EFTA01721297

EFTA01721297 I _ Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 7. With your thumbs atop the shoulders and your fingers up on your part-ner's back, knead the fops of the shoulders, also called the trapezius muscles, as shown in Figure 11-4e. While you're doing this, you can feel for tight spots and then stop for a moment to apply pressure with your . thumbs directly on those areas. S. Switch your position to your partner's side. Then, using medium pres-sure, glide your hands up the back, separating them at your partner's shoulders and gliding back down with lighter pressure. Do this two or three times, being careful not to press too hard directly over the spine. 9. Reaching across your partner's back, drape your fingers over her side, then pull back slowly, actually lifting her body up a tiny bit as you engage in a nifty "reverse glide," as shown in Figure 11,4f. 16. With "small" kneading movements, using mostly just the fingers, reach down and pull up the muscles along the back of the neck, alternating one hand after the other, as shown in Figure 11-4g. You can be firm, but be careful not to pinch your partner. Also, make sure not to pull her hair • when you're doing this maneuver. You should also avoid reaching around too far with your fingertips because you mayend up in an endan- germent site on the throat. *Map 1'l. Now is the time for you to really focus in on the tight spots you discov-ered during your thumb glide down alongside the spine. Start at the base of the.spine and place your thumbs in the little groove that's formed between the spine itself and the erector spinae muscles that run up alongside the far side of the spine. Then press out toward the oppo- site Side of the back, moving your thumbs in a tittle reverse ".1" motion sr over the muscle, as shown in Figure I1-4h. . ...Never press directly on the spine itself while you're doing this move. Instead, keep your thumbs pressing away from the spine at all times. • The main difference between a good massage and a mediocre one is that a good massage is ahvityS custom-made for each person every time. So, customize this manetivetand apply itexactly where your partner needs It this time, seeking out the tight spots you find.during your earlier glid-ing, and then concentrating on them. 12. With your partner's hand lifted onto her lower back, it's easy to see the shoulder blade, which automatically lifts up and reveals itself. A great way to release tension in this area Is to run your fingers along the lifted inner edge of the shoulder blade, pressing in and down while you do so, as shown in Figure 11-5a. Sometimes you can feel the shoulder blade lift-ing even further from the back as you relax the muscles. 173 EFTA01721298 174 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage • Figure 11-4: A series of back moves to get you started. 13. Use yoUr thumbs to zero in on the spot that lies about midway out.from • the spine at the level of the armpit. It's right at the base of the inner edge.of the shoulder blade, and is usually tight on almost everyone. If you can find this spot and do a thumb press with firm pressure for 10 seconds or longer, you may feel the entire shoulder "fall" away from the back in relaxation. EFTA01721299 It • Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 475 Knots, and what to do with them .As you.get used to glidiwyer•people s decide bodies de when enough is enouglliand mov&onto • with your hands, you:n*704W realize that no .‘the nextarea. This is a.toughoeSecatise your two-bodies are the same and-that, in fact, the , partners knots anklets spots are the areasthat same body can even feel different on different :v. need the most attention. days. Eventually, you'll know how to distinguish ' In general, during a full body massage, spend-no a "knot" from an area of normal muSele tone. more than 5 minutes on any particulsoigInspot — Then you can apply the techniques you find in If you want to focus on it more pier, schedule a this ehapter and Chapter 10 to start relaxing specialpssion just for that purpose. those.tight plages. You could 4$11,iiliapd an-entire hour justdeal- • ing with your. Parquire kpots, so you have to...;\,•• • if .•,-. • 14. Tap alladrois tliSuppe -spine, isshoviirrihf . the back, Odra* sornOme.ttlisrupS:tp, pning if your. part to gage In sottkacti •-• 'tapping* this 01 tetor 0.40,but atinigetheji i " • .3yam -; • ,s ; IS. After yoti•press an Arlipr:«4111he .W6i: sppts,..lt s tinhtito SO out of the back area, but yo dohltvaan.ein'MalterYour.exit too oloortatislleit You shock yotTi partner. do 4,• sudden.back:massage toms. So ifteke your Oepartutrotn the back tetrodual one and use gliding conhective etkikes. See•the:sideb -ar, "Creatihg wholeness ." later In this chapt • • - Figure 11-5: More moves for the back. .slituly;avoidlf.he Cy.aYirollish.rga.isagine lot ?Solaro' ;but I find !, g of:We ntapage. Only ;e... • e'sNiaoutto ..jtitilpptlithe tahle• todaefist.pOundintir barz.4.fel serious karakcSifsltr .Othext1Sse, 144.tosiimeitlft i.0 $93‘k: • O • 0 . EFTA01721300 176 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage 0 Creating wholeness You can create a better experience for your partner if you.never really "finish" one part of the body. Because, if you finish, that means the clock is ticking, and the massage is slowly drip- ping away. It's better to create the illusion of timelessness by connecting all the pieces of the massage together into one whole. So, after you "finish" the back, that doesn't mean you shouldn't allow your hands to move there again. In fact, it's a good idea to add some "connective strokes" throughout the massage so that it feels as though you never completely finish with any particular part of the body. You can even connect the front of the body to the back by reaching beneath your partner during certain moves, as you see.later.in this chapter. Back of the tegs at buttocks • The buttcckj dt:intain th•elargest Atscle in the human body, and they do a • • large petcsntage of the work. Witjiout them, you couldn't walk, sit, or dance the Wimp.° Buttbcks really &Serve a lot of Fespe6t, but often they've been • disparaged and have unfortunately besome the "butt" of many off-color jokes. Don't let this flippant ittitudeqbout buttocks keeeou from spending r. 'some serious tinie there &wing yourimaisage. • • • 1. After yttu glide your way dtwirn trot!) your partner's back and reposition yourself by your partner's 1sr tpply,some oil to the entire back surface ' '' .of one leg with firm gliding itrokes, cycling your outer hand around at tie buttock and gliding more lightivback down. 2. Lift your partner's foot, supporting it with both of your hands while applying circular rubbing all around the ankle bone with your thumbs and fingertips of both hands, as shown in Figure 11.6a. It helps your partner relax if you can get her to "let go" of her lower leg and allow you to take the full weight of her limb in your hands. Take a look at the "Limp arm experiment" in Chapter 7 for 'nder on how to do this. Be careful not to press too hard directly on the upper ridges of the heel bone right behind the anklebones, because it is a sensitive area and may be uncomfortable for your partner. 3. Before you put your partner's foot back down, do some gentle shaking movements, using the foot as a "handle" to move the leg, as shown in Figure 11-6b. This can help relax the muscles of the entire limb, right up O 0 EFTA01721301 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 177 into the joints, in this case the knee and hip. Practice until just using a gentle shaking at the foot can produce a rhythmical movement through-out the body up to the head. 4. The largest muscle in the calf is actually separated into two "bellies." It feels great to run your thumbs or the tips of your fingers up the middle of the calf, separating the two sides, as shown in Figure 1I-6c. You can also make a straight line up on either side of the middle. 5. While you knead the calf muscle with a back and forth motion, move your hands up and down also, so you cover the entire muscle, as shown in Figure 1I-6d. Stop about '% of the way down from the knee because the calf tapers down to the Achilles tendon there and becomes too thin to knead. At that point, you can continue by squeezing the tendon between your thumb and fingers down to the ankle. 6. Grasping the leg just above the ankle with both hands, use the webbing between your thumbs and forefingers to create a tight seal. Then squeeze in and push up at the same time, moving slowly, as shown in Figure 11-6e. Stop when you reach the back of the knee. With this maneu-ver, you can actually help move stagnant blood out of the limb, improving circulation. If you do it correctly, this move may incite your partner to say something like, "Whoa, that's intense!" Take this as a sign that you're doing things right, but also make sure that you're not squeez- . ing too hard. There's a fine line between intense and painful. Remember to apply only very slight pressure over the back of the knee! And be careful to avoid any varicose veins. 7. Making your hands into fists, apply pressure with the knuckles into the back of the upper legs, called the hamstrings, as shown in Figure 11-6f. Knuckling is a font of gliding that is especially appropriate to this area because each knuckle slides between the long bands of muscles here. 8. This move feels like an ice cream sundae for the leg muscles. Knead from the top of the leg down to the knee, moving up and down three to four times. To make this move most effective, try keeping as much of your hand in contact with the skin as possible as you squeeze, roll, and push. 9. Depending upon how big any particular buttock is, you have a variety of choices of where to press, but to be most effective you have to find just the right spot. In order to do that, palpate the outer upper edge of the tailbone (sacrum), and then go straight down toward the leg half way across the buttock. This should be right in the middle. Press directly in here with thumbs, as shown in Figure 11-6g. Use your fingers, fist, or elbow at an angle perpendicular to the surface. Hold this move for 5 to 10 seconds. This move is particularly beneficial for sciatica pain. EFTA01721302 in Part III: The Art of Giving Massage Turning over In my opinion, not enough is said about the art of turning over during massages. Often, this turn is the only physical effort a massage recipient has to make for over an hour. And, as it comes right in the middle of the experience, there's a poten- tial for it to be disruptive and a little jarring. For these reasons, most massage pros are quite gentle with their clients when it comes time for them to turn. In a soft, soothing voice, they say something like, "All right, Mr. Smith, I'm going to ask you to gently roll over onto your back now. Take your time: You have to watch your wording carefully because there are those who take what you say too literally. I have one client who is a world- class athlete, and once when I asked him to "flip over," he literally flipped, springing a foot off the table and twisting over in midair to come crash- ing back down on the table, splintering one of its wooden legs. When it comes time for your own partner to turn over, follow the example of the pros: ✓ Be gentle ✓ Speak softly ✓ Give them as much time as they need ✓ Assist them if necessary, offering support ✓ Use the words "roll over" or "turn gently, please" instead of "flip" 10. Knead the thick muscles of the buttocks, particularly on the upper, outside portion, which often tends to be the most sore, as shown in Figure 11.6h. You have to watch where your fingers are going while you squeeze, roll, and push here, though! It's kind of a tight area to work in. 11. Because the buttocks include the largest muscles in the body, they can withstand some heavy percussion movements. Use loose fists and firm pressure, but be sure not to pound with your fists on the tailbone, which is much more delicate. Then move the tapping down the leg, opening your fists so that you're doing karate-chop moves. Remember to lighten up over the back of the knee! 12. Apply light fingertip brushing up the back of the leg and onto the back, then back down again. After pummeling, pressing, squeezing, and knead- ing your way across your partner's back, fingertip brushing is a really good way to remind your partner how nice you are. You can extend the move from the feet all the way to the head. After you finish the first leg, switch to the other leg and repeat. Remember, because you already connected the back with the first leg, you want to do some connecting strokes when you begin the second leg as well. So, make your initial gliding on the second leg go up and over the buttocks and onto the lower back. EFTA01721303 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 179 Figure 11-6: Giving the back of the legs a kick in the pants. rirdoeti 11111 M A Om 40sor lb% "dir alln li% It EFTA01721304 / SO Part III: The Art of Giving Massage Face and scalp After your partner has turned over, you are presented with entirely different terrain to massage. The front of the body is a little more perplexing. There are more intricate surfaces to deal with, as well as more private, vulnerable, and delicate areas. Therefore, you need to be more of a diplomat while mas- saging the front of someone's body. Most people allow Just about anyone to give them a backrub, but when it comes time for you to touch the front of their body, they have to trust you. ontat The face, for example, is quite a private area. Although it's exposed to the world for all to see, it's not there for all to touch. You have to be sensitive as you begin to massage your partner's face. Avoid large gestures, or quick movements. All of your maneuvers here, including those you make before you even touch your partner, should be smooth, deliberate, and slow. You probably don't need any extra oil for the face. The oil left over on your hands from massaging the back Is sufficient. 1. Start by placing your hands gently on the side of your partner's head, thumbs resting on the forehead. This is the perfect position from which to start massaging the forehead with some thumb gliding and firm circu- lar rubbing. First, glide your thumbs out from the middle toward the sides, starting low by the brow, making three to four lines progressively higher. Then begin making circles with your thumbs, as shown in Figure 11-7a, all across the forehead. 2. Leaving your hands in about the same position, begin using the finger- tips instead of the thumbs. Circle your fingertips into the side of the head around the spot where sideburns would start if your partner had some, as shown in Figure 11-7b. 3. Using the tips of your first two fingers, trace around the edges of the bones that surround the eye — across the brow, down along the nose, and around the top of the cheek bones, as shown in Figure 11-7c. You may try a little mini-kneading along the same path with your thumbs and fingertips. If you apply pressure very near the eyes or directly on the eyelids, make sure your partner Isn't wearing contact lenses. 4. Glide your fingertips lightly across the top and down along the sides of the nose, being careful not to block your partner's breathing passages. At the base of the nose, near the outside edge of the nostrils, is a good place to apply light to moderate pressure and small circular rubbing, as shown in Figure 11-7d, which helps open sinuses in the area. EFTA01721305 Favorite places Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 1 5. Use your thumbs in an "opening" gesture to fan out across the cheeks from Just under the inside corner of the eye down toward the jawbone. The pressure you apply should be light to medium. 6. At the corner of the jawbone, slightly in front of and below the ear, you find the chewing muscles. In order to palpate them, ask your partner to clench her teeth, which makes these muscles bulge slightly out to the side. Then apply circular rubbing with the fingertips, as shown in Figure 11-7e, all around this area. Locate the highest point on this muscle, directly in the center, and use some pinpoint pressure directly inward for 5 to 10 seconds while suggesting to your partner, "relax your jaw, let your mouth open slightly, and just breathe." 7. Use some pinch and roll kneading to walk your fingers and thumbs from the jaw muscles out onto the chin, as shown in Figure 11-7f. Glide back • softly and repeat twice more. 8. Most people love for you to massage their ears. Use your fingers and thumbs to pinch and roll the ear from the lobe up around the edges to the top, as shown in Figure 11-7g. Repeat this twice and then tug gently for a second on the top, back, and bottom of the ear. 9. The scalp is often mistaken for a thin flap of skin without much potential for massage moves, but actually It's a great place to use medium to deep circular rubbing with the fingertips, as shown in Figure 11-7h. Keep lift- ing your fingers up slightly, moving them a half-inch or so, then placing them firmly on the scalp again. During the rubbing, keep your fingers glued to the scalp and move the muscles below it over the cranium. Be careful not to pull your partner's hair while doing this move. Everyone hastis or her own particular favorites when it comes to getting a massage. Some swoon over an ear massage, while others go into ecstasy as soon as you lay a finger on their forehead. Oftentimes, you can find these "favorite places" somewhere on the head, neck, or face, although other areas like the hands and feet are popular, too. Encourage yourpartner to communicate with you about any areas that feel particularly ther- apeutic or pleasurable. Then, during her next massage, spend more time focusing on the area she likes the most. Shell enjoy the sensation and appreciate you for remembering. EFTA01721306 182 Part HI: The Art of Giving Massage _ Figure11-7: Face the facet EFTA01721307 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 153 Neck and shoulders We refer to just about anything that bothers us as a "pain in the neck." Perhaps this is because the neck is particularly vulnerable to feeling pain. Filled with delicate nerves, vertebrae, and vessels, your neck can give you pain if you simply turn your head too quickly. Massage is a great way to soothe some of the minor complaints that people experience in this area. many of which are a reaction to stress. Be especially sensitive when massag- ing here, "tuning in" to your partner's muscles and letting what you find guide your movements. Sometimes, simply by adding your awareness to the equa-tion, you can help your partner get rid of that pain in the neck she's been complaining about. 1. The "shoulder swoop" move may be a little tricky at first, but after you master it you have a great tool under your massage belt. Pouring a small amount of oil into one palm, rub your hands together, then place them on your partner's upper chest, with your fingers pointing inward, as shown in Figure 11-8a. Slide your hands outward, pivoting your palms on top of the shoulder so that your fingers end up beneath your. partner's upper back, as shown in Figure 11.8b. Finally, glide your hands in and up the back of your partner's neck to the base of her head, lifting slightly while you do so, as shown in Figure 11-8c. 2. Slip your fingers beneath your partner's neck, cradling her head in your hands. Then lift very gently just until you can turn her head to one side, supporting it in your bottom hand. Rock her head back and forth slightly until your partner no longer tries to hold onto her own neck muscles. You can then use the other hand to apply circular rubbing to the muscles in the back of the neck, as shown in Figure 11-8d. Move your circles up and down, and when you find a tense spot, apply some pin- point pressure. By using both hands for different purposes (one massaging, the other cradling the head), you have extra-effectiveness with this move. 3. Still supporting your partner's head in one hand, use the other to knead up and down the back of the neck. Practice switching the position of your hands during this maneuver until you can create a fluid sensation for your partner — left, right, left, right. This feels darn good. dace 4. Supporting your partner's head with both hands, lift up and forward, bringing her chin toward the chest, as shown in Figure 11-8e. Hold this position for about 5 seconds, being careful not to twist your partner's neck. Then slowly lower her head back down. I believe this is the only stretch you should try with the neck until you receive further training. 5. Pushing down with your palms, glide across the tops of your partner's shoulders, also known as the trapezius muscles. As a more intense alternative to this move, you may try using the knuckles to glide in this area, too. EFTA01721308 154 Part Ill: The Art of Giving Massage Figure 11-8: Taking the burden off someone's shoulders. 6. Take the muscles on top of your partner's shoulders between your thumbs and fingers, kneading with a good amount of pressure, as shown in Figure 11-8f. As your fingertips reach down beneath your partner's back, curl them up so you're applying pressure in that area at the same time. 7. Now that the neck and shoulders are warmed up and relaxed, use some pinpoint pressure with your thumbs to zero in on the tight spots you find, as shown in Figure 11-8g. Remember to keep a straight line from your elbows and shoulders to your thumb so you don't stress your joints. To create a smooth transition, finish the neck and shoulder area with another shoulder swoop. Then move down onto your partner's left shoulder and arm with a long flowing glide, which leaves you in position to begin massaging the hand. EFTA01721309 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together s5 Arms and hands Arms and hands are some of the most active parts of most people's bodies. Think about it. Even couch potatoes use their arms and hands to reach for the potato chips and open cans of beer. In fact, just about everybody is so used to doing things with their arms and hands that, at first, you may find it challenging to get your partner to "let go" in this area (see the "Limp arm experiment" in Chapter 7 for help in getting your partner to "let go"). However, this doesn't mean that you can't perform some spectacularly bene- ficial and pleasurable massage moves here. The secret of good arm and hand massage is to make your moves smaller and to focus on the little details. Every pinkie finger counts! A typical reaction you may get when you begin massaging in this area is, "I didn't know my arms were so sore until you started doing that!" Good mas- sage techniques can put vitality back into this active, expressive part of your partner's anatomy. 1. Your initial gliding in this area spreads the oil, of course, but it also does much more. At this time, you help your partner "let go" and loosen up. You accomplish this by offering some support to the limb at the wrist and elbow while you're gliding. This means you're actually picking the arm up and supporting it with one hand while gliding with the other. Practice switching hands with this lift-support-glide maneuver until you get fluid with it. 2. Begin kneading the palm. You've already picked up your partner's hand, so you're in the perfect position for this move. You can flip your part- ner's hand up and down to work at different angles, spreading open and squeezing between the bones of the palm. 3. You have to build up a little dexterity in your fingers in order to get this knuckle rolling technique down. One at a time, curl your fingers closed into a fist then open them back up again over your partner's palm, as shown in Figure 11-9a. 4. Squeeze each finger as you pull slightly at the same time, moving up from the base of the finger to the tip, as shown in Figure 11-9b. Make sure to rub the sides of the fingers as well as the tops and bottoms. 5. The pressure point in the webbing between one's thumb and index finger is especially good for helping to relieve headache pain. The best way to massage it is with direct pressure from your thumb, as shown in Figure 11-9c. Hold this pressure point, pushing in toward the bones of the hand, for approximately 5 seconds. EFTA01721310 55 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage 6. This little move feels surprisingly good. While holding your partner's hand palm-down, you apply circular rubbing over the top of the wrists, as shown In Figure 11-9d. For serious wrist problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CST), see Chapter 13. 7. The forearms are jam-packed with muscles all crying out for attention. In this move, you use your thumbs to trace lines straight up the forearms from the wrists to the elbows, as shown in Figure 11-9e. This is a deep gliding that is meant to sink down between the bands of muscle in this area. There are special massage moves for the forearm that are effective on tennis elbow, and you can find out about them in Chapter 16. 8. Your kneading movements on the forearms are basically a smaller ver- sion of the ones you used on the legs, but this doesn't mean they aren't just as effective. Try to get as much of the muscle tissue between your thumb and fingers as possible, and remember to involve your whole body in the movement, all the way down to your hips, as shown in Figure 11-9f. 9. With your partner's elbow bent and resting on the ground for support, encircle the arm at the wrist with both of your hands, creating a tight seal around the entire circumference. Then begin pushing up the arm very slowly until you reach the elbow, maintaining firm pressure the whole time. This "squeezing toothpaste through a tube" glide is great for tired, achy arms that need some renewal. 10. In order to massage the entire upper arm from one simple position, lift your partner's arm up, supporting it at the elbow, allowing her hand to fall back toward the floor near her head. Then use your free hand to massage the upper arm. For example, in Figure 11-9g the left arm is sup- ported by your left hand, allowing the right hand to massage the biceps. In Figure 11-9h, your right hand supports the elbow, leaving the left hand free to massage the triceps. As you're doing this move, make sure to keep track of where your part- ner's hand is. If you're banging it against the side of her head, it detracts from the pleasure of the experience. This is a perfect position for stretching the upper arm and chest, too, and you find Instructions on how to do just that in Chapter 16. 11. Grasping your partner's hand near the wrist, shake the whole arm gently until you can see some movement way up at the shoulders, neck, and head. Try positioning her arm at three different angles to achieve a dif- ferent stretch on the shoulder joint: down by her side, out at a 90-degree angle, and up by her head. EFTA01721311 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 157 12. Finish the arm with a light fingertip glide that floats up over the shoul- der to the chest, where you're going to massage next. Repeat this sequence on the opposite arm. Figure11-9: Taking up arms against a sea of troub:es. EFTA01721312 55 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage Torso As a species, we've taken a big collective risk by standing erect on two feet and exposing our defenseless underbellies to the world. The front of your body, especially the abdomen, can be a very vulnerable area, and you have to be extra sensitive when applying massage moves here. Your abdomen is the physical home of many emotional realities such as fear, anger, and intuition. That's why we say we have a "gut instinct" about some- thing. You're not just massaging a stomach when you place your hands on your partner's belly. You're massaging her soul. This fact has been recog- nized by many Asian cultures, such as the Japanese, for example, who have even given this soul-In-the-belly a name: the harp. Make your movements on the chest and abdomen gentle at first, until your partner relaxes a little and allows you to massage more deeply. Keep in mind that your touch here penetrates to the deepest layers, both physically and psychologically. 1. Place your thumbs across your partner's upper chest muscles below the collar bone, with your fingers reaching down toward his sides, as shown In Figure 11-10a. Begin some kneading, which, as you soon discover, is a tricky maneuver to perform without causing your partner to squirm and writhe in fits of hysterical giggling. Yes, this area can be quite ticklish. Start out gingerly, like a kitten pawing a pillow, then gradually intensify, always staying within your partner's comfort level. This area can be extremely sensitive, especially on people who exercise a lot or who are overly ticklish. Be careful not to poke your fingers into your partner's ribs or armpits. And make sure to use extra oil If your partner has a lot of chest hair. 2. Lifting your hands off the chest Just slightly, begin pressing back down by using pinpoint pressure of the thumbs along a line about two inches below the collar bone, as shown in Figure 11-10b. This can have a benefi- cial effect on your partner's breathing, "opening" the upper ribcage. 3. Placing your fingertips near the top of the breastbone, push in gently and then begin circular rubbing as you move slowly down toward the abdomen, as shown in Figure 11-10c. As your fingers skim over the edges of the breastbone on either side, you find ridges and valleys where the ribs attach. Make a small circle in each one of these valleys, too, as you move down. 4. Gliding on the abdomen not only spreads oil and relaxes muscles; it also aids digestion. Your large intestine runs clockwise starting on the lower right-hand portion down by your hip bone, up along your side, across EFTA01721313 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 59 the base of your ribs, and down your left side. When you massage in this same direction (clockwise), you're helping the digestive organs do their job. Press in with firm but sensitive pressure so your movements affect these organs as well as the muscles on top of them, as shown in Figure 11-10d. When you get really good at circling your hands over the belly, try speeding up your movements a little by letting your left hand glide right over the top of the right each time they cross paths, without pausing to lift the left hand up. This creates a smoother flow for you and a neat sen- sation for your partner. 5. Right around the navel, in the pit of the belly, is where people often store pent-up emotions. By gently touching several points here, applying just the softest pressure inward, as shown in Figure 11-10e, you can help coax the emotions out. It's possible that your partner may sigh with relief or even begin to cry when you press here with sensitivity and com- passion. This is a good time to offer nonjudgmental support and perhaps even suggest a positive image, or visualization, your partner can focus on. See the sidebar, "Visualize whirled peas," later in this chapter. . 6. This move offers a chance to massage the lower back while your partner is lying face up, and it's a nice stretch, too. Slide both hands over the waist until the fingertips slip down all the way to meet at your partner's spine. Then curl the fingertips up to apply a little pressure as you simul- taneously lift the whole lower back a fraction of an inch upwards and glide your hands back toward the abdomen, as shown in Figure 11-10f. Repeat this move three times. During this move, make sure you're not putting too much strain on your own back. Position yourself close to your partner's side, and use your legs and hips to do the lifting. 7. Finish the abdomen with a glide that swoops around your partner's side at the hipbone, onto the front of the legs, and then down to the feet. Front of the legs and feet Think of how many miles your feet and legs have put in for you, selflessly hanging around beneath the rest of your body, taking you everywhere you want to go, seldom asking for anything in return. The average person doesn't realize how great a good leg and foot massage feels, and so you can surprise your partner with the simple, effective techniques in this section. You finish the full body massage on the legs and feet because this is where we stand, literally. Ending here leaves your partner feeling more grounded and "down to earth." EFTA01721314 1go Part III: The Art of Giving Massage Figure 11-10: Torquing the torso. Feel free to spend some extra time on the feet. Although the full foot massage isn't described until Chapter 14, you can incorporate many of those moves here as well. 1. Begin by pushing in with both thumbs on the bottoms of your partner's foot and then "spread" the sole open as you move your thumbs out toward the side, as shown in Figure 11-Ha. Use firm pressure and repeat this move three times. 2. By using the thumb on the sole and forefinger on top of your partner's foot, rub between the long bones of the foot, as shown in Figure 11-1 lb. You should find a "groove" between the bones that you can easily slip your finger into. Make sure to press sideways, as well as inwards, against the foot bones. 3. Holding the top of your partner's foot in one hand, use the knuckles of the other hand to "rake" into the arch of the foot in a continuous one- knuckle-at-a-time movement, starting with the pinkie finger, ring finger, EFTA01721315 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 197 middle, then index, over and over, as shown in Figure 11-11c. Done cor- rectly, this move feels exquisite, but you have to build up considerable finger dexterity to achieve that. 4. As if you were squeezing a coin, rub each toe between your index finger and thumb, as shown In Figure 11-11d. Start with the little toe and progress toward the big toe, making sure to rub on the sides of the toes as well as the tops and bottoms. 5. Then, find the exact location of your partner's shin bone, also called the tibia, and then apply firm pressure with both of your thumbs together along the outside (lateral) edge of this bone as you glide your way slowly up toward the knee, as shown in Figure 11-11e. 6. You have to use mostly the tips of your thumbs and fingertips to knead effectively on the front of the lower leg because, as you may notice, the front of the lower leg is mostly bone. Contain your kneading/squeezing movements to the fleshy areas on either side of this bone as you move up and down from near the ankle up to the knee, as shown in Figure 11-11f. Visualize whirled peas • At manyptrifits duringthe massage, you can offer a vieualization to help yOur partner relms•and melt morefullylintothe expeneoce These..vitual bonsbsdallyincorparatethree ihgtediefits: ros A reminder theut•how Impatient it is to breathedUring• theexperianc • . •'' Ito Some guidance about what specifics to • think about during- the visualization. . . . -ye A pOsitive message. Meant to uplift your• partner's state•Of Mind: • • . I cover breathing•prettiextensively in Chapter?. After you have your partner breathing evenly and deeply, then it's time to suggest an image to visu- alize, and when it comes to visualizations, concrete is better than vague. Makethe images you suggest extremely specific, including tex- tures, colors, sounds, and even aromas. An example of something vague to visualize is World. Peace. Plenty of people may tell you to visualize it, but how do you do that? What does world peace look like? What eplor k it? How big is itt.flOw Would it taste? DoeS it need any !pig (:,.personally find :it much easier to imagine/ -.sinushed vegetables, which perbapS explains the-existence.of a Well-kamivnbUroper stiekerH that urges us whirled It May: ', sound silly: first but cant so; just there, swirling.. around topsyturvy blender, eventually turning to gtedh mush as the "blades increase from chop to blend to pfddilise; the image of pii(eed peas itself is note:' enough fora fully:effective-visualization Yeti-- have to include theever-important uplifting New Agemessage, which in this case may well be, "See the colot green asa vest see of tranquility. Imagine•eath pea as a grain•of green sand tin ananending beach of bliss." Or something like that. EFTA01721316 92 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage 7. Reaching around behind your partner's knee with your fingertips, lift slightly while making circles over the sides of the knees with your thumbs, as shown in Figure 11-11g. Use moderate pressure inward against the knee while making this move, and monitor your partner's response closely; some people are ticklish in this area. 8. Continuing up over the knees, use your palms to glide with firm pressure in an upward direction on the front of the thigh, also known as the quadriceps muscles. Slide back down the thigh with light pressure and repeat four to five times. 9. Apply kneading to the front of the thighs. This is where you can use some really big movements, sliding your hands all the way from the inside of the thigh to the outside in a constant motion. Remember to use your whole body to create the kneading motion, not just your arms and hands. And don't be surprised if you work up a sweat during this move. 10. Imagine a line running along the outside of your partner's thigh from knee to hip (right where the stripe is on many warm-up suits). Starting at the knee, apply pinpoint pressure with your thumbs to a series of points along this line, as shown in Figure 11-11h. Hold each point for 3-5 seconds, then release and move up to the next point. When you reach the hip, slide back down and repeat one more time. This area is often very sensitive on many people, so you have to be care- ful when pressing here. Start out softly and increase pressure gradually. You can tell if you push too hard by noticing that your partner tenses his leg. If this happens, lighten your pressure. 11. This Is an advanced move that requires quite a bit of trust on your part- ner's part. You are putting him in a vulnerable position, one leg bent at the knee, with the hip open to the side. By using your palms, press down firmly Just above the knee, then glide slowly up toward the hip, as shown in Figurell-12a. For even more intensity, use your knuckles instead of your palms. Glide your hands back down to the knee with light pressure then repeat twice more. Lighten your pressure as you approach the upper thigh, which contains many delicate nerves and vessels. 12. Lay your partner's leg flat again, and then glide your hands upwards over the thigh. When you reach the hip, swivel your outside hand around and slip your fingers toward your partner's lower back, as shown In Figure 11-12b. Glide up as far as you can alongside the spine, then press your fingers up into the muscles there as you slowly pull back down toward the hip again, letting some of your partner's weight do the work of pressing. When you reach your partner's leg again, continue gliding down by using both hands on the back of the leg, lifting slightly to get your hands underneath. Finish your glide down at the foot. EFTA01721317 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 193 Figure 11.11: Fleet moves for the feet and legs. EFTA01721318 794 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage 13. Cupping the heel in your palm, lift your partner's leg Just an inch or so, reminding him to "let go" if he tries to lift the leg for you. Shake back and forth with a vibrating motion. 14. Your last move on the leg is a light fingertip brushing down from the hips toward the feet to leave your partner feeling "grounded." Repeat this entire sequence on the other leg. Figure 11-12 Finishing up the feet and legs. The grand finale As with so many things in life, like fireworks and circus acts, in massage it's the grand finale that really counts. Sure, you can apply superlative tech- niques all throughout the massage; flowing from one bliss-inducing maneuver to the next in seamless perfection; but if you finish with a ho-hum squeeze of the toes and then rush off to grab a cold one from the fridge, you're going to leave a slightly disgruntled partner behind. It's like watching a good movie with a bad ending: All anyone can talk about is how bad the ending was, not how good the rest of the movie was. The way you end the massage leaves a lasting impression. To make your finish the best it can be, follow these steps: 1. Use long gliding strokes that flow over the entire body, starting at the feet and moving up onto the torso then down the arms, as shown in Figure 11-13. This is the lightest kind of long-soft-light gliding, not meant to actually affect the tissues beneath the skin, but rather to send your partner a message of connection (see the sidebar, "Creating wholeness," earlier in this chapter). You don't have to wait until the end of the massage to use connective strokes. In fact, you can use them throughout the entire massage to con- nect everything together. Starting an arm? Connect it to the neck you Just finished a moment earlier. Go ahead, experiment. Connect away! The point is to make your partner feel that you're treating his body as a whole, not segmenting It into chunks. EFTA01721319 Chapter 11: Putting the Moves Together 195 Figure 11-13: Whole-body connective strokes create a sense of wholeness and continu- ity for your partner at the end of a massage. 2. To finish your massage, place one hand on your partner's forehead and the other gently upon his belly, letting them rest there In contact, but without pressure, for 30 to 60 seconds, as shown in Figure 11-14. You may begin to feel his pulse, or some warmth emanating from his body. This is good. Just tune in to whatever it is you're feeling and, for just these last few seconds, make sure your partner knows he's the center of the universe. This type of intentional hand placement to balance your partner's inner energy Is known In some quarters as polarity. The last moment of the massage is as important as the first. When you finally break contact with your partner for the last time, make it a conscious, gentle letting go. Figure 11-14: Placing your hands softly on two areas also creates a sensation of connection. EFTA01721320 796 Part III: The Art of Giving Massage EFTA01721321 Part IV Massage at Work The 5th Wave B • Rich Tennant "TIE SRCRT ANSWER TO YOUR REQUEST FORA RAISE IS 'NU. THE LCNG ANSWER IS `NO. /3110 GET CUT CF MY OFFICE:" EFTA01721322 In this part ... A7ot too long ago, work used to be a very physical activity for almost everybody on the planet. Sure, there were always a few pharaohs, high priests, and ladies-in-waiting whose main activity was flicking fingers and shoutingcommands, but for 99.99 percent of human- ity throughout our entire history, "work" meant physical work, and we used our bodies a lot. As you may have noticed, this is not the case anymore. In a sense, we've all become pharaohs, masters of a digital domain in which we push around bits of data as if they were slaves. Click a button, and your wish is executed. Most of us check our bodies at the door when we walk into work each morning. However, even though many of us don't use them as much anymore, our bodies are still subject to high levels of stress and strain. Recently in the U.S. alone, absenteeism went up 25 percent in one year, and stress was the top reason sited for missing work. Luckily, massage is here for us, ready to breathe some life back into our corporate bodies. It is now possible for mas- sage to become a part of your life at work, where you may need it the most. I'm talking about corporate massage here, which is the subject of Chapter 12, in which you find out how to take advantage of the growing number of mas- sage pros who specialize in on-the-job stress reduction. Of course, a massage pro might not always be available, and you need to know how to de-stress yourself on the job too. Chapter 13 is all about self-massage and stretching that you can do right at the desk or workstation. In addi- tion to relaxation techniques, you'll discover some basics about how to combat a very serious problem many office workers, and others, face: carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The work environment also forces many of us, especially females, to wear strange, sadistic contraptions on our feet, what Steve Martin called "cruel shoes." We then walk around on hard, unnatural surfaces all day, until our feet end up needing some serious massage attention of their own. Chapter 14 explains reflexology, a type of massage that concentrates on the feet, with the added benefit of affecting the entire body through its actions as well. EFTA01721323 Chapter 12 The New Coffee Break: Corporate Massage for a Digital Generation O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO In This Chapter > Considering corporate massage r. Sitting down to a massage chair D Going through the chair routine O 0 0 0 0 0 0 0'0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 very powerful message. It is very honest. People know immediately when you touch them if you care about them." A. Brian Weiss, psychiatrist and author of Many Live, Many Masters. B. Deepak Chopra, proponent of Ayurveda, the ancient healing science of India, and author of books such as Quantum Healing. C. Ram Dass, modern mystic and author of such classics as Be Here Now. D. Ken Blanchard, corporate consultant and author of the business best- seller, The One Minute Manager. Strangely enough, the answer is D, and Blanchard is basically talking about a pat on the back, not a massage. But his statement does point out the great need for people in the work environment to use the right kind of touch with each other. Appropriate, stress-relieving touch in the workplace is so important that an entirely new category of massage has been invented in the past several years to specifically address this issue. This category is called corporate massage, and it has become quite popular in offices and workplaces around the world. With corporate massage, a professional massage therapist comes to your office with a specially designed chair that you sit on to receive a massage with your clothes still on. This saves time and makes the whole massage pro- cedure easy, safe, and acceptable. EFTA01721324 200 Part IV: Massage at Work You've probably heard more than you want to about sexual harassment, abuse of power, and ruined careers, but the wrong kind of touch in the work- place can get you in a lot of trouble. Corporate massage, however, can help fulfill your touch quotient (your natural need for touch) while in an environ- ment that otherwise stifles much healthy contact. Corporate Massage Your first reaction to the thought of massage at work may be less than posi- tive for several reasons. As you contemplate the idea, you may come up with some of the following: ✓ Can I really handle the thought of my co-workers lining up to get undressed and rubbed with almond oil in the employee lounge? ✓ What will my (wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend, and so on) say? ✓ Won't the boss think that this kind of massage is a waste of time? Or, if you're the boss: Won't my employees take advantage of this and turn the office into a massage parlor? ✓ Willi be In an awkward position on a table or chair and look stupid while receiving a massage at work? ✓ How much will the massage cost? ✓ Will it mess up my hair? These concerns are all rational, and this section is meant to set you straight on what corporate massage really is so that you'll run straight out to contact your nearest practitioner and at least give it a try. What does corporate massage look like, anyway? Well, imagine this scenario: It's late on a Friday afternoon. Your whole department has been under intense pressure to wrap up that humongous project you've been working on for months. Nerves are frayed. Happy hour is looming. No one can think about anything but escape. Then right at four o'clock, in walks a healthy- looking individual toting a strange, padded, chair-like contraption that he proceeds to unfold over in one corner. This is the "corporate massage" that your boss promised. One brave soul offers to go first, and the rest of you watch while he sits down — fully clothed — on the device, which seems to support all of his weight easily at the knees, elbows, chest, and head. As he leans forward and relaxes, you can feel the pressure on your own limbs start to dissipate, too. The massage therapist begins with some strong kneading of the shoulders and upper back. EFTA01721325 Chapter 12: The New Coffee Break: Corporate Massage for a Digital Generation 201 "Ahh, this is great!" roars your co-worker through the circular face rest. Quietly, but quickly, people start to drift over to that side of the room, and soon a line begins to form. One atter another, everyone is treated to ten min- utes of much-needed relief, and a funny thing starts to happen. Happy hour is no longer calling so urgently. As you stand around chatting with newly relaxed colleagues, the ideas begin to flow again, and you end up staying till after 7 p.m., coming up with a few great new concepts that will make this pro- ject even better. Yes, scenarios like this one can actually occur. Massage in the workpl