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June 28, 2010
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Specific feedback is important. It makes us feel better, and it tells us that we are doing a good job. But we are only getting this feedback if we ask for it. Many clients don't say much if they are not asked. If they tell us that they liked the massage, it doesn't tell us much. But if you get specific feedback for certain techniques, that is very useful.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 2 Module 14
I payed extra attention in the massage I was given in the way I keep the body contact with the client. About the rocking hip techniques ..I enjoy the first one the best because I don't have to move around and is very effective but anyway I trained moving from one side to the other several times ufffff!
I tried with my client the half back arch strech, she was light person and it was very easy for me to move her in this position but I would love to try this strech in a heavier person to see if is still easy.
June 28, 2010
Offline Well, many techniques are definitely a bit harder on heavier clients. Some can be modified to work on heavier clients, and there are some techniques that you will end up skipping on very heavy clients. That's perfectly okay.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 2 Module 15
I gave a massage to my friend today. I placed my hand in the abdominal cavity for a moment to feel if he send the air when breathing to the lungs or to the diafragma so I had to loosing up a little bit that area.
So I started with the double palm rotation technique in the abdomen, doing the movements clockwise slowly and softly putting light pressure on the hands. After that I used the double palm push-pull technique slowly and softly too . He was really locked in this area and even just having my hand in top of the belly was uncomfortable for him so I did this technique for a while and very softly but it had to be done to get better.
When I did the rolling thumb under the ribs I could see that he was used to me touching me there and even thought was not completely pleasant he was getting much better. His face really started showing how relax he was.
Then I pushed the rib cage left and right and then I did some elephant walking up and down the entire chest. I have to say that at the beginning I was nervous about putting weight in there and break some rib but I manage to put the right amount of weight and he seemed to enjoy it.
I finished it doing circules under the color bones and doing elegant walking in between the shoulders and the rib area.
It was very satisfying at the end of the massage my friends face. He was more relaxed and with so much better face. I think that because he was breathing much better and therefor everything was working better.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 2 Module 16
I placed my hands under the shoulders and lift them at the same time, finishing the movement where I did the elephant walking in the shoulders. I also made sure that the head stayed on the floor.
After that ,I tried the one-side, one hand shoulder lift technique. At the beginning I thought that it would be heavy to do it but I took advantage of the straight arm in the position and I was stretching myself at the same time that I was stretching him. It was awesome. I also tried doing in circles clockwise and I got it but I have to admit that I need more practice.
The shoulder rowboat it felt very nice for my friend he was deeply relaxed.
When we did the arm-triangle stretch I had a littlest of a struggle since my friend has big arms with big muscles and it didn't fell very conformable the position but when I started the stretching he really enjoyed it and he thanks me for the great stretch.
June 28, 2010
Offline I am glad to hear that you got a good result with these techniques. I don't think you have to worry about breaking any ribs unless you put a huge amount of pressure on them, and that's obviously not the idea. You just move the rib cage around a bit to create more motion. It's not about pressing hard on the ribs.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 2 Module 17
Today I was giving an arm massage . I started in the inside of the arm. I used the alternating arm elephant walking shifting the way of the body and the pressure in the hands from left to right, skipping to put pressure in the elbow and finishing sliding off the hand . I did that 3 times in each arm .
After, I did some circular knitting in the three lines on the arm ( inside , center and outside), to warm up the arm and I finished with some squeezing and pulling the hand . It took me a few minutes to put together all the steps to do the technique completely good but I got it.
I kept going in the hand with the 5 lines, squeezing and rolling the thumb over and the rolling and squeezing all five fingers which I found it very pleasant for the receiver but trying for my thumbs. I guess that is all about training and eventually it wouldn't feel tiring.
Then I turned the hand and worked on the outside of the arm, squeezing in top of the 3 lines and them working on top of the palm bending the hand up.
It was very succesfull this massage. I gota very good feedback. My friend got really relaxed but I found it tiring for my thumb. Just ned to train more
June 28, 2010
Offline You are right, you need to get used to it and build up a little strength in your hands. That would help. If you can't build up more strength, there are other techniques for the hands where you can use other body parts instead of your thumbs.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 2 Module 18
I tried the new transition after doing traction in one arm . it was a balance challenge but I got it right at the first time.
The alternating traction lift for both arms and shoulders technique I love it since I got my stretch and the patient got the stretch too and as long as I rotate my shoulders back and they are in a right position is no problem.
Upper spinal twist 1 is also very relaxing and good stretch for both as long as I have the shoulders rotated backwards. The patient told me that that was the best of all the massage and I even listen cracking sounds in the back.
Doing the leg triangle spinal twist with alternating hand pull....I found it very nice for the patient but I could see that if the person is a little heavy like the one I had and not as flexible....it could be a problem to reach the right part of the back and move it. it just need practice.
Finished the massage with the shoulder move. Very nice technique. Awesome for stretching myself my lower back and very nice for the patient .I found it easier than it looks. With the big fat patient...or I really open big my legs or is no way I could do it.
June 28, 2010
Offline That's pretty impressive that you got the transition right the first time! 
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 2 Module 19
Very helpful to see how to give a massage with transitions from one movement to the other. It is very inspiring also.
I love the advice of focusing on the HARA and the fact that the stretches are just one part of the massage. But to really give a good massage you need to combine other factors like the breathing, the conexión with the client, how I move my body when giving the massage....
Beautiful and helpful advices.
When I was giving a massage today I focus on my Hara and I have a beautiful experience because I was visualizing how the energy was going out my body thought the fingers. I have to say that after the massage I was tired so I thought about going barefoot to the garden to get and restore my energy.
June 28, 2010
Offline You are certainly understanding the holistic nature of Thai Massage!
After some more practice, you will notice that your energy will go higher, and you will feel energized instead of being tired.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 3 Module 20
When giving a prone massage I made sure that he was confortable having the head in 45 degree angle. He was having some discomfort so I put a pillow under his chest to help the head to hang out in a better position.
Today I tried to work on the soles of the feet with the elbows. It looked so weird at the beginning since the soles looks so week and elbows so strong....but one getting the right amount of pressure to give...it was easy.
Doing the traction and contraction of ankle, knee and hip joints and then rocking it , it was no problem ones finding the reeadom.
I loved the the calf muscle tendom strech . I found that strech the easier to give for the calf muscle. Bending the patient leg from the knee let the foot at the right high to strech the calf.
I finish it with an Aquiles tendom strech which he loved it. He told me that felt very very nice, and an elephant walking thought all back of the legs, skipping of course the knees and reaching through the bottom
June 28, 2010
Offline I know - it seems almost brutal to work the feet with the elbows if you have never done it before. 
But the fact is that it feels very nice for the client, and it is very possible to work quite gently with the elbows. And what to speak of saving your hands and thumbs.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 3 Module 21
I made sure before starting that the knee cups were rotating inside so the weight of the leg wasn't in top of the knee. It was easy because she has good flexibility in the hip- leg to do that.
To start with the training of this module, I opened to the side one leg first so I can lift the other leg up and slide myself sitting between the legs with one leg in top of me. It was easier than I thought maybe because my friend is small.
I am going to work in the hamstrings.
First line is the center of the muscle so I made sure that the foot was looking down and the leg was straight. I tucked my arm against my body I leaned with my hold body in top of the big muscle in the back of the leg. I remembered to breath, to think about softness and focusing on my Hara.
Second line is the outer edge of the muscle so I turned the foot out so the leg rotate and I kept leaning withthearm tacked in my body.
Third line is the outer line of the leg and for that I bended her leg for the knee and after that I bended even more the knee so I could work on the side of the hip leaning with softness.
After I worked in both leg' hamstrings I did some squeezing and rolling the calf muscles and then I rocked the entire body from the feet.
At the end I bended the leg in a triangle to the bottom so the foot is under the bottom and I did the 1,2,3 technique with one hand bellow the bottom and the other hand in the bended foot. It seemed very pleasant. She totally loved it and she liked even more when I worked on the side in the bended leg when I did it lining with my knee.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 3 Module 22
Doing the massage today with my boyfriend .Pushing the heal into the bottom. Leaning down the foot and theuscle doing the 1,2,3 technique. He is not very flexible that way so I had to be very conscious and be asking him about how good I was .
After I did prone double leg heel to buttocks strech technique, crossed the feet's and with my hands in top and leaning softly, breathing and focusing on the HARA . It was scary because looked too much of a strech for him but it was ok. Of course he didn't touched the bottom and what I did was opening the legs more to the side. That way was easier.
Doing the prone reverse leg lift technique....I had difficulties since he is big boy and not very flexible, and grabbing his leg to do the strech it was ...heavy but it got easier when I grabbed the leg closer to the knee.
I will try the second version of the strech pressing the glúteos and bending the leg at the same time ,with a smaller person😉
To finish , I position myself on the side of the hip and I put my knee in the lower side of the bottom and pull the opposite side of the hip to strech it.
I got a good feedback but it was one of the most difficult massage I have done because the techniques and the size of the person.
June 28, 2010
Offline 
If you practice it for a while, it won't feel difficult anymore. At some point, it will become part of you and feel totally natural and easy. But that will take some time.
It is true that the size of the person can make it more difficult, but in such cases you can either use a modified technique, or you can even skip it. You don't have to do every technique on everyone.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 3 Module 3
I located the sacrum and started making circles with my palms in top, slowly, clockwise and with good pressure. After that I move up and down with my thumbs in the groove while I was moving up ad down gently giving more or less pressure with the thumbs. I asked him how was it, if he liked it and he told me that he loves it. Then I did it on both edges of the sacrum at the same time.
When using the sacrum percussion with the loose fist technique I totally realised the differences between an open and loose fist It can be painful with a close fist. I did it all over the sacrum.
Massaging the gluteus I rock it in circles giving a good realise in the lower back. I did it in both sides of the hip and for that I used the technique moving from side to side .
Trying the knee rocking on the glutes with the 1,2,3 technique it was good but I need to think about sinking in softness in order to not put too much pressure and after I did the variation rocking it side to side which it was easy to move it side to side. Very good movement to relax the hip.
June 28, 2010
Offline I am glad to hear that the sacrum massage went well for you. This is an area that is mostly neglected in massage therapy although it feels great and clients love it.
November 22, 2021
Offline Section 3 Module 24
I started doing big circles with my palms together in his back moving my position in circling slightly dow each time. So I went up and down the spine circling with my palm and with my elbows slightly bent and breathing at the same time that I was giving more or less pressure and being constant with the rhythm.
I also tried the same technique with the hands one close to the other and circling faster ,and I have to say that I preferred the technique with the palm of the hands together since is easier to apply the right pressure
With the rapidly rock hands back and forth technique on far side of spine across erectors , the up and down rocking on far side of spine and parallel to spine technique or the offset wiggle on far side of spine technique I took care not to go to the extreme of the move so I did stress the skin and be uncomfortable or even painful for the person.
After doing all this techniques in one side of the back and always maintaining contact with my friend, I moved myself to the other side of the back.
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