How to Give a Spa-Worthy Massage At Home: Top Five Tips

Got a spot of tension in your shoulders? Or perhaps your other half is complaining of aches and pains? Good news! There’s a simple, effective and inexpensive way you can banish any stresses or strains: via an at-home massage. To help you on your way to a relaxed, tension-free body, we’ve put together five top tips on giving a spa-worthy massage from the comfort of your own home. Read on…

1 - Use Your Body Weight

Avoid sore arms or hands by using your body weight to ensure you don’t get tired too quickly. Expert masseuses say good massage is less about your grip and more about your stance and the use of gravity. Bear this in mind the next time you give your partner a massage, altering your position and using the weight of your body more often to relieve pain and fatigue. You can do this by having your partner sit on the floor on a pillow while you sit behind him or her on the couch or a chair.

2 - Choose Products Wisely

Choose the right products ahead of your massage by doing your research online. A good massage oil makes all the difference; it helps prevent uncomfortable friction and ensures your hands can glide across your partner’s back or shoulders more easily. Warm up the oil in your hands before you begin and apply pressure where needed.

3 - Consider Pressure

While some people love a firmer massage, others don’t. So it’s important to establish what your partner is looking for in terms of pressure. In general, though, avoid pinching or grabbing muscles. Do this by keeping your fingers together and using the whole hand while you massage.  Start with soft strokes to warm up the muscles, before you begin ‘kneading’ them and being too firm. Always check to see how the pressure is working for you partner too; they should feel a little pressure, but not pain. It’s important to ask at regular intervals, especially if you’re a professional masseuse, as more often than not people will stay quiet out of politeness!

4 - Don’t Break Contact

When massaging the neck and shoulders, start by making a loose fist before using the base of your hand to apply pressure on the left shoulder. Then, run your hand up the side of the neck until you get to the base of the skull. Continue by running your hand back down, always without breaking contact. Repeat on the other side of the neck and do this a couple of times each for the best effect. Use the base of your hand and the pads of your thumbs to massage the back, rubbing in circles up and down the spine in a bid to warm up the muscles. Avoid pressing on the spine itself, and instead apply a little pressure with your body weight if necessary.

5 - Use Caution

If in doubt, stop. If you’re new to massage and your partner’s wincing in pain, the chances are you’re causing more harm than good. Instead, offer a gentler massage which is unlikely to harm him or her. Take a look online if you need some tips on softer massage, or start cautiously and see what works. The last thing you want is an injury on your hands, so be careful , but if you think you’ve done some damage ensure your partner sees a specialist as soon as possible.

Knew all of these tips already? Want to learn real professional knowledge? Perhaps it’s time to learn more via one of our massage courses before trying your hand at a job within massage or working for yourself.