Intro to Sports Massage

Course Description: 

In this class, the student will learn the fundamentals of sports massage plus hands-on skills that can help you attract and retain clients. All of your clients from the serious athlete to the weekend warrior, to the tourist that just spent the day playing in the sun, sand, and surf can benefit from receiving sports and athletic massage techniques! The skills you learn in this class can be incorporated into almost any service - anywhere! 

In this fun hands-on class, you will learn about indications, contraindications, and uses for modern sports massage applications. Many demonstrations and hands-on practice will increase your skill and confidence with these techniques. You will learn a pre and post-event routine, common movement patterns and how to incorporate easy functional assessments into your existing work. You will get a chance to work with multiple tools of the trade, including cupping, guasha, compression boots and learn some 3/4 basic kinesio taping methods. You will have a basic understanding of several different stretching and massage techniques to add to your massage therapist tool belt. This class will teach you how sports massage can treat and prevent common workout-related pain and injuries and keep your clients in the game, pain-free! 

Learning Objectives Upon Completing this Class:

• Students will understand the principle indications and contraindications for sports and athletic massage.
   
• Students will recognize the basic functions of assisted stretching techniques.
   
• Students will be able to perform a client intake.
   
• Students will learn safe sanitization practices for an event.
   
• Students will understand proper lubrication for use sports & event massage.
   
• Students will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between assisted stretching and other massage and bodywork modalities including but not limited to Swedish, Acupressure, Deep Tissue, and Lymphatic Drainage.
   
• Students will list techniques to remember and retain the protocols being taught.
   
• Students will learn to adjust techniques to adapt to client or practitioner limitations if any.
   
• Students will demonstrate mastery of various sequences and techniques and be able to mix and match them according to client needs.
   
• Students will demonstrate proficiency to immediately incorporate aspects of sports and athletic techniques into their massage practice.
   
• Students will explain how they can adapt the Level 1 series to a longer or shorter session.
   
• Students will be introduced to and practice active isolated stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.
   
• Students will learn how to apply compression techniques to stimulate muscle tissue.
   
• Students will learn how to apply compression techniques for muscle tissue recovery.
   
• Students will understand and use reciprocal inhibition.
   
• Students will learn how to use muscle testing for assessment.
   
• Students will learn a full-body routine that can be lengthened or shortened to add to their practice.
   
• Students will leave class with enthusiasm to immediately incorporate techniques learned into their massage routines.
   

CE's
 

The introductory version of this class offers 12 live, hands-on, NCBTMB-approved continuing education hours.