Massage is one of the most popular complementary therapies around, with different type of massage to suit individual need. Most people tend to train firstly to get their NVQ levels 2 & 3 in Beauty Therapy, these qualifications also include anatomy and physiology classes which are essential for understanding the body.
The most popular forms of massage amongst salons and spas are aromatherapy massage and Swedish massage, both of which are taught in NVQ level 3.
Aromatherapy massage at this level is usually using pre-blended essential oils and is much gentler and typically more relaxing than Swedish massage. If you wanted to qualify as an aromatherapist then you would need to take a separate advance course into blending oils as it is actually quite a complex skill to master the correct mixes for each client.
Swedish massage is more about muscle manipulation and is quite a good work out for the body. It’s great for any acute issues with areas such as the back or the legs and can be great post exercise.
Sports massage is a separate qualification and is more complex as it is treating injured tissues to pro-mote healing and maintain flexibility, it’s not designed to be relaxing and on the contrary can actually be quite painful but it is extremely effective.