there were any books that anyone could recommend as a taster for this type of massage / course?

Did you find the course hard work (tho' brilliant) Henry? Are their case studies to complete (I read the hours practice you have to complete on their website but wasn't sure if that was in the format of case studies or not?)

Thank you for your thoughts..

HB x

 

[Lesley]

hi hb,

in the practical exam you have to give an instructor the full 25 minute massage as well as screen them beforehand. the verbal screening can be a little tricky because you have to remember all of the contraindications/cautions and how to effectively investigate them... but if you are from a massage background so no problem.

the written exam is quite easy because everything you need to know is provided in the course paperwork so as long as you learn it, you'll be fine.

you have to complete 50 documented massages before you can take your practical exam and record feedback from each client and your thoughts on your performance. this is fine because you are not required to write a huge amount on each treatment (it is essentially a log book as opposed to case studies) but the biggest challenge is getting them done because it is effectively 25 hours of massage.

don't know about any books i'm afraid.

is that what you were after?

cheers

henry

 

[Jon R]

any feedback anyone?

 

[eddie f13]

Henry you're a star!

Yes, thats exactly the info I was hoping for so that I know what will be expected of me commitment-wise before enrolling.

Thanks for the details and not to woryy about the books - I'm sure there'll be plenty of reading material on the course itself.

Reading your other posts on this thread I gather you would pretty much recommend AOSM course?

Love HB x

 

[zasek]

hi hb,

i would highly recommend it... however it would be helpful to you get some feedback on touchpro here in the uk. any takers anyone?

x

henry

 

[Mevaphavivy]

Hello there,
I've passed my chair massage last month. I must admit, that I,ve enjoyed it very much. Our tutor was very knowledgable, and experienced. I was recomended touch pro by my two other teachers, whilst studying swedish massage at essentials for health.
LOL,
meera

 

[Emad]

Thanks Meeran

I also trained with essentials for health so have had the touchpro course praised by the turors too!

It seems both courses are great so I may just opt for those with best dates / venues for me.

Love HB x

 

[~mrs. sanford~]

I'm doing the first part of my TouchPro training this weekend and am looking forward to it very much. I'll pop back in to let you know how I've got on. Henry, I haven't heard about agencies preferring TouchPro to AOSM (or anyone else). They both seem to be highly respected from what I have seen. I am wondering how I'll get on as I haven't had Swedish/holistic massage training. I've done Reflexology and Indian Head Massage among other things. Any reflexologists on here who have trained subsequently in Chair Massage?