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How
to Give a Relaxing Back Massage
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Everyone loves a good back massage, and learning how to give a proper and relaxing back massage is actually not all that hard. Even if you don’t attend masseuse school, you can still learn the basics on giving a back massage.
Tips on how to Give a Back Massage
There are some basic steps that you can take in order to give a soothing and adequate back massage, and they are: have the person who is going to get the back massage to lie on their stomach on a firm and comfortable surface, such as a massage bed if you have one, and if not you can find something else that works easily enough. Be sure that however the person is lying you have access and can reach across their entire back without having to reach.
Stand or kneel by their side, placing one of your hands on their lower back and the other hand up between the shoulder blades, over the heart. Then warm up their back by applying pressure with your thumbs along both sides of their spine simultaneously. You should start at the lower back and work your way up to the neck area, rather than the other way around.
You then use a delicate stroke to apply massage oil, and you do this by using one long stroke and sliding your palms down either side of the spine to the pelvis, then scoop your hands out around their hips and back up the sides to the shoulder blades. Remember to constantly maintain contact with the back, and always glide your hands rather than remove completely when you are moving to another area.
You should especially work on areas that feel hard or tight, as these are called knots and working these out will immediately make the person feel looser more relaxed. Always perform clockwise circular friction with your fingertips along the muscles that are close to the spine and around the shoulder blades, as these are usually the tensest areas. As well, remember to always rotate the arms gently, one at a time, in order to help loosen the shoulder joints and enhance blood flow.
There are many benefits that can be gained from a back massage, such as relaxation, increased body awareness, improved circulation, and improved lymphatic drainage for release of toxins. However, when you are giving a back massage, you must remember to never put any direct pressure on the spine, and to avoid any broken skin, blisters, or areas of possible infection.
