Since 2020 when the world changed for covid, so did the entire education system. A large portion of in-person learning has morphed into an on-line massage training model.  When I was a young therapist, the best way to learn a new technique or therapy was to take a seminar.  We would travel to a different city, sit in a hotel conference room with a bunch of other therapists and see how much we could screw each other up by doing techniques that might help our clients but often left us a mess. 

In this post covid world, some in-person learning has returned, but the majority has moved to an on-line education/massage training model. 

When it comes to becoming a massage therapist or bodyworker, the on-line model doesn’t bode well.  

If you have no understanding about anatomy or how tissue moves, it’s very difficult to know if you’re performing a skill correctly, from just watching a video.  This is when in person learning is most needed and beneficial.  There is something to be said about an experienced instructor guiding you through a movement, answering questions and adding small tips that only come up when you’re working side by side with someone

On the flip side, if you’re trying to improve your skills and already have a basic grasp of anatomy and how the body feels and moves, on-line massage training can be a very effective tool in leveling up your ability to help others. 

Here are some other pros and cons regarding online massage courses.

Pro:

• One of the main issues with in-person learning is that you get shown a technique only once or twice. You then try them out on your classmates, and hope you can remember what you did, to then use on your clients once you get home.  With on-line massage training, you can see a detailed demonstration of a particular skill, try it, then repeatedly go back to that demonstration, until you’ve mastered that skill.

Con:

• The Con of this type of learning is that you don’t always have access to a body to practice on and you don’t have direct access to the professor teaching the technique. Having direct access to correct you while learning a hands on technique can be invaluable.  Luckily most online programs will have email access to the professor, helping to close that gap.  

Pro:

• The ability to keep expenses down: Online learning only requires you to pay for the course, this usually allows you access to that training for a period of a year.  
• When taking a massage training course in person, you will have to pay for the course, transportation to and from the location, lodging and not to mention time off from working.  This can all add up to be a very expensive endeavor.  
• When taking an online massage course, no travel expenses need be incurred and you can choose to take the course at your own pace, at a time convenient to you.  This means you don’t have to worry about lost income because of the time you had to take off work.

Pro:

• Access to instructors and courses that before would have been geographically undesirable are now attainable. 
•  If the course is in a different country, that can incur humongous costs to travel, take time off and navigate a foreign country, just to learn a new technique.  
• Now with on-line massage courses, they can be anywhere in the world and you can have access to their training from the comfort of your own home. 

The Online Education Model Is Not Perfect For Everyone

Is the online education model perfect for everyone, no, but when you would like to learn a new skill that can help you achieve amazing results with your clients and take your practice to the next level, there is one good option that I know.  MyoAlign.com was created to help bodyworkers discover the core root of what’s ailing their clients while decreasing pain and increasing range of motion, all in half the time as traditional therapy.

If you would like to learn more about the online massage therapy courses offered by Holden Zalma, click here.