Are you interested in a career in massage therapy? If you enjoy health and wellness and like helping people this industry might be right for you. The requirements you need to become a therapist can vary depending on the area you live in. Some areas will allow you to become a therapist with no formal training at all. Even if you do live in one of those areas attending school is the best option. Learning massage online or from a book doesn't prepare you to deal with the varied situations you'll encounter once you start working. Here are three reason you should attend massage school before you start your massage practice.

Focused Study of Subjects

A clear understanding of anatomy is essential in a massage practice. Understanding where muscles originate and insert, which movements muscles perform, and what direction muscle fibers run is extremely important to knowing how to treat muscle pain and injury. In massage school, you learn details about human anatomy that will be very valuable to you in diagnosing and treating clients.

Besides anatomy, you'll learn about the history of massage and how to use massage to treat various conditions. You'll also learn about the laws that govern the industry in your area and what you'll need to run a business that follows state regulations.

When studying in a classroom setting you'll have the benefit of learning from your teachers' experiences and from the questions the other students ask in the classroom. You'll also have the opportunity to use a variety of methods to study each subject which will help you learn them more easily. For example, the school I attended used model skeletons and clay to help us learn about muscles. Each time we learned about a muscle we made clay models of them that we attached to the skeleton.

Hands on Experience

When you first learn massage you may be a little unsure with your hands. Practicing each new stroke on other students will help you gain confidence. You'll also have the opportunity to practice draping clients and applying massage lotion. Eventually, you'll get experience working with the public in massage school. You'll handle intake forms and ask your client questions about their health and what they expect from the massage.

Getting all this hands on experience in school will help you avoid making mistakes that could cost you a client once you've started working in the field.

Working with Professional Therapists

Your teachers in massage school can be an invaluable asset. They are usually professional therapists who have worked in the field for many years. They will often volunteer information about their past experiences during class that will help you know what to expect when you start working and how to handle lots of situations. When you have questions or concerns you can go to them and ask them for assistance. Their experiences working in varied settings and different massage modalities can help you decide how you want to precede in your massage career.