Massage Basics |
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 I f a salesman offered you a
completely natural product that reduced your stress, increased your
energy, and required absolutely no effort on your part, what would you
say? Does it sound too good to be true? Well, the panacea in question
doesn't come in tablets and requires no fancy equipment. Massage
therapy is one of the oldest forms of healing, and a simple gift to
give yourself.
Massage therapy has many benefits:
An overview of
major types of massage:
This is a commonly known, traditional form of massage that uses long, slow strokes of the muscles and gentle movement of the joints to promote relaxation. Practitioners will usually use oils for smooth strokes, and work primarily on the surface layers of muscle. A Japanese style of massage based on the principle of increasing energy flow in the body. Practitioners use finger and hand pressure to stimulate various points of the body along meridians, pathways of energy flow. This is often done in a sequence of movements that includes stretching and loosening the joints. The massage therapist uses very slow and firm pressure to penetrate deeply into knotted muscles and areas of tension. It is recommended that the client voice their level of comfort frequently, as it need not be painful. Reflexology theory holds that stimulating areas of the hands and feet can affect internal organs and other parts of the body. Each area of the body is mapped to specific points on the hands and feet.
Sports massage can be used before and after exercise to warm up, cool down, and reduce the risk of injuries. It also helps eliminate lactic acid buildup, the cause of soreness. Techniques include stretches, compressions, and strokes of muscles. This therapy can be customized to those muscle groups used in a particular sport. Watsu is a form of warm water bodywork which combines elements of swedish massage, shiatsu, and movement therapy in body temperature water. The body is floated, stretched, and massaged. The mind calms and the muscles relax and release. The body's natural flexibility is renewed.
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