Giving a Relaxation Massage --
Advanced Techniques
This is the second article in the massage series. To start at the beginning, click here.
Before you begin “rubbing” somebody down, I have one strong suggestion for you; only give a massage to a healthy person. Believe it or not, massage has many physiological effects that can cause serious side effects. Thus, be sure to ask whether your “receiver” has good blood pressure, isn’t within her first trimester of pregnancy, if diabetic, that their diabetes is controlled and that they have no liver or kidney conditions. Massage increases blood flow throughout the body; so if your friend has any kind of illnesses affecting their cardiovascular or respiratory systems, liver, kidneys and/or other diseases; i.e.; Cancer or mysterious lumps, don’t give them a massage. If they really want one, they should go to a Registered Massage Therapist to ensure their health isn’t jeopardized.
If they don’t want to share this information with you, maybe giving them a massage isn’t a good idea.
The next step is to actually find out if your friend or partner wants a massage. Do they really want to be touched by you? Remember that everybody has different personal boundaries that any decent person should respect.
So you’ve established that your friend is healthy and that he/she really wants a massage -- great; you now have the green light to touch, to give.
“Not tonight sweetie… I have a headache”
We’ve all heard this one… some of us have even used this excuse a few times for a variety of reasons. Why not take some time to ease your partner’s headache? This will no doubt be very much appreciated – even if their discomfort is less physical than a result of other factors. Giving that extra little bit of attention can often change anybody’s mind.
Let’s talk about how you can help to ease a tension headache. Migraines are a different story, so let’s not go there today. A colorful array of causes are attributed to tension headaches, including: muscular imbalances, bad posture and even depression. Some sources even cite sexual activity (God forbid) as a potential origin… but don’t say whether they come about due to too much horizontal fun or lack thereof -- go figure.
First Steps
Make sure the room is warm. It’s normal for a person’s body temperature to drop when they are relaxed, so have an extra blanket at hand. You may feel hot but they will feel comfortable. Another thing to do is light some candles and have soft, ambient illumination in the room; this will help your partner relax. Some gentle music is a nice touch as well; no Metallica, no Christina Aguilera etc. -- those vocal gymnastics are enough to give them a headache! Just keep it pleasant.
If your friend feels comfortable, they can remove their shirt and bra / undershirt. Massage is best performed skin on skin but if they don’t want to, that’s ok; you can skip the oil and massage over their clothes.
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