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What supplies would you recommend to a new LMT e.g. table warmers, thumb savers, etc ?
I am nearing the end of my training and would like to get the professional lowdown on the items you consider essentials to your practice.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on
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My advise is to experiment with as many oils as you can and learn about them. try blending carriers and essential oils. the only thing you need in massage is your body and a body to work on. The extras are a comfortable table or massage chair. From there you might add lots of things but your skill and knowledge is the essential element.
What type of massage do you want to do? That is a first step. Then try this at several locations or call them in if you want to do outcall. See what you like.
Women tend to like to be bundled and secure with scents (check on this because I have many female clients that have allergies and don't even want oil), music and consider the eye masks. Men are easy, a towel for draping and a scentless oil and a good deep heat rub like Sombra for the painful muscles.
Work on your ergonomics if you think you need a ThumbSaver. You lose connection with tools. Since it is summer, wait for winter to get a table warmer.
As far as I'm concerned it is all about skill and how you connect with your client. And you will know when they stop going elsewhere for a massage.
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Permalink Reply by Sharon Fields on
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Thanks Daniel -- what is your favorite oil carrier ?
Daniel Cohen said:My advise is to experiment with as many oils as you can and learn about them. try blending carriers and essential oils. the only thing you need in massage is your body and a body to work on. The extras are a comfortable table or massage chair. From there you might add lots of things but your skill and knowledge is the essential element.
What type of massage do you want to do? That is a first step. Then try this at several locations or call them in if you want to do outcall. See what you like.
Women tend to like to be bundled and secure with scents (check on this because I have many female clients that have allergies and don't even want oil), music and consider the eye masks. Men are easy, a towel for draping and a scentless oil and a good deep heat rub like Sombra for the painful muscles.
Work on your ergonomics if you think you need a ThumbSaver. You lose connection with tools. Since it is summer, wait for winter to get a table warmer.
As far as I'm concerned it is all about skill and how you connect with your client. And you will know when they stop going elsewhere for a massage.
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Permalink Reply by Vlad on
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-Good reference material handy and well organized paper/computer files for client records/accounts/payment handling, including credit card handling (getting that system right when you start off might be trial and error, but once you've all the elements in place it will save you so much hassle)
-Good table (Ty hit it there - a narrow table might be good for you, but it sucks for the larger client)
-Good sheets (it's weird, but don't go for the designer sheets - they don't last. Just go for a good thread count)
-Table warmer
-Soft blankets
-Good sound system and good selection of music (unless you're in a purely medical setting)
-Heater AND fan in room - temperature of room is important
-Towel warmer (even if you don't do spa treatments, using them on feet is a good idea - and sometimes you will have some rather ripe feet)
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Ty,
I am putting the padding/warmer on my todo list for sure; even in my desert environment most pros seem to have them. What do you mean by 'nice sheets'. I am a skilled sewer and I have dyed and sewn all of my sheets so far, they are high quality cotton but I have heard good things about bamboo fabrics. What are your favorites ? Also how many pillows/bolsters should I have handy ? Gosh I appreciate this everyone !!!
Ty Capuano said:Hi Sharon -
The one essential I must have is a great table. It is where I invested the most dollars. Deep padding, table warmer, a comfortable face rest and really nice sheets. A hot towel cabinet is great to have and a variety of bolsters are useful.
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Permalink Reply by connie ruiz on
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oil must be water soluble (you won't like spotted linens), formentek (very practical), flannel sheets (year round, best presentation, even that i am in a warm/hot area you'll need them) but over all do not stop learning, try to keep students mind open to learning, every person that you touch it is a challenge so keep humble and gratefull for the opportunity to heal people, çause it's what you become!!! blessings and take care yourself.
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Permalink Reply by Susan G. Salvo on
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Hey Sharon,
I agree wtih Ty and Vlad that a top grade table is the best choice.
Be sure your accessories include a stool.
They also make this awesome face rest cushion with spheres of water. My client's love it. It's worth every dime.
Good luck to ya.
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Permalink Reply by Marissa on
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Treatment: Always have one or two extra blankets, you never know the individual client preference. I always have 4 pillows on hand for propping, plus most clients have pillows at home (not bolsters) so they can feel the correct way to be aligned at home. I also have a 'memory foam' twin mattress topper on my table. It's so much better than the standard egg crate topper. I can't tell you how many clients say they wish they could take the table home to sleep on. If you prefer working with oil, I suggest HobaCare 100% certified organic jojoba. Read all the info on the website about this product. My clients prefer it over every other product I've tried.
Marketing: Striking business cards, brochures, and website, if possible. If you are a member of ABMP, you get a "free" website included with your yearly fees. Take advantage of it. Add your information (regardless of website) on Local Yahoo and Google listings, as well as Merchant Circle. Let them know where to find you!
CYA: INSURANCE. Immaculate SOAP records. See Rosemary's first line again. :)
Personal: Passion, endurance, ambition, courage. It may take longer than you realize to create a clientele that will sustain your lifestyle. You may want to have another "part-time" position while you grow your business. Yes, you just spent all this time at school to train for your exciting new career, but bills need to be paid. It may be a necessity, it is not "beneath" you.
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If only one, I would say Jojoba. It is all purpose. If you like a thinner mix a little grapeseed oil. If you want more stick sesame or castor bean oil are good but just a bit. Experiment to get feed back from clients and to see how they affect your strokes.
Sharon Fields said:Thanks Daniel -- what is your favorite oil carrier ?
Daniel Cohen said:My advise is to experiment with as many oils as you can and learn about them. try blending carriers and essential oils. the only thing you need in massage is your body and a body to work on. The extras are a comfortable table or massage chair. From there you might add lots of things but your skill and knowledge is the essential element.
What type of massage do you want to do? That is a first step. Then try this at several locations or call them in if you want to do outcall. See what you like.
Women tend to like to be bundled and secure with scents (check on this because I have many female clients that have allergies and don't even want oil), music and consider the eye masks. Men are easy, a towel for draping and a scentless oil and a good deep heat rub like Sombra for the painful muscles.
Work on your ergonomics if you think you need a ThumbSaver. You lose connection with tools. Since it is summer, wait for winter to get a table warmer.
As far as I'm concerned it is all about skill and how you connect with your client. And you will know when they stop going elsewhere for a massage.
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Good list, especially the credit card service and machine. Check with stores around you to see who they use. My business started 90% cash but with this economy it has reversed. I had UnitedBank Service but changed to USBank Card Service for better rates and the Automated Gift Cards (you can use them for buy X get 1 free cards too).
Vlad said:-Good reference material handy and well organized paper/computer files for client records/accounts/payment handling, including credit card handling (getting that system right when you start off might be trial and error, but once you've all the elements in place it will save you so much hassle)
-Good table (Ty hit it there - a narrow table might be good for you, but it sucks for the larger client)
-Good sheets (it's weird, but don't go for the designer sheets - they don't last. Just go for a good thread count)
-Table warmer
-Soft blankets
-Good sound system and good selection of music (unless you're in a purely medical setting)
-Heater AND fan in room - temperature of room is important
-Towel warmer (even if you don't do spa treatments, using them on feet is a good idea - and sometimes you will have some rather ripe feet)
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I tried the bamboo sheets and was not happy with them. The ones I tried were too stretchy. I like to use Jersey. I was very interested in bamboo as a sustainable textile. As I looked into it, I found that the process to make the thread uses harsh chemicals and is one of the worst contamenants among textiles.
Last year I redid my carpets. I would now prefer to have laid tile and use throw rugs. It would have been much easier to clean and more sanitary. With MRSA more and more prevelent, I believe sanitation should be a first consideration for Massage clinics and Spas. It protects both the client and us.
My tatami room for mat work is pretty easy to keep clean and I like working in it.
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Permalink Reply by Anne Brennan on
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I think that everyone has their personal favorites and preferences. Speaking for myself I have found that I prefer grapeseed oil by far over other carrier oils, it can be used alone for clients who don't care for or are allergic to scents, it has no nut oils at all which takes the possibility of accident allergic exposure and it also integrates with essential oils beautifully. It absorbs rather slowly which makes reapplication less often, glides great..and doesnt stain and never feels greasy. Other than that I have found a table warmer is a major benefit to my clients. When I was in massage therapy school one of my instructors used to say that table warmers were a gift to your client and I thought it was an exaggeration...but it really makes for a comfortable beginning to the process. I also have a preference for fleece face cradle covers, they leave no sheet marks which also doesn't cause the uncomfortable attention to the creases on the clients foreheads.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Erickson on
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Lots of other good replies, but I must differ about oil. We stopped using oil years ago because we found an organic massage cream that is vastly superior to any oil we have ever seen/tried. The cream works great for all kinds of bodywork, absorbs well into the skin following the massage, and is water dispersable, so it washes easily without staining linens. Our clients love the feel and the very light scent, and not one person has had an adverse reaction to it.
We will never go back to using oils again.
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