Most people love to get a great massage so that they can reduce stress. But becoming a good massage therapist takes some know-how, and not everyone knows where to start. Thankfully, with some knowledge and a little training, you can provide excellent massages to your loved ones. To learn more, check out these tips below.
If you like massages, try getting some massage tools to use. Using massage balls and other accessories will make your massage experience more enjoyable. You can easily find affordable tools online or in specialized stores. Try different tools to find the ones you like the best.
Pregnancy can be especially hard on your body over the course of nine months. Carrying the extra weight from the baby can lead to aches and pains in places that you never knew existed. Treating yourself to full body prenatal massages can be just the thing to get you feeling more like yourself again.
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.
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.
If you experience stress or other negative emotions, you should try massaging specific points of your body. Target your nerve endings to get your body to relax. Sensitive nerve endings are located along your spine, the top of your head and in different parts of your face. You should try gently tapping on the top of your head, your forehead, cheeks and chin before taking a deep breath.
A foot massage can be used for more than tired, achy feet. You can search online and find foot maps that show which area of the foot can be massaged to experience relief from a myriad of symptoms throughout your body. For example, pressing on the big toe is known to relieve sinus pain and pressure.
Neuromuscular therapy (also called trigger-point) has to do with applying concentrated pressure to particular trigger points. You can identify a trigger point by the lumps that you feel, often appearing as knots. These areas are very painful and sometimes cause pain in other areas of the body. The pain is reduced or eliminated when the tension is released by the pressure on the target muscle.
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. There should be no sound, except possibly some nature sounds or soft music. Try to keep talking to a minimum and ask your client questions about specific issues before and after the massage.
Rise slowly after you receive a massage. You’ve spent 30 to 60 minutes lying face down while getting a massage. You may feel dizzy initially, so make sure you take care to recover your balance.
When massaging someone, open your fingers up so that you can be more precise with the area that you massage. This helps to loosen up the muscles and is also a great technique if you are planning on giving a deep tissue massage. After you massage this way, close your hands back up and use your palms.
The feet are an often overlooked area that needs to be massaged. There are many pressure points in the feet that can relax the body as a whole and give the entire body a sense of well being. Focus on one foot at a time and use as much pressure as your partner will allow.
You need to clean your feet before getting a good full body massage. It is important to be presentable out of respect for your massage therapist. Thoroughly cleaning your feet can make a huge difference.
The relaxing benefits of neck massages should not be underestimated. The neck is a place where a lot of people carry their stress. This spot is also quite easy to massage and stands to benefit greatly from the process. Use lotion and both hands when massaging the neck, and try to encompass the shoulder muscles as well.
Now you know that giving a massage is not as difficult as you first may have imagined! By utilizing this advice, you can provide an excellent massage to your loved ones. This may even be enough to encourage the beginning of a new massage business Whatever you decide, knowing how to give a massage is a wonderful skill to have.
