Massage Therapist AND Personal Trainer? - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Theunbreakableone]

I'm on the verge of getting back into personal training and I was wondering if anyone here does both personal training AND massage therapy? It seems to me that being able to offer both services would a.) keep me busy if one area's slow, and b.) be an attractive combination for potential clients.

I'm thinking about heading back to school to become a certified massage therapist.

Thoughts? - good idea, waste of time, you don't know?

[kaiserS]

I personally think this is a bad idea - focus on one and be excellent at it -

Also, massage therapy is very taxing work with a high rate of burnout -

Training on the other hand has much greater leverage possibilities such as hiring assistants and bootcamps -

I've found most clients would prefer a specialist, whether a trainer or masseuse - like they say, jack of all trades is a master of none -

[StephGuy]

Hey,

Good advice Kaiser, I agree. I've been asked if I do both and I refused. I rather focus PT.

Steph

[Joe Cannon MS CSCS]

I get a lot of massage therapist in the certification classes I do. apparently a lot are thinking the same way you are
joe

[megfit]

Hm; or I wonder, Joe, if the MTs are burnt out and want something a little more active???

Here's the bottom line, breakable one: What do you ENJOY? Would you ENJOY ("love") massage therapy? Or are you just considering it another way to make money? If you do ANYTHING just as a way to make money, you'll burn out and not be very successful. You have to love what you do.

Margie

[Joe Cannon MS CSCS]

thats a good point Margie. I'll have to take a survey of those MTs who also do training and see how many combine the two - and do it for any length of time.
jeo

[therapist]

I am cent percent agree with kaiser's opinion. You should have to select one field and be the best in that field. If you go for the both practices then you 'll never get perfection in the single field. So my advice is that put your focus on single field. I hope you 'll consider our suggestions.

[crismills2]

I think that this issue entirely depends upon what your scope of practice is regarding your personal training. I personally find a massage license highly valuable. Although I am consistently working with individuals that have pain issues, that can very often be resolved with highly skilled soft tissue work. Although, I do not offer relaxation massage, which is what a majority of you may be referring to. In the scope of corrective exercise and post therapy work, I find it imperative to be a licensed massage therapist and have detailed knowledge of neuromuscular therapy modalities and other triggerpoint work. But like I said from the get go, it all just depends on what your particular forte is in the world of personal trainers.

[Rick Harimau]

Master of none jack of all trades?

If you really want o be the best PT and the best Masseur you might have a problem just be good enough
in both and becoming an average masseur takes less knowledge the an average PT-er ?

But maybe I don't know where I'm talkin about