Why Intermediate Ashiatsu Training Is a Must for Barefoot Massage Therapists

If you've already completed your Fundamentals training and are getting great results with barefoot massage, the Intermediate Ashiatsu course is your next step toward mastery.

This two-day, 16 CE massage continuing education workshop is more than just a training, it's a transformation.

What You'll Learn in Intermediate Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Training

This class expands your toolbox with supine and sidelying techniques, positions that allow you to access the neck, chest, arms, obliques, psoas, quadratus lumborum (QL), and more. These strokes are essential for treating stubborn mid-back pain, chronic hip issues, shoulder dysfunction, and the kinds of fascial restrictions that don't release well from prone.

Here's what you'll walk away with:

• Targeted myofascial work from all angles, including detailed work in side-lying and supine positions

• Mastery of the FasciAshi strap for leveraging pressure without strain

• Specific strokes for the adductors, hip rotators, and even the deep core muscles like psoas and iliacus

• Tools to customize pressure, conserve your energy, and offer therapeutic barefoot bodywork clients didn't even know they needed.

Why This Matters:

Real Talk from the Treatment Room

Just this week, I was working with a longtime Bull City Soles client who’s currently going through the Rolfing 10 Series™, and we were focusing on the lateral line. She shared something that left me completely speechless. She had seen three different massage therapists at our studio, each trained and mentored by me, and each having taken the Intermediate course, but she said, “I’ve never had side-lying work here.”

I was truly dumbfounded that none of my therapists had used side-lying work with her, especially considering her issues. That moment hit hard.

It made me realize how often massage therapists, even those with solid barefoot training, default to working only in prone or supine positions. We get comfortable. We stick with what we know. And before long, it becomes a habit to avoid venturing into side-lying, not because we don’t value it, but because it feels unfamiliar, awkward, or secondary.

But side-lying is a powerful, underused tool that can open up a completely different therapeutic experience. It offers better access to lateral structures, supports clients with mobility or breathing challenges, and creates space for working intensely without compressing sensitive areas.

And yet... It’s often skipped even when it’s been taught.

That’s a missed opportunity, not just for the therapist’s growth, but for the client’s healing.

As massage therapists, we owe it to ourselves, and the clients on our tables, to keep refining, evolving, and using the full range of skills available to us. That includes embracing positions and techniques that challenge us, especially when they have the potential to shift someone’s pain pattern or mobility completely.

The Side-lying position is a secret weapon for dealing with numerous issues. If your client is dealing with:

• Chronic low back pain

• Mid-back tightness

• Limited hip mobility

• Tension in the neck and shoulders

...then sidelying work should be part of your go-to strategy.

Build Confidence in Advanced Techniques

During this barefoot massage CE workshop, you'll give AND receive bodywork from your peers, observe demonstrations from the instructor, practice on a student clinic client with instructor feedback, and gain access to videos post-class through the CBM alumni portal.

If you’ve already taken the Intermediate class and want a refresher, we’ve got options. Join a refresher opportunity with CEs or no CEs if you simply want more hands-on practice and feedback. Either way, it’s a great way to get back into the flow, troubleshoot what feels tricky, and sharpen your skills so side-lying and supine work become second nature.

Bottom Line

This class is for massage therapists ready to take their barefoot work, and their career, to the next level. It's for the therapist who's ready to break out of the prone-only routine and develop a more sophisticated, anatomically informed approach to treating pain.

If you're ready to go beyond the basics, join us for our next Intermediate barefoot massage class in Durham, NC. Classes are limited to 8 students and often fill quickly, visit our class page to view upcoming dates and secure your spot.

Already taken Intermediate but need a refresher? Reach out about review options or sign up for a future refresher day.

Prerequisites for Intermediate Barefoot Massage

To enroll, you must have completed our FasciAshi Fundamentals.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to help you take the next step in your journey with barefoot massage.