... Why Would a Massage Therapist Compete?

I was always curious about massage championships, but I never really thought I would participate in one. Certainly not a World Championship (Woooooooorld! 😄) But it happened. And not only once, but twice. And I have absolutely no regrets.

People are often surprised when I tell them that massage therapy has championships. Yes, actual championships. Therapists from different countries come together, demonstrate their skills in front of judges, exchange techniques and — for a few intense hours — turn something we normally associate with a quiet treatment room into a competition.

But one of the most important reasons these championships exist is also, I think, one of the least understood: to make massage therapy more visible, respected and recognised as a profession.

In many countries, massage therapists are still underpaid and regarded as relatively unskilled workers, while many of us spend our entire careers studying, training and growing — within massage therapy and far beyond it. For many therapists, this isn't simply a job. It is a profession — and often a calling — that requires knowledge, experience, sensitivity and skills that cannot be acquired through any one school or course.

I think it’s important that people understand this. Because when you look for a massage therapist, you do have a choice. Training, experience and approach matter. There is a difference when you put your body into the hands of someone who has spent years developing their knowledge, technique and ability to understand the person on their table.

I've now had the opportunity to represent Belgium twice 🇧🇪, compete alongside incredibly talented therapists and even come home with medals. And in a couple of weeks, I'm doing it again!

This time, I’ll be taking part in the Tournament of Nations in Paris, where countries are represented by teams of therapists. Each of us competes in a different category — and mine will be my beloved Ayurvedic massage.

There’s something special about competing as a team. We support one another, share the pressure and somehow make the stress feel a little lighter. It’s very different from competing individually — and, as it turns out, I enjoy both.

Because the medals aren't actually the most valuable thing you bring home from a championship. Competition makes you better.

Being surrounded by therapists with completely different backgrounds, styles and techniques is incredibly inspiring. You watch. You exchange ideas. You discover approaches you've never considered. You question your own habits. Competition pushes you to refine your technique and step outside the comfortable routines that naturally develop after years of working.

My approach to massage championships is quite simple: don't perform for the judges. Take care of the person in front of you.

A technically impressive massage isn’t necessarily a truly good massage. You can know hundreds of techniques, but you still have to listen with your hands, be present with the person on your table and take care of them — rather than perform for the cameras. (And there are plenty! 😄)

These competitions aren't only about rankings and medals. Most of all, they're an opportunity to make our profession more visible, learn from one another and raise the quality of what we do. And eventually, everything we learn finds its way back to the treatment table.

So yes, I've come home with medals. 🥉🥈 And I've come home without any at all, too. 🤷♀️ But I've always come home with something new — new ideas, new friends, inspiration, connections and an even greater respect for this profession.

Maybe that’s the real victory of a massage championship: not proving that you’re better than someone else, but leaving as a better therapist than when you arrived.

And that's what keeps inspiring me to do it.

Even though after every championship I say: “I'm never competing again.” 😄

My Massage Championship Journey

Tournament of Nations 2025 — Paris
🥉 3rd place, Four-Hands Massage — together with Wim Stultiens
🥈 2nd place — Belgian National Team

World Massage Championship 2026 — Copenhagen
Lomi Lomi Massage — Wellness category (30th place in the world ranking)

Tournament of Nations 2026 — Paris
Upcoming
Ayurvedic Massage category 🇧🇪