People say, "Wow, this is so different...I really like it" when they get their first taste of Barefoot (massage using the feet). The feet are excellent tools for doing massage. All massage schools will eventually teach this wonderful technique. Hands are great for technical work. Elbows go way deep but feet are big, heavy and can level the spine like you wouldn't believe!
If you like my articles please see my site too! I make the worlds best custom orthotics for the feet and awesome millet hull pillows!
Big people really need barefoot. My legs are way more powerful than my arms. When you couple that power with the ultimate leverage of standing on the table and straddling the client...wow! Massage comes from the Asian countries. In the Asian countries they all use the feet in addition to the hands and elbows. Some people don't need barefoot because they are just not big enough but most people do benefit from this wonderful massage modality.
Uh. . . Ah. . . Oh! That's what people say when they receive Swedish/barefoot massage. Most people are familiar with Swedish massage, which is received by the client on a regular massage table. The therapist uses two tools, his or her hands, to perform the standard massage strokes of petrissage, effleurage, friction, vibration, and tapotement. Swedish massage actually originated in China. In the 19th century, Dr. Henrick Ling brought the massage skills of China to Sweden for gymnastic athletes. For some reason, he forgot to incorporate the other two tools—the feet—into the picture. Maybe Dr. Ling had stinky feet and was too embarrassed to take off his shoes. In any case, the resulting consequences are that all over the world we have massage therapists who are using only two of their four main tools. (The elbows and now knees are secondary tools).
For more great articles please see my site: Holistic Articles!
Barefoot massage is the missing part of the picture—and pressure. That's right, the therapist uses his or her feet in addition to both hands to apply pressure to the body. Certain areas of the body often require more pressure than the average therapist can apply with just hands. Millions of people who received "two tool massage" in the past are now starting to understand the benefits of "four tool massage."
So, what's different about getting massaged with feet vs. hands? First and foremost, the legs and feet are way stronger than the arms and hands. Look at the size of your calves compared to your forearms. Compare your thighs to your biceps. One of the things that many people aren't satisfied with in massage is the amount of pressure they receive. That's because 99 percent of therapists in America use only two tools, the small precision tools. The hands are great for light precision work. A good four-tool therapist uses the hands to massage the head, neck and face, the arms and hands, the abdominals, the feet, the quads and trigger points (knots). The hands are like a sports car. They can zip in and around the curves, maneuver through tight areas and flip a U-y in a second.
The feet are a whole different deal. A four-tool therapist uses the feet on the back, the shoulders, the gluteals, and the back of the legs and arms. The feet are like a ful-size pickup truck! They do the heavy work that the sports car can't handle. Let's see you go to Home Depot and pick up some lumber in your sports car. (Oh crap, I forgot. We don't have a Home Depot here in Silver City!) If you do, you'll ruin your sports car. That's what most therapists are doing with their hands. They're trying to do all the heavy work with their small tools. In time, they bum out their wrists, thumbs, forearms and shoulders, and have to retire. Ouch, I hate it when that happens! I hope that my fellow massage therapists read this and take heed. Use four tools!
Barefoot massage requires a set of bars to hold as a steadying device. This makes strokes very safe and secure.
You might wonder, "How does it feel to get massaged with the feet?" Not only do the feet apply more pressure, but also they do it over a significantly broader area. Clients say it feels like they're being "ironed out." Many say that it's leveling out their spines.
This is exactly what most people need! Most people have humped-over backs and rolled-over shoulders. This creates weak, stretched-out back muscles and tight, over-contracted front muscles. Four-tool massage, along with yoga and chiropractic, is great for healing this problem. Sleeping on your back wouldn't hurt, either.
(Oh, and of course a good therapist washes his or her hands and feet before and after each massage.)
If you like my articles please see my site too! I make the worlds best custom orthotics for the feet and awesome millet hull pillows!
Big people really need barefoot. My legs are way more powerful than my arms. When you couple that power with the ultimate leverage of standing on the table and straddling the client...wow! Massage comes from the Asian countries. In the Asian countries they all use the feet in addition to the hands and elbows. Some people don't need barefoot because they are just not big enough but most people do benefit from this wonderful massage modality.
Uh. . . Ah. . . Oh! That's what people say when they receive Swedish/barefoot massage. Most people are familiar with Swedish massage, which is received by the client on a regular massage table. The therapist uses two tools, his or her hands, to perform the standard massage strokes of petrissage, effleurage, friction, vibration, and tapotement. Swedish massage actually originated in China. In the 19th century, Dr. Henrick Ling brought the massage skills of China to Sweden for gymnastic athletes. For some reason, he forgot to incorporate the other two tools—the feet—into the picture. Maybe Dr. Ling had stinky feet and was too embarrassed to take off his shoes. In any case, the resulting consequences are that all over the world we have massage therapists who are using only two of their four main tools. (The elbows and now knees are secondary tools).
For more great articles please see my site: Holistic Articles!
Barefoot massage is the missing part of the picture—and pressure. That's right, the therapist uses his or her feet in addition to both hands to apply pressure to the body. Certain areas of the body often require more pressure than the average therapist can apply with just hands. Millions of people who received "two tool massage" in the past are now starting to understand the benefits of "four tool massage."
So, what's different about getting massaged with feet vs. hands? First and foremost, the legs and feet are way stronger than the arms and hands. Look at the size of your calves compared to your forearms. Compare your thighs to your biceps. One of the things that many people aren't satisfied with in massage is the amount of pressure they receive. That's because 99 percent of therapists in America use only two tools, the small precision tools. The hands are great for light precision work. A good four-tool therapist uses the hands to massage the head, neck and face, the arms and hands, the abdominals, the feet, the quads and trigger points (knots). The hands are like a sports car. They can zip in and around the curves, maneuver through tight areas and flip a U-y in a second.
The feet are a whole different deal. A four-tool therapist uses the feet on the back, the shoulders, the gluteals, and the back of the legs and arms. The feet are like a ful-size pickup truck! They do the heavy work that the sports car can't handle. Let's see you go to Home Depot and pick up some lumber in your sports car. (Oh crap, I forgot. We don't have a Home Depot here in Silver City!) If you do, you'll ruin your sports car. That's what most therapists are doing with their hands. They're trying to do all the heavy work with their small tools. In time, they bum out their wrists, thumbs, forearms and shoulders, and have to retire. Ouch, I hate it when that happens! I hope that my fellow massage therapists read this and take heed. Use four tools!
Barefoot massage requires a set of bars to hold as a steadying device. This makes strokes very safe and secure.
You might wonder, "How does it feel to get massaged with the feet?" Not only do the feet apply more pressure, but also they do it over a significantly broader area. Clients say it feels like they're being "ironed out." Many say that it's leveling out their spines.
This is exactly what most people need! Most people have humped-over backs and rolled-over shoulders. This creates weak, stretched-out back muscles and tight, over-contracted front muscles. Four-tool massage, along with yoga and chiropractic, is great for healing this problem. Sleeping on your back wouldn't hurt, either.
(Oh, and of course a good therapist washes his or her hands and feet before and after each massage.)
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