When you enroll into a training program in any of the massage schools in Flagstaff, AZ, you will learn many techniques (also called modalities) for massage. There are two genres of massage: Eastern and Western.
Eastern massages originate in traditional Asian medicine. Shiatsu is a Japanese massage modality, and the term shiatsu translates into English as “finger pressure.” It is an interactive modality that requires the massage therapist to work collaboratively with the client to fix problems with ki, or internal energy, imbalances.
How Does Shiatsu Massage Work?
The massage therapist uses a combination of finger pressure, as the name implies, and rotating the body’s limbs to encourage the movement of lymph and blood around the body. They do this in continuously and rhythmically to encourage the body itself to respond to the pressure and promote its own self-healing process.
True Shiatsu massage takes place on a low table or on a soft pad on the floor to give the massage therapist the correct leverage to apply pressure. Unlike Swedish massage, which requires long strokes across bare skin, Shiatsu massage relies on applying pressure along points on the meridians of the body. Therefore, Shiatsu massage is ideal for clients who are not yet comfortable removing their clothes, or for quick massages in public places.
Additionally, since the pressure is localized and very specific, this reduces the amount of friction between the massage therapist’s hands and the client’s skin, eliminating the need for massage oil.
Shiatsu is a truly holistic massage, and it is currently the number-one form of manual massage in Japan. It has a bond with traditional medicine and the belief that the human body is an amazing being that is able to repair itself when its energy is in balance.
What Can Shiatsu Massage Treat?
Shiatsu has physical and emotional health impacts.
Physically, it relieves pain in deep muscle and increases the flow of lymph and blood in the body’s circulatory system. This allows the body to clean itself from waste and optimize the flow of oxygen. Shiatsu also helps treat pain associated with fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal pain, and muscle stiffness.
Emotionally, shiatsu massage manipulation of the body’s muscles creates an intrinsic reaction with the brain to relieve stress and anxiety. The improvement of oxygen in the body also results in better mood and higher levels of energy and balance.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Shiatsu at Massage Schools In Flagstaff?
The state of Arizona requires 750 hours of training in order for a massage therapy student to earn their certification post graduating from massage schools in Flagstaff. The amount of hours spent studying Shiatsu specially will change from school to school.
If you feel like you did not get enough training in Shiatsu, there are many opportunities to hone the skill via CEU’s, or continuing education units.
