Are Online Massage Therapy Courses Worth It?

Online massage therapy courses have become increasingly popular, but we can’t ignore the fact that they tend to polarize opinion. Some see them as excellent solutions for flexibility and access (having your life intact as you learn), while others can’t help but notice an immediate red flag (how can you learn a hands-on profession through a screen?)

The reality, according to us, lies somewhere in the middle. Online massage courses aren’t inherently good or bad. Their value will depend on what you are using them for, where you are in your career, and how they are structured. Here’s what you should know about that.

What Online Courses Can Actually Do Well

If you know anything about online courses, you will agree that they shine when it comes to theoretical knowledge. Anatomy, pathology, physiology, ethics, client communication, and even business fundamentals translate well to digital formats.

In many cases, they are taught better online, since this makes it possible to have them paced, replayable, and supported by diagrams and animations that aren’t always practical in a classroom.

The best massage training online courses, such as the ones RocketCert offers, are ideal for students who learn best through repetition or anyone who needs maximum flexibility. Their convenience makes them especially valuable for continuing education, speciality theory, skill refreshers, and therapists returning to practice after time away.

Blended Learning (Combined Online and In-Person Classes)

As you can expect, online courses will fall short when it comes to the tactile areas of massage therapy education, and these areas are the majority.

Pressure, tissue response, body mechanics, pacing, and others are difficult to understand without hands-on correction and real-time feedback. So, if you are taking your course to learn about these areas, you will definitely fail.

The good news, however, is that the best providers offer a blended learning approach for comprehensive course options. This means you will enjoy the freedom and flexibility of learning theoretical components online and only attend in-person classes when it comes to essential practical skills.

This approach comes with benefits like:

• Flexibility: Since online theory lessons make it possible to take your lessons from home, you will enjoy reduced travel time, and you can always fit your classes around your personal schedules.
• Community and support: With a blended approach, you won’t be learning in isolation. You will enjoy the flexibility of online learning combined with the support and community spirit of a group.
• Essential practical training: Given how important hands-on training is to this industry, you can finally get regular in-person training under close supervision to help you perfect your skills.
• Interactive learning: Even in a blended setting, online sessions can be interactive, since you will have real-time Q&A opportunities with experienced tutors.

So, Are Online Courses Really Practical?

We won’t beat around the bush. Online massage courses are practical, but only for the theoretical part of learning. Thus, they are mainly ideal for continuing education and expanding your knowledge regarding a speciality. Beyond this, they aren’t the best choice, especially knowing how much of a hands-on career massage therapy is.

So, the more practical option would be to combine online learning with in-person classes in a hybridised setting. Before taking any massage therapy course, therefore, first determine what your goal is. If it is to expand your theoretical knowledge in massage therapy, then an online course will work great.

Enjoy Learning With RocketCert

Now that you know whether and where online massage therapy courses are worth it, we’d advise you to invest in the best courses in the market for a greater impact. And knowing how much it helps your learning journey when you take expertly written and fully narrated courses like the ones at rocketcert.com, you definitely want your next click to take you there.