You could be a hit at your next gathering, just by picking up some massage techniques. This sort of exercise can be very helpful to people who have been injured. For more serious conditions, proper physical therapy should be done by a professional. These techniques can help you if you suffer from minor damage.
Always be gentle when giving someone else a message. Even if the person you are massaging complains, you should avoid applying too much pressure to their muscles and joints. Unless you have been trained in message therapy, you are more likely to hurt them than to relieve their pain by being more forceful.
Petrissage is the best way to relieve stress and make pain disappear. This method requires you to use your fingertips and your thumb. Grab hold of a muscle and squeeze it for a few seconds before moving on to a different area. Go over the same areas several times until the pain disappears.
Start your massage at the top of the back. This is important as there are a lot of muscles and knots tied up in this area. This technique will help you to soothe the person you are massaging and serves as a great bridge to the other areas of the body.
Avoid holding your breath while your massage therapist is working. You may have knots that are extremely painful, yet the therapist cannot massage them out effectively if you hold your breath. Try to breathe through the muscle pain, and use a combination of deep breathing and visualization. In your mind, picture the area and imagine the knot is a lump of butter, melting in the warm sunshine.
Shiatsu massages come from Japan and are basically like acupuncture. The only difference is that instead of needles, fingers are used. The therapist is going to apply pressure to the various pressure points so that the body can relax. The goal of Shiatsu massage is to increase one’s well being and energy level.
If you are a woman, don’t swear off men massage therapists. Since most women are modest, they often feel uncomfortable in front of a male massage therapist. However, some women have reported that the best massage they have gotten in a long time is from a male massage therapist. Whatever your decision, don’t just base it on the sex of the massage therapist.
If you are not sure what kind of massage you should get, choose a deep tissue massage or a Swedish one. There are many different choices, some which can leave you disappointed when you have serious knots you need to work out. The types mentioned above are the most popular.
When your massages get deeper, start massaging faster. At first, you should go slowly to allow the recipient to become acquainted with your touch so their muscles can begin to be less taut. Once into the groove, you can speed up and push harder.
Did you know you have great self-massage tools around the house? Why not lie on a tennis ball for a sore spot on your back? A rolling pin is great for the bottom of your feet. Walk around your house and you may be surprised by all the great tools you find!
Consider getting a massage in either just your underwear or naked. Skin to skin contact is important during any massage, and this can only be accomplished if you remove your clothes. You can always use a blanket to cover up if you are concerned about modesty or staying warm during the process.
How long should you massage a spot for? Try to aim for about thirty seconds. If you have many places to rub, this will help to speed along the process. If you find that the spot still aches or is tight, return to it later for another 30 second session.
If you enjoy working out, you should try massaging your muscles before and after exercising. You should pummel your muscles with your fists to improve your circulation before working out and massage your muscles more gently after working out to speed up the recovery process. Make sure you stretch after massaging.
Listen to your massage therapist and follow any professional directions they give you. They are the experts after all. As long as this person is being professional, trust that they know what is best. This includes any requests before and immediately following a massage. There may be things you need to do to make sure your muscles respond well.
When giving a massage, remember to relax yourself. If you are holding a lot of tension, it will be more difficult to maneuver your hands in a way that provides a great massage. The tension will also show through in your attention to each area of the body and the overall feel of the room.
A great massage technique for reliving shoulder pressure is providing yourself with a bear hug. To do this, put the right hand on the left shoulder and the left hand on the right shoulder. Tightly press on each shoulder and release. Do this three times. Finally, begin to work your hands down your arms squeezing and then letting go until you get to your wrists.
Massage your stomach when you finish eating. You’ve read that correctly. This will aid your digestive system in its digestive processes. Simply rub your stomach in clockwise circles. This is the flow of your digestion so it gets simulated when you use this practice.
Massaging can help both your family members and close friends. Among the many reasons for becoming a massage therapist, the ability to give another person a great experience that will make life brighter and easier surely stands out. After a while you will find that massages come easy to you and you’ll be able to do them with little effort.
