Register
Log In
Home
May 10, 2014
Offline
Module 1
I just completed the first course module. I don't have any questions. I understand the proper spine alignments, kyphosis and lordosis. I was unaware that a tilt on either side of the body could result in unnecessary pressure on the opposite side of the body.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 2
just completed my 2nd module. I learned that the thoracic and lumbar and sacral parts of the spine are the areas I'll be using for this course. I learned that the SI joint is important in the overall health of the back and is the 2nd leading cause of nerve damage, headaches being the first. I'm excited to learn the techniques to alleviate low back pain with thai massage!
June 28, 2010
Offline
Welcome to the forum and the Thai Back Massage course Sabrina! 
i am looking forward to read about your progress and help you along wherever necessary.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 3
i watched video 3 and I know the proper ways to prop the body. My client is a small person so I did not need to bolster her chest or feet areas. I prefer to work on a massage table because when I warm up the body I do a Swedish style massage first and then progress to some forearm strokes down both sides of the spine. Then proceed to stretching techniques.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 4
I began with client prone. I started with big circles hand over hand using variable pressure all the way down and back up. I ended with the 5th step:offsst back and forth movements. Again I find it easier to perform these techniques standing at a massage table that is low enough for me to apply my body weight pressure. My client said it feels good. How many minutes should these 5 steps take to do on both sides of the back?
June 28, 2010
Offline If you combine Swedish with Thai massage, then the table would obviously be the right choice for you. Regarding how long something takes - there are really no fixed rules or time limits. You just work until you feel that you are making progress on a specific area. Or it might be determined by how much time you have for the session. I dislike rules and time limits since they easily lead to a mechanical type of work. It is better to work intuitively and adapt to each particular client.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 5
am very much liking the compression warm up techniques in this module. Especially the movement around the sacral triangle. I feel many of my clients will benefit from working on this area since I didn't really put a lot of focus on it before. Feedback from client is that the gentle rocking of the sacrum was alleviating the low back area.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 6
again this video seems to be working on the sacrum only? The rolling up movement was alittle tricky. Am I rolling up from bone to muscle? Ok I see it's to be done on sacral- illiac only this whole section? My small little client is my 12 yr old daughter so she is a bit ticklish so the thumb technique did not feel good for her but a larger person I'm sure will feel good!
June 28, 2010
Offline You wouldn't believe how often I get positive comments about sacrum work both from students and from clients. Most people say that they have never had this type of work done to them (clients), or had never done much sacrum work (therapists). It is generally really appreciated by clients. Personally I love having my sacrum worked on.
There are techniques where you are rolling off the sacrum onto muscle - forearm for example - and there are techniques where you are rolling up from muscle onto the bone - thumbs for example. In the case of ticklish people the thumbs can be replaced with the heel of the hand.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 7
this time worked on my bf who is about 5' 10" thin build. Tho already use my forearms a lot in my deep tissue work so these techniques felt familiar to me. He very much liked the sacral and glut work. Moving both hands at the same time in diff directions was not easy and will need lots of practice.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 8
so I've decided to get a mat on work on the floor for all the techniques. I am about 100lbs and I do often work on very large clients so the max power techniques are useful. The double knee move was really fun but moving both forward and back and left and right was confusing. Is it just a circular move really?
June 28, 2010
Offline Working on the floor will make all the difference, especially for light therapists working on large clients. It is much more difficult to get full leverage on a massage table for certain techniques since you just can't get right on top of people.
Regarding the double knee technique - it is not really a circular move, but an up and down move with a sideways move added into it to get the rocking effect on the hip. You can try this move with your hands instead of knees just for practice. This might make it easier for you to feel how to get the two directions - up/down and sideways - synchronized correctly.
Just focus on getting the hip to rock, and that will help you to get the move right.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 9
I practiced the rocking with one hand and compress with the other. I prefer to press on opposite side of the spine and press away. My client said it felt better that way. I definitely felt the knife edge of the erector spinal muscles. And doing circular on those was very effective.
June 28, 2010
Offline There is nothing wrong with experimenting and modifying techniques. Not only do I do it all the time, but that's the main way how I have come up with so many techniques and variations and modifications. So feel free to do what works best for you.
The least effective way of doing Thai Massage is to just strictly follow a certain routine without deviation. The best way is to get good at all the techniques and then let your hands and your feeling guide you as to what works best for you and a particular client.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 10
i liked the elbow techniques a lot in this video. Sometimes I can't tell which side of the spine your working on unless you specifically say. Also from a western anatomy standpoint one should be careful with elbows over the last rib thoracic area which houses the kidneys.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 11
love the elbow in groove techniques. These are easy to do and get the hang of. I don't know what else to say! Lol. I will def be weaving these techniques into my Swedish massages.
June 28, 2010
Offline From an eastern point of view you should be careful with your elbows as well! 
Working with the elbows does require some sensitivity that you develop with practice. Without such sensitivity elbow work can feel quite crude and painful. Once you get good at it, elbow work is very useful - it gives you excellent leverage especially for large clients and it saves your hands from stress.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 12
yes Shama I already work a lot with my elbow doing deep tissue style massage with oils or creams. Using no oils and working with clothes on or using a towel I feel I'm able to actually get deeper and go stronger for my large clients or clients that ask for very strong massage!
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 13
the side lying techniques worked very well for pregnant clients. I also placed a pillow between the clients arms to prevent upper back from going out of alignment. The knee press into low back while pulling shoulders is excellent for large people and also small people that require a lot of pressure.
May 10, 2014
Offline Module 14
Stretching techniques on the low back supine. As you stated not recommended on very large clients. I found the side lying supine shoulder work to be nice for the deep knots found under the shoulder blade where I any many people hold tension.
1 Guest(s)
