+ Why are Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu courses so affordable?

I love Ashiatsu because I've benefited so much from it. I believe every massage therapist should have the ability to use all 4 limbs to perform therapeutic massage benefitting not only themsleves but their clients too. I almost exclusively do Ashiatsu and use it with every client I see. I occasionally use my hands or elbows. I explain why and how I use my hands and elbows in the live and eLearning courses.

Ashiatsu is an investment in yourself and your massage career. I want as many LMT as possible to know how to do Ashiatsu so both they and their clients can benefit from it like I have. I have no physical ailments or repetitive stress injuries from massaging clients thanks to Ashiatsu. Making the courses more afforable makes them more accessible to LMT.

I want you to have a long and happy career in massage therapy and Ashiatsu can do that for you. When I decided to teach my form of Ashiatsu I did it with the goal to offer LMT the most and the highest quality Ashiatsu education at more affordable prices than anyone else. I don't hold anything back and teach students as much as I can in the time we have in live classes. eLearning classes teach everything from full body Ashiatsu routines and proper and improper body mechanics to marketing, business development, and so much more.

+ Where are Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu Live classes held?

NATIONWIDE CLASSES COMING SOON Live classes have been held in Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee. Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu home base is in Peabody, MA. Peabody is 25 minutes north of Boston.

+ What is Ashiatsu?

Ashiatsu is a form of therapeutic massage in which the massage therapist performs therapeutic massage using their feet rather than hands, forearms, and elbows. For more information visit the "What is Ashiatsu" page.

+ Do I have to be a Licensed Massage Therapist to learn Ashiatsu?

Most students are LMT but you don't have to be to take a Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu course. Both Live and eLearning courses can be taken by Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Athletic Trainer's, or any person with a strong background in anatomy & physiology as well as bodywork. Most US states do require a person to hold a license in massage therapy to provide therapeutic massage to customers.

+ Should I take a a Live or eLearning Ashiatsu course?

This is a personal choice that you want to base on the type of learner you are but both options are great ways to learn Ashiatsu. A few big positives that the eLearning courses have is that you're able to learn at your own pace, you have LIFETIME ACCESS to the course(s) you sign up for, and you can learn Ashiatsu for a fraction of the cost saving you THOUSANDS of dollars. Having lifetime access to the eLearning videos allows you to watch and follow along with the videos as much as you'd like ensuring you don't ever forget details about any Ashiatsu stroke and always perform them as correctly and effortlessly as possible while giving clients the best results possible. This allows you to advance your Ashiatsu skills very quickly and you can become an advanced Ashiatsu practitioner in a matter of weeks to months because you have more time to practice and absorb the information that's taught. Even if you prefer learning in a live setting I still recommend you sign up for an eLearning course before or after your live class because the videos help you improve your Ashiatsu skills much more quickly than a live class alone.

You must be self-motivated to succeed with an eLearning course. These courses are designed to teach you Ashiatsu as if you were taking multiple private Ashiatsu sessions with me. This is why they can advance your skills so quickly.

Live Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu courses are a great way to learn Ashiatsu and students go on to perform Ashiatsu successfully in their practice without ever taking an eLearning course. These classes are taught in a small group setting and are guided by the instructor in-person. You receive feedback in real time while practicing Ashiatsu on another student or a practice body provided for you. The live and eLearning courses teach the same information and Ashiatsu strokes but live classes are done in a shorter period of time, 2 days. After taking a live class you will still need to practice on your own before offering it as a service to clients. This is because Ashiatsu is a completely new set of skills and will take time to feel comfortable with. Some students begin performing Ashiatsu on clients within days of taking a live class and others can take longer before they are comfortable enough to offer it. It's very individualized as to how quickly students begin offering it as part of their massage services. So even after taking a live class you still need to be self-motivated in order to develop and advance your Ashiatsu skills.

No matter the class type you choose to learn Ashiatsu through, you can feel certain that it will give you the tools needed to learn Ashiatsu quickly and safely. I am available during and after your class for a much support and help as you need.

+ What are the physical requirements needed to learn Ashiatsu

If you take a live class you will be receiving Ashiatsu from another student and myself. If you have any contraindications that prevent you from receiving massage and deep tissue massage you will not be able to take and participate in a live Ashiatsu class. If you're unsure if it will be safe for you to receive Ashiatsu in class please contact me before signing up for a live class.

For Ashiatsu Bar you must be able to stand up and down from the massage table and sit to and from a stool easily. You are taught how to do this properly. Most set their table and stool between 24-30 inches depending on your height and the height of your bars.

Ashiatsu is very simple to perform but when you first begin to learn it can feel very awkward and cause you to use more strength than needed and waste energy. Each time you practice and perform Ashiatsu it will physically and mentally feel easier and easier for you to do. A lot of strength isn't needed to perform Ashiatsu. In fact, the easier Ashiatsu feels for you the better results your clients will experience. Upper body strength is needed for advanced Ashiatsu but not to perform it. It's needed to ensure client safety.

For seated Ashiatsu the more leg and hip strength/dexterity you have the easier and more comfortable learning seated techniques will be. With practice you'll improve and strengthen quickly.

For more information visit the "Physical Requirements" page to watch demonstration videos.

+ Is there a weight or height limit to do Ashiatsu?

In general, no there is not. For Ashiatsu Bar the taller you are can effect your ability to do standing Ashiatsu if your ceilings are low. You may have to have your table at a very low setting. Height doesn't effect your ability to do Ashiatsu Floor because you're standing on the floor.

No matter your weight you can learn to control the amount of pressure you apply and work on anyone no matter their body weight in comparison to yours. Ashiatsu can be as light as Swedish massage or the deepest pressure a massage therapist could ever give a client. When you first begin practicing Ashiatsu it will be best to perform Ashiatsu on people who like deep pressure massage. This will allow you to learn to control your pressure and keep clients safe. Your massage table must be able to support your weight plus the client's weight. As far as I know most massage tables are rated to support 500 pounds or more. Check your tables weight limit before using it for Ashiatu.

Advanced Ashiatsu techniques aren't for every client. Especially if you're much heavier than a client. I have personally done advanced Ashiatsu on clients who weigh 80 pounds less than me. I don't do every advanced stroke I know on every client who I choose to do advanced strokes with. Just the strokes that they will benefit from and I know are safe to do with them based on my assessment. I actually don't use advanced Ashiatsu strokes with the majority of my clients.

Beginner and intermediate Ashiatsu strokes are performed with one foot on the table or floor while the other foot is used to massage the client. These strokes are much easier to control the pressure you apply than advanced strokes. For the large majority of Ashiatsu massages that I do, I only use beginner and intermediate strokes. Most client's don't need the pressure of advanced Ashiatsu.

Seated Ashiatsu is not effected by your weight. Being taller is beneficial for seated Ashiatsu because you're able to massage more of the client's body because you can reach further with your feet.

+ What equipment do I need for Ashiatu Bar and Ashiatu Floor

Ashiatsu Bar requires a stool to perform seated strokes, overhead bars to perform standing strokes, and a massage table. Make sure you know the weight limit of your massage table. Most tables as far as I know are rated for 500 pounds or more.

Ashiatsu Floor requires a seat to perform seated strokes. Standing Ashiatsu Floor strokes can be performed with a cane or walker.

All Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu courses teach and share the different types of equipment I've used and which I like the most. Prices of all equipment are also discussed.

+ How difficult is it and how much does it cost to install Ashiatsu Bars?

This price can vary greatly and most of my students have someone they know install the bars and/or trade Ashiatsu massage for the installation. I've installed Ashiatsu Bars with my father that cost less than $30 because I only paid for the materials and no labor. It took less than an hour for us to complete. I installed the bars into a simple dry wall ceiling attaching the set up into wood studs using eight 4 inch wood screws. It was as easy as hanging a picture or shelf on the wall. Some ceilings can be a bit more difficult than this depending on the height and type of your ceiling. The most a student of mine was invoiced for their bar installation was $458. These bars were installed by a carpenter and into a drop ceiling requiring more materials and labor than bars like mine. They were also built around light fixtures and are shown in the manual. This massage therapist traded Ashiatsu massage gift certificates for the cost of the bars and installation. If you can't install the bars into your ceiling you can install them into walls instead.

+ Can you feel muscle tension through your feet?

Absolutely! When we begin practicing Ashiatsu in class students are surprised out how well they're able to feel muscle tension through their feet. This ability and skill will continue to grow as you perform Ashiatsu more. It's usually students first time trying to feel with their feet when they begin learning Ashiatsu so it's a skill that has to be developed. With practice you'll be able to feel just as well through your feet as you do with your hands. You'll be able to do this through all parts of your feet including the toes, balls, arches, heels, and lateral edges.

+ Are you able to perfrom detailed work with Ashiatsu like you can with the hands and arms?

Absolutely! There are people who play instruments, paint, sculpt, do carpentry, and much more with their feet. The same goes for massage. The more you do Ashiatsu the quicker you'll develop and improve your ability to do detailed Ashiatsu work. Ashiatsu can be used to massage all of the bodies muscles from the larger quads to the tiny suboccipitals.

+ Does Ashiatsu Massage have to be deep tissue massage?

No it doesn't. The pressure can be as light as Swedish massage pressure if you want. You will learn how to control the pressure you apply. You can do a full body Swedish massage with your feet. At first you'll be surprised with the pressure you can apply with little effort. With practice you'll be able use all of your body weight and it will feel like you're using the same effort as when you do light pressure.

+ What are the benefits of Ashiatsu massage?

Ashiatsu has mamy benefits for both the massage therapist and their clients. Performing Ashiatsu saves massage therapist's bodies and extends their career by avoiding repetitive stress injuries that many massage therapist experience and can even cut their career short. When performed correctly Ashiatsu will actually strengthen your body.

Clients experience better and longer lasting results from Ashiatsu. This is because your feet are like LARGER STRONGER hands when it comes to massage.

To read all of the many benefits Ashiatsu Bar & Floor will bring to you and your clients click the buttons at the bottom of this page.

+ What are the differences between Ashiatsu Bar & Ashiatsu Floor?

Ashiatsu Bar utlilizes overhead bars to support your standing balance and movement where Ashiatsu Floor utilizes a tool such as a cane or walker to to support your standing balance and movement. You're able to do a full body massage with both Ashiatsu Bar and Floor. If your client is unable to lay down to the floor and stand up from the floor you can't do Ashiatsu Floor with them.

Ashiatsu Bar is traditionally done with your client on a massage table but you can have your client laying on the floor if you set up your bars at a lower height. The benefit of doing this is it allows you to do both Ashiatsu Bar & Floor techniques in the same session. This increases the benefits Ashiatsu brings to you and your clients because you have more techniques you can do. Ashiatsu Bar has more advanced Ashiatsu strokes than Ashiatsu Floor does. I personally don't do a lot of advanced Ashiatsu with clients because the majority of them don't need that much pressure.

Ashiatsu Floor is done with the client laying on a comfortable surface that's on the floor. This surface can be a massage table, mattress topper, exercise mat, yoga mat, etc. I have clients lay on mattress toppers. Mattress toppers are the surface that my clients find the most comfortable. Ashiatsu Floor is quicker to get started with because you don't need to install Ashiatsu Bars. If you have a chair and a yoga mat or a mattress topper, you can begin practicing Ashiatsu Floor right away.

Seated Ashiatsu strokes are the same for the bar & floor courses.

+ Does Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu offer CEU's that can be used for my massage therapist license renewal?

Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu is a NCBTMB Approved Provider - #993. All of the live and eLearning courses are NCBTMB and NYS approved. Many states accept NCBTMB approved continuing education courses. To my understanding both AMTA and ABMP accept all NCBTMB approved CE courses. It's recommended to personally check with your insurance company and state board of massage therapy if you are unsure and to confirm if NCBTMB approved courses are accepted.

It is Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu understanding that the following states accept CEU for license renewal from NCBTMB Approved Providers - Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Above states followed by an * do not require CE courses for license renewal. STATE REGULATIONS MAY CHANGE, CHECK FOR YOURSELF TO BE SURE THE COURSE YOU TAKE MEETS YOUR STATES CEU APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS.

• Minnesota - Regulation is done at the city level.

• Nebraska - Requires CEU's but I was unable to find their standards for accepted CEU courses.

• New Mexico - Will accept, towards a licensee’s continuing education requirements, courses, seminars, workshops, or classes in an area related to the practice of massage therapy. Visit their site for futher information.

• Oklahoma - Requires CEU's but I was unable to find their standards for accepted CEU courses.

• Rhode Island - Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu courses fall under the scope of practice of Rhode Island.

• Washington - Barefoot Trainer's Ashiatsu courses meet Washington's continuing education requirements.

Barefoot Trainer's will seek continuing education course approval in the states below.

• Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Washington DC