Massage: The Great Things It Can Do For You
Massages are great stress-busters. The bad news here is that few people know how to give a proper massage. But this is something that’s easily correctable. You can quickly learn how to give an awesome massage. Continue reading this article to learn more.
Watch your partner when giving a massage. Watch for grimacing or tensing up. By paying close attention, you will begin to learn all of their likes and dislikes. If their body becomes tense, you are probably applying too much pressure.
It is of the utmost importance that you are relaxed while receiving a massage. Deep breathing techniques must be learned and practiced during massage to release tension. Whenever your massage begins, you should take occasional deep breaths so that your muscles remain relaxed.
If you happen to be receiving a massage, try not to eat a large meal in advance. Overeating causes discomfort and will put a damper on your massage. It is important to get a healthy meal in your stomach so that you can feel pleasant during the experience.
You should look for reviews on the Internet to find a good massage therapist. It’s important to read what others have to say before you literally place yourself in the hands of a stranger. Look for reviews published on websites that are not run by the clinic or the therapist you are considering.
When you are giving someone a massage, avoid talking. If you are talking to your client endlessly, they are not going to be able to relax like they should. Nature sounds or soft music is all that should be heard. Try to keep talking to a minimum and ask your client questions about specific issues before and after the massage.
Foot Bath
You must make sure you slowly get up after getting a massage. You have spent quite a bit of time laying there and relaxing while getting your massage. It is possible that you will feel faint when returning to an upright position, so move gradually.
Be sure to wash your feet before getting a massage. Your spa may provide a foot bath, or you may need to take care of this on your own. Your feet are exposed to germs and bacteria that should be washed off, so that they don’t get spread to other areas of your body. If you cannot give yourself a foot bath where you are, see if you can go to the restroom and wash your feet in the sink.
When getting a complete body massage, make sure your feet are entirely clean. Your feet can carry a lot of bacteria and fungus, and that is easily spread by your massage therapist when the therapist works the full body. Thoroughly cleaning them right before the massage will do you good.
Pressure points and how you measure the pressure you apply can make a big difference in how successful it is. For example, if you come across a knot in your muscle you will want to apply more pressure while working the knot out with circular motions. The tightness can also be relieved with constant pressure applied to the knot. This is what deep tissue massage is based on.
When you make the decision to get massage regularly, form a rapport with the massage therapist. If you trust the person with their hands on your body, you will relax more, allowing the massage to reach its full potential. You should always talk to your therapist ahead of time to make sure you are ready.
Bear hug techniques can help with shoulder tension. You can fold your arms in an x across your chest. Take each shoulder in a hand and begin to rub. You will immediately start to relax, and this is a great technique that you can utilize wherever you are at.
As time passes, speed up. When you first start a massage, you want to be sure the person you are massaging is comfortable, which is why you should go slowly. This will also increase the friction as you give the massage.
During a massage, ask your therapist to lower the lights. This helps make the massage as relaxing as possible. You don’t need a completely dark room, but soft candle light or lights that are very dimmed will do the trick.
Make sure that your hands are following the body’s curves, when you are massaging someone. You should use your fingers and your palm to look for tense muscles and figure out which areas hurt the most. If you reach bony areas, use the palm of your hand with limited pressure to keep pain at bay. For the curvier areas, use fingers for digging in and getting rid of kinks.
When you give someone a massage, don’t neglect the hands and feet. Since the feet and hands are so sensitive, massaging them can feel really good for the other person. When you are massaging these areas, try to be as firm as possible to loosen up the muscles.
When you massage someone with oil, allow them to take a shower once complete. The shower can be further soothing and it will help them feel more comfortable, too. It is also beneficial for the skin; it will help the pores stay clear.
Using massage techniques on your stomach can help alleviate discomfort that results from eating. If you finished eating a big meal, put both hands over your stomach rubbing it clockwise. This should help your stomach with digestion. Be gentle and avoid applying pressure directly on the abdomen until you’ve finished digesting.
Make sure to warm up your oil prior to putting it onto the skin. The last thing you want to do is make your client uncomfortable with cold oil. Rather, place oil in the hands, and rub them together for a moment or two. The friction generates heat which warms the oil to the ideal temperature.
Can you feel the body’s contours as you massage? Divide the work of massage evenly between fingers, thumbs, palms and the heel of your hand. For bony areas, apply light pressure with your palm to relieve pain. You can use the tip of your fingers to massage your muscles and penetrate the deeper layers of your skin.
When massaging don’t be afraid to press firmly on muscles. Always ask the person if you are hurting them, and take it slowly to begin with. As long as you control your movements, it will really help. Do not engage these techniques near the bones as this will cause pain.
Be realistic and admit that your feet may not be particularly appealing to a therapist after you have been working all day. Take a full shower and clean yourself well before your massage. Not only will this make the masseuse happy, it will keep you from having to smell yourself during the session.
Tell your masseuse what you want. Some may use too much pressure, while some won’t use enough. It is your hard-earned money paying for the massage, so you should be enjoying it to its fullest.
During pregnancy, regular prenatal massages can be quite helpful. The massage stimulates circulation which is beneficial to your baby. Babies grow more quickly in mother’s who get massages.
Should you receive a massage, the tip is important. This is customary because masseuses are service workers, so they do not receive a high hourly wage. Tip between fifteen to twenty percent. If you’re really happy with the massage, tip near the higher amount, and if you were unhappy with the massage, tip towards the lower end.
Anyone can learn how to give great massages if they are properly motivated. By keeping these tips in mind, you can relieve the stress of friends or family. Eventually, you might even consider opening up your own business in massage. No matter what, massage is a good skill to have and use!
Following your massage, drink lots of water. During a massage, your muscles will release a lot of toxins and it is important to flush these toxins quickly by hydrating yourself. Water is the greatest post-message beverage, so make sure not to drink anything else. Water helps to both keep you refreshed and clean your body from the inside out.
