Give Great Massages
Looking for a few ways to spice up your massages, or a few new techniques to throw in to your usual routine? There are plenty of tips, tricks and techniques that can be added in to just about any full-body massage to improve the sensations and feelings your partner/friend/client experiences.
Encourage recipients to have a warm shower or bath before the massage. A soak in hot water loosens the muscles, allowing them to be manipulated much easier. It also ensures that the massage area is kept clean and hygienic, and helps to relax the recipient before the massage.
Try altering your starting point occasionally. If you often start with the neck, try staring with the area along the sides of the spine, or the lower back. Also try adjusting your own position, such as applying pressure directly from above. If space and equipment allows, try kneeling astride your partner while working the back and shoulders.
Instead of using lotion or basic oil, try adding scented essential or aromatherapy oils to your massage. Different scents can produce different effects—lavender is a soothing, relaxing scent, while lemon can be used to revitalize and energize. There is a wide, comprehensive variety of essential oils for unique uses and effects.
Take care of your hands. Hands are the masseuse’s principle tool, and as such they should be kept in good condition. Ensure nails are clean and filed down to remove any sharp or jagged edges, and exercise your hands lightly before beginning a massage to stretch them out and improve flexibility. Pay close attention to your wrists as well, as they are just as important as the fingers and need to be sufficiently warmed up.
Give your client simple instructions during the massage, and only speak when spoken to. Let the recipient set the pace of the massage, and react accordingly. Make sure they maintain a good position at all times, and are not bent, twisted, or turning their head to talk to you. Small touches like a pillow under the feet can help make them even more comfortable.
Keep your recipient warm by covering areas of the body with towels when you are not working on them, and ensure that the room temperature is kept reasonably high. Draw curtains and shut doors to conserve heat, and make sure the palms of your hands are warm.
Your touch defines the quality of the massage you give, so make sure it fits the requirements of the recipient. Ask them beforehand how much pressure they like to receive, and how fast they would like you to move. Concentrate on keeping your breathing slow and regular, as this will affect the quality of your touch.
Finally, enjoy yourself! A large part of the enjoyment of a massage comes from the belief that the giver is enjoying what they’re doing. A massage is a gift, a service, and like any other present should be given with feeling. If you aren’t enjoying giving the massage, your recipient may not get quite as much delight out of it as they would if you were a touch more enthusiastic.
