UpClose & Personal - Mike McGillicuddy

I conduct interviews with incoming students at my Massage School every year. I tell them there are three skills they will have to master to be successful in the Massage Therapy profession. They are especially true when it comes to Sports Massage.

The first skill is mastering the art of communication. If you do not have the ability to convey what you do in a professional manner how will people know? Are you aware of the ways you communicate with athletes? Do you realize that the way you look and dress make a very powerful impression on the people you massage?

Your brief interview with your athletes instills confidence in them that you know what you are doing. The first massage strokes you do in the beginning of the massage are an unconscious message to the athlete. Do you look, act and feel like you are a great sports massage therapist? Communication is something that you should work on your entire career.

The second skill to master is the art of doing business. How do you meet athletes to massage? If someone asks you what type of massage you do, can you explain what you do in a concise manner? Can you explain how to make an appointment with you easily? Do you do outcalls or do the athletes have to come to you? Do you do massage by appointments only or can they call you anytime? How many days a week are you available? Do you take cash, checks or credit? How do you get to your athletes or how do they get to you easily?

Remember now day's people seem to be in a hurry most of the time. If you do not make it simple for your athletes to do business with you they probably won't do business with you.

The third skill to master is giving a good massage. If you communicate well and you have made it easy for your athletes to do business you still have to deliver the goods.

Giving a good massage requires understanding your athletes needs. After conducting your pre massage interview did you arrive at a goal for your sports massage? Do you know what position you are going to start your athlete in? Do you know the first four massage strokes you are going to apply? Are you able to change your strokes based on feedback from your palpation? Do you know how to check to see if you were able to obtain the goal your set for the massage?

I love the feel of skilled hands giving me a massage. So much of good sports massage is nonverbal and your skill level comes through your hands. How do you develop great skill? The only way I know to develop great skills is to do a lot of massage on a lot of athletes. There is no short cut. I call it pay your dues.

I have been in the Massage Therapy Business for eighteen years and I still learn every year how to communicate better, how to do business easier and how to give a better massage. Sometimes I think that becoming a better sports massage therapist is really about becoming a better human being—we just don't realize it.

Hope what I shared with you helps!

SpiritMcg@aol.com