ASHIATSU FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Studying and practicing ashiatsu—a form of massage where the therapist uses their feet to apply deep, controlled pressure—offers a mix of physical, professional, and even mental benefits. It’s more than just a niche skill; it can reshape how you approach bodywork. Physical benefits (for both client and practitioner) Ashiatsu is known for delivering deep tissue work without the same strain on the therapist’s hands and wrists. Compared to traditional massage techniques, it allows for: Broader, more even pressure using the foot Less repetitive stress on joints (especially thumbs and wrists) Better leverage and body mechanics For clients, this often translates to: Deeper muscle release without sharp discomfort Improved circulation Relief from chronic tension, especially in large muscle groups like the back and hips Career advantages If you’re in massage therapy, ashiatsu can set you apart. It’s still relatively specialized, so practitioners who are trained in it often: Attract clients specifically seeking deep tissue work Can charge higher session rates due to the specialized skill Build a more sustainable career by reducing physical burnout Body awareness and control Learning ashiatsu isn’t just about technique—it forces you to develop: Strong balance and core stability (since you’re often working from bars overhead) Precise pressure control using your feet instead of your hands Heightened proprioception (awareness of your body in space) This can carry over into other modalities or even general fitness practices. Client experience Ashiatsu has a unique “wow factor.” Many clients describe it as: Deep but relaxing rather than painful Rhythmic and flowing More effective for stubborn knots compared to standard massage Because of this, it often leads to strong client retention and word-of-mouth referrals. Mental and professional satisfaction There’s also a learning curve that keeps things interesting. Mastering ashiatsu can: Break monotony if you’ve been doing traditional massage for years Give you a sense of specialization and craftsmanship Encourage ongoing learning and skill refinement

Yes. You must have a license to practice massage therapy in order to study with us and to practice ashiatsu as a massage service for compensation. Our curriculum is designed to build upon the principles of professional touch that are taught in massage school and we ONLY train licensed massage therapists. Having this prerequisite allows us to place a strong focus on technique application during our classes. You will be asked to provide your license number and state when you register for any class. *Students who are currently enrolled in massage school and have completed at least 50% of their program are allowed to attend our intro courses by contacting us and receiving permission prior to signing up.

As an LMT practicing legally within the scope of practice in your state you may use anything you learn in our CE classes with your clients as indicated at any time. Our CE courses are designed to provide you with usable techniques that can be added to your menu of services once you have practiced enough for feedback and feel confident that you will be helping and not hurting any of your clients or yourself! We make time to discuss marketing and how to showcase your new techniques and service offerings at the end of each CE class. Ready for more than just a CE course? Our three month certificate track will prepare you for the Elevate Ashiatsu Endorsement and set you apart as a distinguished Ashiatsu Practitioner.

No. After fully participating in a CE course you will receive a CE Completion Certificate as documentation of the number of CE credits awarded to you. Providing that you have a massage therapy license in the area where you practice you may legally integrate anything you learn in our classes into your current treatments or service menu at any time after class. Ethically, you will want to schedule some practice first to make sure you are as confident with your new ashiatsu techniques as you are with your current skillset. Ready for more than just a CE course? Our three month certificate track will prepare you for the Elevate Ashiatsu Endorsement and set you apart as a distinguished Ashiatsu Practitioner.

Yes. If you are enrolling in our three month certificate track then you are required to start from the beginning and work your way through the program in consecutive order. Our Level 2 Ashiatsu CE courses have the following prerequisites : Intermediate Barefoot Sidelying + Props (14CE) Prerequisite : Barefoot Bar Basics This course offers a full body sequence of lubricant-based techniques for side lying position AND is jam-packed full of tips, tricks and tools for enhancing the effectiveness of your barefoot massage sessions with straps, silks and heated pillows. Advanced Ashiatsu : Two Feet (21CE) Prerequisite : Barefoot Bar Basics Warm up the body with a series of ashiatsu techniques that flow from head to toe. You'll learn creative transitions for smoothing out your sequence and preparing for the deeper work that you will learn how to apply with both feet on the client at the same time. You must have the ability to pull yourself up into the bars to remove some of your weight from your client's body while standing on them with both feet. Can you do at at least one chin up on your bars from a bent-elbow position? Do you have clients that want and are able to receive your entire body weight? Barefoot Fusion (14CE) Prerequisites : Barefoot Bar Basics and Barefoot Press & Stretch Ashiatsu meets Thai-style stretching. Learn a new sequence that combines gliding techniques and range of motion exercises to elongate the tissues and create a new sense of openness. Receiver is undressed and draped with a sheet. Oil/cream is used.

You can jump right in to the Ashiatsu Certification Track courses : (start with Ashiatsu Sequence A) OR choose to take any of our Level 1 Weekend Immersion CE classes. The following Ashiatsu CE classes can be taken in any order at any time ... Seated Ashiatsu START HERE IF ... you want to use your feet to massage on the table but aren't ready for the bars just yet. This course will teach you how to sit on a stool at the head of the massage table and use cream or oil to perform an upper body barefoot massage sequence for prone and supine positions. To offer this service you'll need to be able to sit on a tall stool at the head of your massage table with a wall behind you for leverage and support. Barefoot Bar Basics (21CE) START HERE IF ... you are ready to stand on the table and use one foot at a time plus the overhead bar support system to deliver a lubricant-based, full body barefoot massage sequence for prone and supine positions. The bar support system and a sturdy, well crafted massage table are the most important pieces of equipment that you'll need to properly practice what we teach you after class. We will help you with your unique bar construction project once you sign up for the class. Barefoot Press & Stretch (21CE) START HERE IF ... you don't want to mess around with draping and lubrication like we do in the Barefoot Bar Basics course. Instead, clients keep their clothes on while you use your feet to deliver deep muscle compressions and Thai-style stretches to their entire body. You're going to need bars for this one, too, but we will help you with your unique project once you sign up for the class. ***We also have an optional, 1/2 day Intro to Ashiatsu (5CE) course for beginners who have a general curiosity about ashiatsu but aren't quite ready to make the full leap onto the table and bars by signing up for a multi-day immersion training. The 1/2 Intro to Ashiatsu course helps answer common questions like : Is ashiatsu something I’m physically able to do? Is it something I’ll enjoy doing? Is bar construction/setup possible in my current workspace? If not, what other options are there? The Intro to Ashiatsu course is an optional/elective course that is not required as a prerequisite to any "Level 1" or "Level 2" course or the Ashiatsu Certification Track.

The general rule we follow is that students will need to practice the same amount of hours AFTER class as the amount of time spent IN class. So if the course you take is 21CE then you'll need at least 21 hours of practice after class to really polish up your new skills.

The Ashiatsu Certification Track is a learning pathway for serious LMTs who want to move beyond the weekend CE immersion courses into a deeper learning experience. When you sign up for the certification track you are committing to three, three day trainings over the course of three months along with all practice requirements and treatment room set up procedures. The techniques and course material are essentially the same as what you would learn in all of our weekend immersion courses combined however the course structure and technique sequences are quite different and a little more intensive. There is also a stronger emphasis on detailed protocols, session design, clinical practice and feedback. Ashiatsu Certificate Track Courses Ashiatsu Sequence A (24 hours) Ashiatsu Sequence B (24 hours) Ashiatsu Therapeutics (24 hours) Ashiatsu Certificate Track Practice Requirements complete and document twenty (20) ninety minute (90min) ashiatsu sessions - 10 must be completed after Sequence A and 10 must be completed after Sequence B perform a 90min session on your instructor or an approved ashiatsu practitioner for feedback Ashiatsu Certificate Track Additional Requirements have a fully functional treatment room ready and available to practice in based on Elevate Massage Training guidelines for bar construction and equipment requirements receive and review a professional ashiatsu session from an approved ashiatsu practitioner After completing all requirements for the Ashiatsu Certification Track LMTs receive the Elevate Certificate of Endorsement as an Ashiatsu Practitioner.

No. As an LMT practicing legally within the scope of practice in your state you may use anything you learn in our classes with your clients as indicated at any time. Our CE weekend immersions, power CE weekends, one day CE courses and table CE courses are designed to provide you with usable techniques that can be added to your menu of services once you have practiced and feel confident with the material you've learned. The Certification Track is an optional learning pathway for LMTs who want to make a deeper, more formal commitment to learning and receive Elevate Ashiatsu Endorsement. The techniques and course material are essentially the same as what you would learn in all of our weekend immersion courses combined however the course structure and technique sequences are quite different and a little more intensive. There is also a stronger emphasis on detailed protocols, session design, clinical practice and feedback in the Certification Track courses.

Yes. While some of the basic techniques may be similar to the ones you already know, the certification track is structured for a deeper learning experience. The course structure and technique sequences in the Certificate Track courses are quite different and a little more intensive. There is also a stronger emphasis on detailed protocols, session design, clinical practice and feedback.

Weight becomes an issue when you as a therapist either don't have control of your body weight and pressure and/or you don't have enough clients that are able to receive from you because of a drastic different in body weight/size. A moderate amount of upper body strength, flexibility and stamina are also required to learn and practice ashiatsu on the table with the bars. Also consider that you will need a table that can hold the weight you and your client. Remember that in the seated class you'll need to be able to swing your leg over and sit comfortably on a stool at the head of the table (like you are doing a cannonball jump into a swimming pool) and enough core strength to glide your feet down and back, both at the same time and one at a time.

Yes! It's mostly about how you control your foot and the frame of the client you are working on. You'll need to really practice connecting with the various parts of your own foot so that, when you are gliding around bones you do not accidentally apply too much pressure. As with any massage techniques there will just be some things you will have to modify and we will gladly work with you on this in class.

1. Decide WHO is going to help you with this project 2. You and that person visit the space where you plan to practice and collect as much information as you can about the ceiling and the room itself. Take pictures and video to bring to class. We will send you a Bar Installation Questionnaire that you can use as a guide once you've signed up for your first class. 3. Set up an installation date for the week after you take your first class. 4. Purchase equipment and get feedback on your installation project from your instructor during class. 5. Take the equipment and the information from class to the person who is helping you and install your bars.

Probably. The easiest way to get started is with the table you have however, keep in mind that the table you use can limit your ability to perform certain techniques. Our absolute favorite table is the ELLORA VISTA LIFT from Earthlite (approx.. $1,999). The round corners, 3” thick cushioning, front wheels, heavy duty frame and option for 32” width make this table easy to love. And, there are many different color options to choose from for the vinyl cover which, we have found to hold up quite well through many workshops and practice sessions over the years. No cracking or peeling to speak of. There is an option to purchase the salon style Vista table that comes with a vertical tilt, but we haven’t tried that one out yet. Since we are sitting, standing and lunging on the table we prefer the working surface to be flat. There is such a wider range of bodywork techniques that become available for you to use when you are able to raise and lower the table during the session. We highly recommend getting an electric table at some point in your ashiatsu career. It truly changes how you work. If you aren’t ready for an electric, stationary table then consider the portable Earthlite SPIRIT (approx. $499) which has a working weight of 800lbs, an option for a custom35’ width, rounded corners that don’t poke into the clients arms when they hang off the sides of the table so you have room to step, 3” thick cushioning and the option to customize the height range of the legs! This is probably one of the heavier portable tables on the market, but you need for it to be heavy to support the work you will be doing.

There are a wide variety of bar stools on the market. You are looking for one without a back that can sit flush with the wall behind you. 28”-29” is the standard height for a tall bar stool though 30” + stools are certainly out there and available for purchase. Both metal and wooden stools are available. We like wood because they seem to be sturdier in the legs. And the saddle seat is our favorite because it offers a bit more room than the round seat. If you have trouble with slipping around on the top of the stool you can add some kitchen contact paper to the top. Also, it’s not safe to get a stool that swivels. You might see some stools on the market that come with cushioned seats but we don’t recommend those either because there will be moves in barefoot bodywork where you will stand on that stool with one leg/foot and glide on the clients back with the other foot. The extra cushioning on the seat compromises your ability to balance and stand and it is also difficult to keep clean. The main point to consider when purchasing a stool is your table height. If you do not have an electric table then you will need to work with the same table height for the seated bodywork, the barefoot bar bodywork and any table Thai techniques or other massage applications that you wish to use. Therefore, the height of the table will need to be at a level where you can stand on the floor, half kneel on the table and also stand on the table and comfortably reach your bars during any one session. For this reason we feel like a taller, 29” stool is better, unless you are very short and have short legs. That way you can be sure that you will be sitting ABOVE your client and performing gravity assisted bodywork. You can also sit on a thick yoga bolster,block or pillow to add extra height while performing the seated barefoot bodywork techniques. Bar stools vary greatly in cost $39+ In my city I have seen these types of wooden stools at Target, the At Home Store and even at the Goodwill. An amazon search for 29” wooden bar stool proves to be especially rewarding as well.

The term ashiatsu is derived from the word for a Japanese style of bodywork called shiatsu. “Shi” means finger and “atsu” means pressure. The roots “ashi” and “atsu” are similarly combined together to describe “foot pressure” as we’ve known it in the West since the 1990’s. This "American Ashiatsu" style is usually described as barefoot effleurage applied with gravity assistance. Effleurage however, is actually a French term that describes the long, gliding massage strokes of a Swedish-style massage applied with the hands/forearms with the intention to release muscle tension, increase circulation and improve flexibility. In an ashiatsu session the therapist applies the effleurage with the foot/feet while standing on a table with their client and using a bar support system mounted to the ceiling for gravitational assistance and support. Both ashiatsu and Swedish massage emphasize the treatment of soft tissue dysfunction based on a Western understanding of anatomy and physiology and typically exclude the energetic and holistic healing concepts found in traditional Eastern massage practices like Shiatsu, Chavutti Thirumal and Thai Massage. These Eastern barefoot massage practices are usually studied and practiced on a mat on the floor while Western/American style ashiatsu is performed on a massage table. The Elevate Approach to Ashiatsu We often refer to the Elevate Massage Training style of ashiatsu as "barefoot massage" or "barefoot bodywork" and interchange these terms frequently in descriptions of our style. Our footwork is enhanced by Eastern concepts of healing such as elemental body constitutions and techniques such as the application of acupressure along the energy lines while also being aligned with Western Ashiatsu applications of deep, gliding effleurage to the major muscle groups and the use of the massage table with an overhead bar support system.

All Elevate Massage Training curriculum has been developed by Charlene Gaffney. Charlene's initial ashiatsu certification started in 2012 with the AOBT/Deep Feet organization where she also trained and worked as an ashiatsu instructor under the guidance of Mary-Claire Fredette and founder Ruthie Hardee. In 2017 Charlene began writing and teaching NCTMB approved ashiatsu classes for Elevate Massage Training that include her own unique style of ashiatsu based on her years in private practice, experience as a Registered Thai Massage Therapist and Instructor and nearly two decades of teaching experience in both the massage school and continuing education sectors of the industry. Charlene is a licensed massage therapist, professional massage instructor and certified yoga instructor. She holds a bachelor degree in psychology and another in Spanish language and a masters degree in English/ESL. She is a registered therapist and instructor with the Thai Healing Alliance International, Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator with the AFMTE and the founder and curriculum specialist of Elevate Massage Training. She takes frequent trips to SE Asia since 2014 to continue her studies while immersed in culture and organizes Thailand Study Tours for licensed massage therapists. Lineage/Teachers USA : Chuck Duff, Tanya Boigenzhan, Michael Buck, Nephyr Jacobsen, Pierce Salguero, David Wells, Bob Haddad , Ruthie Hardee and Mary-Claire Fredette (Deep Feet) Thailand : Suriyan Punyafoo, Sunshine School, Pichest Boonthumme, Loi Kroh School Chiang Mai, Therdchai Chumphoopong at The Fine Art of Thai Massage School, Ong's Thai Massage School, Old Medicine Hospital