My Journey into the Art of Thai Sports Massage
A personal testimony, written by Dr. Crystal Abitz
From the Author:
People ask me all the time how I got into this style of massage therapy or bodywork. I tell my story again and again. I guess it’s time to share this part of my journey in writing. Enjoy! Leave your comments or questions below.
A Personal Invitation to Enroll in the Thai Massage Class
As I was nearing the end of my 700+ hour massage therapy curriculum, the Director of the massage school approached me and asked if I would be interested in attending the traditional Thai massage class that was going to begin in just a few weeks. Drawn in by the promise of relaxation and rejuvenation, I decided to give it a try, not knowing how incredibly healing and transformative the experience would be. Little did I know, the experience would impact my mind-body connection, while drastically altering my perspective on life. And now here is my invitation to you: I invite you to join us if you are a licensed massage therapist. (See below.)
Oh! Before you read my story, check out this video interview:
*Note— we were located in South Carolina and now we’re in Wisconsin
Letting Intuition Guide My Client Sessions— I Climbed Right onto the Massage Table with my Client
One of my first jobs in the massage therapy industry was a misclassified position at a chiropractor’s office. This is not the place for elaborating on the issues with that position. However, this is the place to share my first and possibly most memorable experience with including the Thai massage knowledge and skills into a client session. The two most critical pieces here are Courage and Confidence. Yes, I needed to muster up some real courage and truly believe in myself and trust that what I was about to do was going to be safe and effective.
Using intuition as a massage therapist plays a crucial role in enhancing treatment effectiveness. By recognizing subtle cues such as muscle tension, body language, and energy flow, we can adapt techniques in real time to meet the unique needs of each client. Intuition helps us sense areas requiring deeper attention or gentler approaches, even when clients are unable to fully articulate their discomfort. This intuitive awareness supports a more personalized and responsive session, promoting relaxation, healing, and overall well-being.
The chiropractor introduced me to one of his patients who was desperately needing some “muscle rubbing” as the chiropractor called it. The large, muscular man was too impatient earlier that morning and loaded his snowmobile trailer by himself instead of waiting for his buddies to help him. He “threw out his back” and needed to be “fixed” before he could leave for thier trip in a couple of hours. The chirpractor said he was too locked up to crack him and he asked if I could loosen him up between my scheduled clients. *Please note all the red flags of the massage therapy position at that location!
I conducted my intake and evaluation, and I ruled out any contraindications. Given the circumstances, he wanted to keep his clothes on and not have any oils applied. I asked him to lie comfortably on the massage table with his face in the face cradle. He obliged, moaning uncomfortably.
I palpated his entire back over the top of his shirt while I racked my brain for any hints of what I could do to help the situation. Given his large size and my smaller stature, along with minimal time to work with this hurting man, I was perplexed. The events that followed are one of those stories a person can never forget.
My intuition led the way and the words flew out of my mouth. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” I think he was in so much pain he didn’t feel he had much choice. He wanted to go on his snowmobiling adventure and enjoy his weekend with friends.
I grabbed the chair that was in the treatment room and moved it close to the massage table. I used that to support myself as I climbed right on top of the table and my client. What happened next is a blur as this event occured more than a decade ago. All I remember is that courage and confidence guided me into using specific Thai massage techniques on the table to help this man find relief from the pain in his back.
We heard some cracking and popping sounds and we both felt the great relief— the release of tension that was inflicting this man with so much discomfort. I was gentle and I was intentional. In the moments that followed, I safely climed down and began to explain a few things to this client.
I wasn’t sure what his response would be or how he was feeling. But, to my delight, he didn’t give me time to talk. He got up and looked right at me with the biggest grin across his face. He moved around a bit and then reached for his wallet. He threw a $100 bill on the massage table and told me to keep it. He looked at me with a tear in his eye and said that’s the best he’s felt since before the War.
Then he left. He left my treatment room. And he left the chiropractor’s office. He walked right out without stopping. Yes, he skipped his chiropractor adjustment. No, the chirpractor was not happy. Even though I “loosened him up,” my boss was pretty upset that he lost a patient that day.
Coaching University Athletes Piqued My Curiosity in Massage Therapy
I stumbled upon the traditional Thai massage class being offered as an extension to my massage therapy school curriculum-- back in 2014. At the time, I was dual enrolled in massage therapy school-- the clinical and orthpedic sports massage track at Body Wisdom School of Massage in Urbandale, IA and in graduate school at the University of Northern Iowa. I had earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2009 from Iowa State University and was transitioning back into the world of human movement.
I was heavily involved in the research labs (biomechanics, exercise physiology, and sport psychology) while working towards the Master of Arts in Kinesiology-- Sport and Exercise Psychology. I was also actively pursuing a strength and conditioning coaching certificate and spent countless hours in the weight room coaching the athletes, particularly the football, women’s tennis, and men’s basketball teams.
While coaching the athletes, I realized that sometimes there are physical soft tissue restrictions and athletes simply are unable to squat deeper or move more efficiently, even with all the motivation in the world. I wanted to be able to help my athletes right there in the weightroom instead of yelling at them or sending them off to see the Athletic Trainers. And thus, began my pursuit of massage therapy education and licensure.
Although my commute was roughly three hours and my time for sleeping was drastically reduced, the timing could not have been better! As it turned out, my Clinical Sports Massage class— taught by the former massage therapist for the Atlanta Falcons, aligned with my graduate level Biomechanics class. Not to mention, that Instructor was formerly a civil engineer and explained the body from a biomechical (physics of the human body) perspective. Being in both classes simultaneously definitely helped me gain a deeper understanding of the body in terms of levers and fulcroms!
Check out this class on time management if you’re wondering how to manage with everything on your calendar. Time Management for Neurospicy Humans
Thai Massage Class was a Transformative Experience for Me
I was amazed by the skillful techniques of the Instructor who seemed to intuitively understand my tension points and stress that had accumulated over time. I guess my years of competitive athletics and rigorous academics took a toll on my body more than I had realized. Thai massage was just what I needed. The blend of rhythmic pressure and stretching felt like a dance that invited my muscles to release and unwind. Each day of training left me feeling more serene and invigorated, as if layers of stress were being gently peeled away. As I continued through the training, I noticed profound changes—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.
“It became a sanctuary, a space where I could disconnect from the chaos of everyday life and reconnect with myself.”
The beauty of participating in massage therapy classes lies in the exchange. While we are learning how to perform various techniques on others, we reap the benefits of receiving from other students. This particular class was incredibly rewarding for me— to learn how to perform this style of massage therapy while also receiving was more healing and personally transformative than any prior experiences.
The mindful approach of Thai massage taught me the importance of being present, listening to my clients’ bodies as well as my own, and honoring the needs of the receiving body. Sometimes what a body needs and what the voice says are very different. Traditional Thai massage class helped me sharpen my intuitive skills and gave me greater abilities to honor the needs of the human body—my future clients’ bodies and my own.
The Journey Ahead— the Beauty and Versatility of Thai Sports Massage
This was only the beginning. Stay tuned for additional blog articles that share my stories of using an Integrative Thai Sports Massage and Assisted Stretching approach with NFL athletes. I’ll also be sharing how this became the primary service for my solo massage therapy practice when we lived in South Carolina. Anything is possible. My passion for this style of bodywork is unwavering and I’m happy to share my stories and strategies with you. Even to date, I keep at least two different sized mats in my office— one is larger and more permanent while the other is smaller and easier for travel or on-location gigs.
