Massage Tips at Home

Massage is a lovely way of spending some quality time with your partner. With massage you can not only help each other to relax but also ease the aches and pains of work stress.

It can be hard to know where to begin so here are some tips to get you started:

Make sure the environment is conducive to relaxation:

• Warm
• Soft lighting
• Work and household stuff out of the way
• Some nice music
• Scented candles or incense.

The first touch is the most important:

• The first contact leads the way for the rest, a light gentle reassuring connecting touch lets the body know that its okay to relax and trust the massage. 
• Keep your hands soft, light and gentle rather than (heavy, hard and tense). Use your body for strength rather than your hands.

The massage itself:

• Put very simply massage can be divided in to 3 sections:
  
  - Warming the muscles
  - Relaxing and releasing the muscles
  - Integrating the part worked on back into the rest of the body
  
  
• Strokes to experiment with:

- Effleurage - this is a basic stroking movement.  Using the palm of your hand, allow your hand to softly mould around the body part you are working on and with a medium pressure glide up and down the body, spreading the oil and ‘reading’ or scanning the body for tension spots. This stroke warms the muscles in preparation for deeper work.

- Kneading - this is a rhythmic rolling motion with your fingers and thumbs picking up and rolling the muscle, similar to kneading bread. The slower and deeper the stoke, the more beneficial it is.

- Wringing - using the whole of your hand with your thumbs close to your fingers move your hands over the area in alternate back and forth motions, in a continuous flow lifting the skin towards you with one hand and pushing it away with the other in a gentle wringing motion.

- Friction - this is a stroke that is used to really release tension in muscles once they are warmed by the preceeding strokes. Find a spot that feels tight and using knuckles or your thumb gently lean into the tight spot, only moving in further as you feel the tissue release and let you in -rather than using force think of your hands melting into the muscle and gently persuading the tension to release.

- Pummelling - make your hands into loose fists and let them rain and bounce off the muscle in a fast rhythmic beat, avoid bony spots, or any inflamed areas, and the area over the kidneys, adjust your strength according to body part, for example the back can take quite a bit of pressure, but the calves are often sensitive.

- Feathering - this is a light touch with the finger tips running from the top of the body downwards, this stroke relaxes and calms the body and also sensitises all the nerve endings after the deeper work

• Make sure you get feedback from your partner about what feels good and what pressure is the right amount for your partner.
  
• Ensure that your own body is comfortable and relaxed, don’t worry too much about getting a technique right, rather let yourself relax into the flow of the massage, focus on making your touch as delicious as you can so your partner feels delicious too!

After the massage:

• Drink some water
• Ease yourself gently back into the world
• Enjoy the relaxed feeling in your body and the intimacy with your partner

For a more in-depth approach with specific techniques contact the BTS office, we would love to come and do a session with you showing you how to massage your partner. We can show you some tips and techniques and teach you in the comfort of your own home.