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.
If you decide to get a massage in the comfort of your own home, take a hot shower first. The hot water will help relax your muscles through the penetrating heat. This will ensure that your massage is more comfortable and any aches or pains are eliminated before the start.
A massage is a wonderful way to alleviate stress and pain. If you suffer from chronic back pain or have to deal with other issues related to stress, you should get a massage regularly. If you can not afford regular massages you might want to have a friend massage you regularly, and just see a professional massage therapist whenever you can afford to.
When giving a massage, do not forget to focus some attention on the neck and shoulders. While much attention is paid to the back during a massage, the neck and shoulders can hold tension and stress too. Spending some time massaging them offers a lot of relief and can improve the massage experience.
Stretch before you go to get a message. This will help to loosen you up just a little bit before hand so that your massage therapist can quickly locate any problem areas that you might have. If you have extreme pain you may not want to do this, otherwise it is a good idea.
Make sure the person you give a massage to is comfortably installed. Ideally, you should use a massage table or at least a comfortable mat. If you do not have this equipment, have the person lay down on a comfortable couch or a supportive mattress. Make sure their head is properly supported.
If you are giving your partner a massage, watch their body language. You must be sure that you’re paying attention to how they’re tensing up and what their face is showing you. With practice, your hands will have the ability to read the signals their body is giving you. If their body becomes tense, you are probably applying too much pressure.
Try and find a reputable message therapist by reading online reviews. It is important to find out how others have responded to their massage if you want to avoid a potentially painful experience. Read reviews from several sites to ensure they are accurate.
Do you suffer from high blood pressure? Whether it is hereditary or caused by stress it can be dangerous. If you are looking for a way to lower your blood pressure a bit, try having a massage. Massages are a great way to relieve stress and tension. They have also been proven to lower peoples blood pressure significantly.
Pressure levels are key to massages. If there are many knots in the muscles, apply pressure on them and move in circular motions. Keeping the same amount of pressure on a knot over a longer period of time will help to release them. Deep tissue massage adheres to these tenants.
Ask for dimmed lights when getting a massage. This helps create a relaxing environment. You don’t have to make the room all the way dark, but it needs to be lit as if there were candles lighting the room.
Speak up. Let your therapist know if there’s a part of your body you want her to focus on more. Telling your therapist about problem areas will allow them to implement special techniques to help with the pain.
Prior to getting a massage, inform your massage therapist of all the problem areas you have. If you don’t you may end up wasting half of your massage time on areas that need a lot less work to feel good! This communication will give your therapist a plan of action for the limited time there is available.
A painful migraine headache can force you to stop all activities. If you’ve ever had a migraine, then you know how terrible they feel. Happily, a good massage can do a lot to relieve the pain and stress of migraines.
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.
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.
You do not have to remove your clothing for a massage. Many people feel uncomfortable being completely undressed, so don’t be afraid to keep some clothing on if it makes you more relaxed. Your masseuse will not be offended. The goal of a massage is to relax, so stressing about clothing is counter-productive.
If your shoulders are bothering you, you should try hugging yourself and massaging the muscles you can reach while hugging yourself. This exercise will also help you stretch your entire back. You should try this technique if you have to sit on a chair during most of your work day.
When you decide to get a massage, make sure that you are relaxing your thoughts. It can be easy to feel nervous, especially if it’s your first time. Most professional spas usually have relaxing music playing. If you hear the music, channel your thoughts into paying attention to the individual notes. This can help you relax in your tense moments.
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.
