When one thinks of massage, usually it’s connected to a spa. For many of us this is the first exposure to massage. Usually the massages done in Spa’s are Swedish in nature. Swedish is the base massage that is taught to almost all massage therapists in school.
Did you know however, there are thousands of different kinds of bodywork? Some of them have Swedish massage in them, others don’t. Swedish is a compendium of techniques used to relax surface muscles, connect the body together, and detox the body.
The first of these Techniques is Efflurage. These long sweeping strokes cover large areas of the body, and help the muscles to relax.
The second of these techniques is the use of Friction. Friction increases the heat in the muscles, thereby relaxing them. This is done with the palms of the hands applying vigorous strokes, or by the therapist rubbing her hands together thereby heating them, and applying them to an area.
The third technique is Petrissage, this is the act of kneeding the muscles similiar to the motions you use when kneeding bread. They break down the tissue that is knotted from stress, and release impurities. It’s a little deeper than the aforementioned techniques.
Tapotement, is often done as a finishing move to wake up the muscles, and energize them. This is done by a chopping motion or tapping with fists. Traction is basically the therapist stretching you, it is often done toward the end of the massage when the muscles are loose, or at the beginning to assess how tight muscles are. Vibration is the last technique, and it’s basically done by shaking the skin, with fingers, palms or whole hands, this loosens tightness.
A good swedish massage should leave you relaxed, refreshed, and slightly sleepy. Don’t do a lot of heavy excersize after a massage to keep that relaxed feeling. Drink a lot of water, and perhaps take an epsom salts bath to hold the feeling for days.
Tags: getting a massage, getting a Swedish massage, Massage, Relax, Swedish massage
