Benefits of Giving a Massage
We massage ourselves nearly every day. The natural reaction to reach out and touch a painful part of the body forms the basis of massage. As long ago as 3000 BC massage was used as a therapy in the Far East, making it one of the oldest treatments used by humans. In 5 BC in ancient Greece, Hippocrates recommended that to maintain health, a massage using oils should be taken daily after a perfumed bath. Greek physicians were well used to treating people who suffered from pain and stiffness in the joints.
You need an appropriate surface for your partner to lie on. This will not be a relaxing massage if your partner is nervous about the sturdiness of the table or if you need to move around a lot from one side to the other because the surface is too big. A narrow table is perfect.
There are several ways of giving a massage and masseurs normally work out their own techniques which are as individual as handwriting.
Stroking and kneading may vary from light to heavy depending on the area, but all movements should be gentle, slow, and rhythmic.
Most masseurs use a bland oil or emollient, but you can choose what you want. Certain aromatic oils have particularly beneficial effects.
Make sure your partner is comfortable, with enough cushioning underneath, a small pillow or rolled up towel if the head needs support, and a sheet or towels to cover whatever parts of the body are not being massaged at the current time. This will insure that sufficient warmth and security are maintained. Insecurity about being undressed is not conducive to relaxation either - this may be the case if you are massaging a baby.
Massage oils come in all scents, colors, names, uses and prices. Depending on where you are shopping for the massage oils that you desire will help in determining what kind are available as well as what the price and purpose of the oils are. If looking online at drugstore type websites then you will predominantly find oils that are designed with the sole purpose of therapy and relaxation in mind. Many of these oils will not be very expensive, but it depends on the ingredients and the presumed purpose of the oils that is the primary determining factor in the price of the oil. If you are looking for something that is more in the end of heating and in the arena of sensuality then you will be paying more for that product in order to receive the increased number of benefits that the product provides.
Swedish massages actually flushes out uric acid, lactic acid, and other metabolic wastes from muscle tissues, thus accelerating muscle strain recovery. Moreover, this massage technique stretches the tendons and ligaments keeping them elastic and flexible. Additionally, the Swedish massage enhances blood circulation without increasing heart load as it soothes the nerves by stimulating the nervous system and the skin glands. All in all, the toxins that pile up in the muscle tissues are loosened and purged out the kneading, stretching, and vibrating motions of the massage.
