How good are your massages? Does your spouse complain when you give a massage, or are you really just not sure what you’re doing? If you learn a few simple strategies, you can transfer from novice to intermediate pretty fast. It’s time you learned how to give a good massage, so keep reading.
Only disrobe to your comfort level. For many people, undressing for a massage is not a big deal. This is not the case with some and they often find themselves feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious during the massage. This will reduce the effect of the massage. Avoid this by only taking off the clothing you are comfortable with.
One of the best things that you can do before and after your massage is to drink a lot of water. Water will help to eliminate some of the free radicals that are in your body, which may be causing your discomfort in the first place. This will optimize your overall experience.
When using massage oil, before putting it on a person’s back, place it into your hands first. If you place the oil directly onto your partner, the oil may be surprisingly cold and startle the person. That’s not the kind of reaction you want from a massage. Instead place the oil first in your hands and warm the oil up by rubbing your hands together. This will make the oil the perfect temperature to use.
If you cannot find anyone to give you a massage, you should try using massage tools such as head massagers or canes designed to massage your back. These tools are not as efficient as receiving a massage from a professional but they are a good solution if you cannot afford to go get a massage on a daily basis.
Shiatsu massages are Japanese, and you use your hands versus needles like acupuncture. The massage therapist will put pressure on the pressure points in your body, making your body relax instantly. Shiatsu massages are for boosting energy levels and well being.
Recover slowly after enjoying a massage. Hold off on immediately jumping up from the table as soon as the masseuse leaves the room. Take a moment to luxuriate in the warm, relaxed feel of your body. Open your eyes, take in your surroundings, and then slowly sit up on the edge of the table. Rest a moment before standing.
After your client becomes comfortable with the massage, increase the speed. At first you’ll need a slow massage to loosen the muscles and allow the person’s body to get acclimated to the massage. Once time has passed, you can speed up and use more pressure.
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.
Doing eye massages can relieve tired and sore eyes. The main benefit of this massage is using warmth to relieve pain and strain. Begin this massage by rubbing your hands together vigorously. Do this until your hands start to feel warm. When hands are warm, cover each eye with a palm until the warmth goes away.
When you go out for a professional massage, be open with your masseuse. Let the therapist know about problem areas or injuries so that the therapist can stay away from them — or focus on them. Don’t be afraid to speak up if something is uncomfortable. After all, you are supposed to feel relaxed during a massage.
A relaxing environment is vital to giving a good massage. It needs to provide both relaxation and the feeling of stress melting away. Too much noise means too much stress. Anywhere you could sleep is a good place to do it. Turn the lights low and play soft music for a calm environment.
If you have a less than pleasant experience having a massage, try not to write them off completely. Everyone has their own style and techniques and no two massage therapists are the same. Ask for a recommendation from a friend for someone new, and explain your experience to them so they can do their best to make your massage with them as pleasant as possible.
Before and after you exercise, you should give your body a good massage. Before you exercise, use your fists in a pummeling motion to stimulate blood flow to your arms and legs. After you exercise, rub your muscles with your fist or palm. Move along your heart’s direction. This helps to speed up your recovery and aids in waste removal.
Learn the proper finger techniques for doing a back massage at home. It’s true that you will be mainly massaging using a finger and a thumb on each hand. However, massaging using only those digits will cause you to wear your thumbs out, so try using the other fingers on your hands to support them.
Create a warm and relaxing environment for your patient. The temperature should be comfortable enough that exposed skin is not cold. You may choose to play relaxing music if you both agree to it. Turn off any cell phones and perform the massage in a clean room to minimize distractions.
Play some soft music in the background when you prepare to give a massage. This helps the person who will have the massage to relax and feel comfortable. It will also help the person get rid of muscle tension. Playing music increases the effectiveness of massage.
It’s time that you put everything together that you’ve just learned to see what you can do. Test out your techniques on someone you love, and their reaction will tell you how well you’re doing. As you continue to learn more, realize that it’s the little things that help make the difference.