Posted: Jun 15, 2008, 4:42 PM CST
It just depends on what you want to achieve from the massage.
A professional massage starts out gently & becomes more intense.
You start at the core & work your way away from the heart, never towards it.
Do not neglect the hands & feet, they have millions more nerve endings & vascular supports than the rest of the body. They are areas that hold a great deal of toxins as well as stress.
Use a non greasy lotion or natural body oil(almond or coconut work well) so you don't make the person's skin sore. It also makes rubbing the muscles easier to do.
Try to learn about the areas where the muscles actually grow, instead of where you feel a lump. No one like to have a bone rubbed, so stick to the areas of musculature.
Keep the rub simple & short. Unless you are a trained professional with experience, you can do more harm than good pretending to know what you are doing.
Don't rub too hard. More injury can occur from a hard rub, if there is something medically wrong with a body part & you aren't aware of it.
Just keep to the basics, don't go over board & you can both enjoy the experience.
An even better idea is to take trip together to a professional masseuse. Have a couple's massage together & enjoy the whole thing at the same time. By doing that, you will learn a little more about proper technique, as well.
