Here, we'll focus on adult massage. For infant massage, please search Google.com (or simply click this link).
| Amateur Massage - Before you begin | ||
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Create right atmosphere. Relaxing and safe is important. If you're in a public place, try to find or create a quiet corner where you'll be uninterrupted. Turn off your cell phones. Find a comfortable chair. If you're getting a shoulder rub in a cafe, don't be afraid to lean forward and rest your arms (and/or head with your arms crossed under it) on the table - you *should* melt into a puddle if massage's done right! At home, you probably won't have a proper massage table. Bed can be too soft or too low, but make yourself as comfortable as you can. If you have to lean too far over or down while giving massage, you might have a hard time keeping your balance, or you might strain your own muscles while trying to relax other's. Grab a couple of smallish pillows if you have them (a rolled up blanket will do the job if all else fails), and place them nearby - you might need to tuck them under the head or knees, or some other place, to make the person you're working on more comfortable. A bedspread or a large towel you're not afraid to mess up with massage oil is a good thing too. Check your nails. You don't want rough edges and sharp corners, nor super-long nails that will dig into the person's skin (although if you do have long nails, you can always use the palms and heels of your hands and your elbows). Lowered light, temperature comfortable to a nude or a partly nude body, and some soothing music are always nice. Massage oils and lotions: Very helpful, but not necessary. A good massage oil is wonderful to experience and it goes a long way towards making a massage enjoyable. Your hands will glide over skin with no snags, and with less friction, you won't have to worry about the "burn" due to friction. That said, if you are giving massage to someone fully or partially clothed, or on an expensive bedspread, they'll probably be more relaxed if they don't have to worry about oil stains all over the place. Check with the person for any allergies or scent sensitivities too. If you choose not to use a massage oil, use some lotion on your hands before the massage if you can. There's a whole lot of massage oils out there, and what works for you will depend on your own preferences. However, there are some rules of thumb - a good massage oil will let your hands glide over skin, but not slip - a little bit of resistance is necessary for a good massage. Water based lotions dry out too quickly, and go from too slick to not slick at all in a short time. An old favorite, widely used, is Nag Champa massage oil. You can also find high quality, delightful massage bars - massage oils in solid form that look like little soaps and melt in contact with skin. There are many great scents available. I personally find that massage bars have a great no-mess factor, but can be a bit slow to melt, especially in the beginning of a massage. If you prefer a non-scented oil, or like to mix in your own scents :-), I like pure jojoba oil, and think it far superior to anything else. The consistency and resistance are just right, and it's great for skin - jojoba oil is a vegetable oil closest to the human skin's natural oils. Skin drinks it in quickly, without much residue, and it does wonders for dry or rough spots. You can find it in most health food, organic or health product stores, and the cost is quite reasonable. (A note - don't buy it in large quantities. After several months in less-than-perfect conditions, it can go a bit stale... as do most of natural products without the preservatives.) |
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