This year marked the eighth year for the event that draws over 22,000 runners from around the world to the half and full marathon.  The course is filled with steep climbs and beautiful views of the city and the Bay.  The finishers of the race are rewarded with Tiffany necklaces and post-race massages.  Kaiser Permanente, a major sponsor of the Nike Women’s Marathon, contracted The NHI Sports Team to provide these post-race massages.

By 9:00, the massage tables are littered with runners and student therapists working to relax and stretch strained muscles. When the last runner was escorted off of her massage table at 2:15, the NHI Sports Team had performed collectively over 1700 massages.

The students were joined by seven instructors from the various campus, Beth McNeill (SJ), Kristine TenBrink (SJ), Curtis Hisao (SJ), Mark Nielson (PE/EM), Lucas Nevarez (SAC), Phil Okazaki (SJ), and Gabriel Posner (SF/EM) and 15 Teaching Assistants who supported the students by coaching bodywork, issuing and managing breaks and injuries.  The San Jose Campus Student Services and Career Life Coordinator, Chris Pavao acted as Master of Ceremonies directing the line and finding open massage tables for the athletes.  The average wait time was a mere 15 minutes.

The NHI Sports Massage Team prepped for this event by holding sports-specific training sessions where students learned about the marathon, athlete training plans, common injuries and massage techniques.  While it was a mild morning in the city, the team was equipped with skills to combat thermal injuries.

The calm before the storm

The student therapists had fun, worked hard and finished the day with a sense of accomplishment.  They each provided at least 15 massages through out the day, more clients than they see in a regular week.  Emily Luckett from On Board, who is the event planner for the Nike Women’s Marathon, “Thanks for all of your hard work, NHI!  Everything seemed to be managed very smoothly.  We appreciate your efforts!”

In response from the post-event report given by NHI Staff lead, Beth McNeill, Curshanda Woods from Kaiser Permanente had this to say, “Thank you, NHI.  Great job, Beth!  Everything looked great.”  The NHI Sports Massage Team ended the day taking a group picture and a group WHOOSH!  Kudos to NHI and to the students participating in the Sports Team.

The Team Challenge organization that we were there to serve was offered quick 10 minute massages, but they really made a difference and the team was so thankful. There were 500 runners at this event, and we worked on more then 300 of them! 13 massage therapists and three hundred clients. WOW!

It was a great day, but the best part was listening to students who had their table set up closest to me. They talked about how excited they were to be in school learning so much. It recharged my battery, my hope, my excitement about teaching & confidence that things will work out.

From time to time I noticed one or two other students copying exactly what I was doing; techniques that they had not yet been taught in class. They were clearly in learning mode despite the circumstances of working  non-stop on sweaty tired bodies; the athletes lined up for 20 or more minutes to get 10 minutes of free massage. Just 10 minutes of massage can make such a difference!

These events are so inspiring! We get to put our knowledge into action and help athletes. We work together as a team and the bond that results is tremendous. Students learn new techniques, build their confidence and make connections that are invaluable as they begin their careers as professional massage therapists.

But most of all, I get to help people have work they love through doing work that I love! Wow!

~Mark Nielsen

For updates on where our Sports Massage Team will be healing next, check out our NHI Sports Massage Facebook Page!

On March 20th, over 50 current and former NHI students braved the cold, wet, and windy conditions at the 2011 LA Marathon. As predicted, the weather bombarded runners and volunteers, who had to deal with the elements from mother earth.

For both new and veteran volunteers, we were in for one wild ride. The many surprises which we encountered did not deter us from ultimately giving the gift of massage to the thousands of participants who sweated out the 26.2 mile endeavor from Los Angeles to Santa Monica Pier. A number of runners tumbled towards our massage tent, hungry and tired, but mostly elated that they had finished and looked forward to a massage provided by us. We were positioned into teams of 2-3 massage therapists at each table, assisting runners in drying off and warming up. Many runners experienced hypothermia-like symptoms, but with the experience of the faculty who were present, led by Joe Bob Smith, Jan Takeshita, and Marianna Anderson, and the quick hands of the massage therapists, the runners were able to get back on their feet and into some dry clothes.

Although we were blasted with random gusts of wind blowing through the tent, a river of water that flowed ankle deep, and even a little bit of hail, the day turned out to be a huge success. Runners were extremely appreciative of the support provided by the massage volunteers, and we were happy to provide a little bit of warmth and care to each runner that passed through. Despite harsh conditions that started the day off as a challenge, we ended with plenty of smiles, laughter, and many memories. Here’s to another successful volunteer event at the LA Marathon. Until next year…

Because the record rainfall disrupted marathon operations, our volunteers this year didn’t receive the usual volunteer shirt or even lunch. To thank everyone for their hard work, NHI hosted a pizza and movie night on April 15 as a sign of gratitude. L.A. Marathon Coordinator, Steve Jackson, showed up with a stash of marathon shirts he had scored for everyone, thank you letters, and prizes commemorating marathons past. Everyone had a great time reminiscing about the rain, the runners, and the hypothermia!

Nathan Luczynski, Ahmos Netanel and Lynda Solien-Wolfe at the NHI Studio City Expert Panel

What’s wrong with simply working alone?  Isn’t that what being your own boss means?  Yes and no.  Selecting your clientele, setting your own schedule, and potentially generating higher earnings are all perks of having your private practice. 

But what about business issues that arise?  Marketing costs, bookkeeping expertise, client retention, and learning new massage techniques can all be challenging on your own, especially when time and money are short.

So why not tap into the collective knowledge of those who have been and are currently in your shoes?  The problems you face are rarely unique.

There are numerous ways to get involved.

• Participate in local massage events.  National Holistic Institute often hosts free classes and events like Expert Panels (pictured above) for the massage community.
• Join a professional association like the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) or Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP).  Here you can link with other members, receive regular updates on the profession, take free or reduced-cost continuing education courses, access insurance coverage, and much more.
• Attend massage therapy gatherings like the California Massage & Bodywork Convention or the AMTA National Convention to be held this year in Portland, OR.  Mingle with old and new friends while wandering through exhibitors’ booths and taking continuing education classes.
• Join your local AMTA unit.  The Los Angeles/South Bay Unit, for example, holds many of its meeting and classes at convenient locations like NHI’s Studio City campus.  Volunteering with your local unit is a great way to market yourself while improving the massage therapy profession in your area. 
• Volunteer for local sporting events.  A recent blog about the NHI Sports Massage Team highlights some of the potential sports opportunities around.  These events allow you to practice your skill on actual athletes, witness different techniques from other massage volunteers, gain new clients, and often raise money for charitable causes.
• Take continuing education classes.  Look to local massage schools like National Holistic Institute for classes that will increase your skills, which means increasing your business.

As 2011 starts, hopefully you will make a resolution for the benefit of you and your massage career to pursue at least one of these networking tips.  Who knows the possibilities that await!

In 2010, we were active in 40 Outreach Events throughout California.  Over 300 students and graduates were trained in sport-specific sports massage and volunteered their time and skills at these events to perform over 8,000 complimentary massages!  We are proud to have developed relationships with amazing organizations such as Diabetes Foundation, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Team In Training, MS Society, Best Buddy International, and the American Heart Association.  We would like to thank them for their support and all of the positive work that they do.

In 2010, the team also touched smaller populations such the Native American Indian population at an annual Pow-Wow; a family whose daughter was critically injured in a car accident and a local rotary club who was raising money to fight diabetes.   Our program has been extremely successful and this has shown through high praise that students have received from event coordinators like Tri-Cal, Finishline Productions, Avanti Sports, LA Marathon and Kaiser Permanente, to name a few.  The students developed a supportive, proactive team and succeed in promoting the benefits of massage.

The Sports Massage Team not only benefits the public, but the students who volunteer are exposed to new and exciting situations that are only possible in real-life experiences.  They are exposed to a high volume of clients for an extended period of time and learn how to work together in a setting that many students have never been a part of.  Many students took it as a chance to look at their own fitness and began training for similar events and becoming involved in some of the charities that they had been benefitting. They also gained an understanding of how their participation in sporting and charity events can help them develop their careers as Massage Therapists and how important community outreach work is to their personal as well as professional lives.  We hope to be even more active and work with more wonderful organizations in 2011!

To learn more about the NHI Sports Massage Team visit our Facebook pages:
NHI San Jose Sports Massage Team
NHI North Bay Sports Massage Team

This past week, National Holistic Institute’s own Mark Nielsen conducted an in-depth workshop on Sports Massage for Therapists at the Ritz Carlton Spa at Half Moon Bay.  Rianon Cepriano, the Spa Therapy Supervisor at the Ritz, was extremely grateful to Mark for expanding her staff’s professional skill set. She said of the workshop,

“…the attendees were not only impressed with the knowledge Mark shared with us, but the feedback we’ve been receiving from our guests has been positively glowing! We truly enjoyed Mark’s method of teaching and the knowledge he shared gave us a new perspective on what Sports Massage is and how to apply it in our spa setting.”

Sports Massage is not just for Olympic athletes; it can be beneficial for anyone who actively uses their muscles. It can be applied before activity, to loosen and warm up muscles; during and just after physical exertion, to relieve pain and stress; or anytime to boost performance by reducing stiffness and muscle fatigue. Mark is always thinking about how Sports Massage can be more effective, and shared this mindset with the Spa Staff at the Ritz.  Laura Ford, the lead Massage Therapist at their Half Moon Bay Spa who gave great insight into Spa Massage Therapy at the NHI Emeryville Campus’ Expert Panel on Dec 1, was also grateful for Mark’s unique teaching methods.  Mark said of the experience,

“It was great coming up with a workshop on Sports Massage. I used the years of my experience doing competitive sports and thinking about the needs I had as an Athlete in regards to my body & training; then turned that into sharing what those needs are, to therapists who are called upon every day to work on other Athletes.

I knew that the information had to be a step up from what they have already had and considering several of them were NHI Grads, I really had to show them something different that they could take away to use immediately.”

Graduates of NHI walk away prepared to work with athletes from pre- and post-event massage to muscle maintenance and injury prevention. In addition, Mark organizes continuing education classes and externships for students, from giving massages at marathons, triathlons and other events, to classroom style sports-based bodywork sessions.  Mark will continue to define and push the limits of the field by thinking about what an athlete needs or wants and applying effective massage techniques to fulfill those needs.

For more information on Sports Massage at NHI, check out:
http://www.nhi.edu/massage_school/sports_massage.html

Or join NHI’s Facebook Sports Massage Groups:

San Jose Sports Massage Facebook Group

North Bay Sports Massage Facebook Group

Waking up at 3:00am to be ready for this year’s 25^th Anniversary Los Angeles Marathon seemed impossible.  However, over 30 student and graduate therapists from National Holistic Institute were pumped up and ready to go!  A few arrived earlier than staff!

This was the inaugural year of the Marathon’s route starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica Pier.  Massaging runners at the beach – how cool!  It was optimally temperate marathon-running weather, with the fog never quite dissipating at the beach.  We warmed up quickly though as the runners started finishing and the line lengthened.  Despite what seemed like a never-ending queue, the NHI therapists worked tirelessly and with few breaks so that no runner had to wait longer than 15 minutes to receive our much needed touch.

As in years past, our students were chosen to work on the elite runners and Road Runners official training group.  Because the runners gave their all to complete the 26.2 miles to finish the marathon, our therapists dedicated themselves to providing bodywork until the last runner came through the line.  NHI Encino Student Life Coordinator Jan Takeshita reports, “Although tired and sore at the end, many commented that they were still exhilarated by the amazing experience and new friendships born.”

Having participated in the L.A. Marathon as a runner, massage therapist and student coordinator many times over the years, I was very impressed with the professionalism, skill, and dedication our students put into making this 25^th Anniversary L.A. Marathon as special as its title.

Many thanks to L.A. Marathon Massage Coordinator Steve Jackson as well as NHI staff Jan Takeshita & Jen Moore for their participation at the Marathon and John Gorman & Craig Arakaki for providing the necessary training to the students before hand.  Now we get to rest up to do it all again next year!

While National Holistic Institute offers class starts year-round, we experience the most enrollment excitement during the back-to-school time of August and September.  So, with great delight, our campuses recently threw open their doors to the many new prospective students with several Open House events.

From San Jose to Encino, prospective students, friends, and family members snacked on cheese & crackers, cookies, and assorted fruit while mixing with members of the faculty, admissions, current students, and graduates.  Attendees visited an anatomy-rich science room; received sports massage treatments; participated in Thai and shiatsu demonstrations; and got pampered at a mini spa, where they could experience hot stone therapy, salt scrubs, and aromatherapy as well as examine the plants from which the essential oils originated.

To attend the next NHI Open House, please call 800-315-3552 or visit www.nhi.edu for more information.

Eight members of National Holistic Institute’s San Jose Campus Sports Massage Team donated their time and talents to raise $500 for the American Cancer Society by providing massage therapy for the participants of the Los Gatos Relay for Life.  The NHI students worked from dawn to dusk providing relief for achy lower backs and knotted calves.  Relay For Life can be considered the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. They are overnight events and can last up to 24 hours in length.  The event in Los Gatos was held at the track at Rolling Meadows Middle School.  The NHI Sports Massage Team offered $1/minute massages throughout the day and by 8:00 pm had collected a considerable donation to a great cause.

Over 100 NHI students, staff, and graduates massaged at the 2009 Nike Women’s Marathon.  The marathon raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Our Sports Massage Team gave over 1,000 massages on race day and another 1,200 massages during the accompanying 3-day Expo.  Runners appreciated the work and our students received valuable experience.  Big thanks to the NHI staffers who made this happen: Lucas, Beth, Al, Jenna, Laura, Conrad, Jaime, and the many others who contributed throughout.  As an added bonus, all volunteers took home a free pair of Nike shoes!