Massages: Basic Skills.

Basic Rules

Massage technique is not difficult; in reality, it is an instinctive gesture in many actions of daily life, from caressing a baby to rubbing a joint when it hurts. However, to enjoy massage and its many benefits to the full, there are some basic skills that are helpful to know.

Massage should always be pleasant. Therefore, you should avoid rough or painful motions.
You should concentrate on what you are doing and pay attention to the sensations they are feeling.
The rhythm of massage is very important. Your movements create waves that spread through the whole body.
A massage technique in itself may be stimulating or relaxing, it all depends on the method of application. A hard and brusque massage is invigorating, while a slow and normal one can relax and calm.
The gestures should be smooth over the bony areas and harder or more vigorous over muscles.
It is very important to take care of your hands. A masseuse should have smooth, immaculate hands. It is also important to take care of your nails, to take maximum advantage of your fingertip capacity.
You cannot give a massage with dry hands directly on the skin. For massages, make use of massage oil: they will help the hands to slide better and will maximize the effects of the massage.
The masseuse should have very clean hands, washing them before and after the massage.
The masseuse should remove rings, bracelets, and watches in order not to hurt the person who will receive the massage. The hair (the masseuse's as well as the patient's) should always be pulled back.

During the massage, put on relaxing or peaceful music in the background, as it adds to the relaxation and well-being of the person who is receiving the massage.
The masseuse should warm up (before the massage) the flexibility of their hands and wrists through exercises to avoid injuries.
The position the patient adopts during the massage should be very comfortable to try to achieve the best possible relaxation.
The position the masseuse adopts during the massage should be very comfortable to avoid exhaustion or muscle injuries.
Work the knots that you feel under the skin. They are rigid, tense or blocked areas that have clusters of muscle fibers.
You should keep in mind the situations in which it is not conducive to give a massage.
Concentrate when you give massages, try to capture the patient's energy in that moment to transform it and make it beneficial for him.
You need to practice massage a lot so that your hands will become accustomed to the movements and capture any anomaly in the skin. Do not despair, at the beginning it is pretty difficult, but it is just like learning to play the piano. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.