{"id":25463,"date":"2024-02-09T17:38:56","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T22:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/blog\/?p=25463"},"modified":"2024-02-09T17:39:08","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T22:39:08","slug":"tips-from-a-licensed-massage-therapist-on-giving-a-great-massage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/blog\/massage\/tips-from-a-licensed-massage-therapist-on-giving-a-great-massage\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips From a Licensed Massage Therapist on Giving a Great Massage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At some point in your life, you\u2019ve likely been asked to rub the aching back, tight shoulders, or tired feet of a loved one. With Valentine\u2019s Day on the horizon, that likelihood may increase significantly, so here are some professional pointers for giving a great massage at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Positioning is Key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you start your massage, make sure that both you and the massage recipient are in comfortable body positions. Ideally, you would use a massage table with a face cradle, but if that\u2019s not handy, make sure the recipient\u2019s body is ergonomically supported with pillows or cushions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they are laying face down on a surface, they will be most comfortable with a stiff pillow under their torso so they can more easily turn their head to breathe. Additionally, placing a pillow under their ankles will increase comfort in their joints. If the receiver is face up, you will likely need a pillow under their knees and potentially under their head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the person giving<\/em> the massage, you should be positioned at an angle that affords you the leverage to lean on the recipient. You should not be contorting your body in any way; instead, imagine yourself leaning into a kitchen counter. You\u2019ll be most comfortable if the pressure you apply in the massage comes from your bodyweight leaning<\/em> and not from your muscles pressing<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, if you think about massaging \u201cthrough\u201d the receiver\u2019s body instead of \u201con\u201d their body, your massage pressure will be perceived as much more encompassing and complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finger Positioning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common reasons people don\u2019t enjoy giving<\/em> a massage is because it hurts their hands\u2014particularly the thumbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A massage therapists\u2019 rule of thumb is to minimize<\/em> use of the thumbs in any stroke (see below for more comfortable hand positions). If you do use fingers, and in the very rare instance your thumb(s), make sure they are positioned to function as extensions of the force applied by your leaning bodyweight. Don\u2019t try to generate pressure from the muscles of your hands, which will tire out both your hands and your arms quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you absolutely must use your thumb, make sure it is a \u201csupported thumb\u201d by making a fist and letting your thumb be supported by your pointer finger and the rest of your fist. Just watch your fingernails in this position so they don\u2019t dig into your partner\u2019s skin!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Massage Techniques<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first thing to know when giving a massage is that people are made up of muscles, which you of course already knew, but muscles typically have a very specific orientation\u2014like the direction of the \u201cgrain\u201d in a piece of wood or a steak. Knowing the orientation of the muscles<\/strong> will help you give a good massage, and any muscle chart<\/a> can be your guide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Begin the massage with a light pressure to warm up and relax the muscles, and communicate with your partner<\/strong> to see if they\u2019re comfortable with it. If they\u2019d prefer more pressure, you can increase it according to their tolerance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping in mind the body and hand positioning described above, you can apply the following techniques to any primary muscle group, using the base of your open palm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n