When thinking about giving a massage, it is important to have a plan of action for what you will be doing throughout your session. This means knowing what massage type is best for your client and what specific strokes you will be performing. It’s also important to conserve your energy and effort to be able to complete the session.
Start Slow and Be Intentional
Just like any endurance activity, it’s important to not start too fast, push too hard or use too much energy to where you will feel uncomfortable later in the massage session. Starting slow and steady allows for your muscles to warm up as well as your clients. Slowing the movements makes the strokes intentional, and not random, which in turn, helps the client relax. It also lets the client know that the therapist is fully engaged during the session. Moving too fast can signal to the client that the massage and therapist is rushed and not focused. Slowing the strokes can also have the client feeling that their session is much longer and more effective.
Slower massage strokes will enhance the client’s experience. If the practitioner is moving too quickly, they might miss an area that has a specific problem such as a sensitive trigger point, or high tension. The slower you go, the more you are able to feel for these problem areas your client has. Being able to recognize problem areas will help you understand what the client needs to feel their best. This will make your client happier as well.
Incorporate Effleurage Strokes
Some different strokes that could be helpful to slow your massage down and feel the problem areas include effleurage strokes. These strokes should be applied with a frequency of 40-50 strokes per minute. Types of effleurage strokes include feathering or nerve-stroking, Superficial effleurage and Deeper effleurage.
Keep In Communication
Too much aggressive friction or speed when massaging can cause pain or even injury to the client. It is important to communicate with them to see if they are experiencing any pain during the session.
At The Professional Massage Academy, we teach our students a wide array of massage techniques to make sure they are equipped with the tools to be successful certified massage therapists after our online program. We offer program start days every 2 weeks and 3 different online course load options to make sure your education fits into your schedule.
To learn more about our online massage therapy program, click here!
For more massage therapy content follow our Instagram!
Recent Comments