Need to add pressure

[Sacha Redux]

I keep getting comments about my pressure being too light. I'm 5'7" and have the table set on 4, I'm no lightweight - maybe I'm afraid I'll hurt someone if I relax my weight into them?

Any tips on how to put my body weight into the pressure without hurting myself?

 

[TwinMomof5kids]

Not sure how high '4' is on your table, but I'm 6' tall and work with my Oakworks Nova at either 3 or 4 (two or three open holes on the bottom). So, my first suggestion is to try a lower table. I feel many schools teach on tables that are too high.

Second suggestion (which ties in with the first) is your body mechanics. If your legs are in good position and you are working from your core, you should easily and comfortably be able to give more or less pressure without hurting yourself or your client.

So, try lowering your table, take a wider lunge stance, practice shifting weight between your front and back leg, and practice using your forearms and elbows.

Just some thoughts to start the discussion ...

 

[sian m]

Yeah...what he said.

I would also add that you don't want to use muscle. LEAN into the body using your legs as the momentum for your movements.

Also, a fingertip or knuckle will feel deeper than a hand even with the same amount of force. Think about a cat standing on you- they don't weigh much, but when all 12 pounds is on a few small paws it feels like a lot more than when the cat lays down.

 

[Kevin.Hiroki.Lee]

Need to add pressure

I'm 5'7" and have the table set on 4, I'm no lightweight - maybe I'm afraid I'll hurt someone if I relax my weight into them?

Any tips on how to put my body weight into the pressure without hurting myself?

I'm 5'6" or so and have my table set in the 4th hole. I'm no lightweight either, though I very rarely get people complaining my pressure is too light. I am naturally a bit "heavy handed"...

My teacher saw the handwriting on the wall way back in MT school (11 years ago) and gave me a book about "deep tissue sculpting"... :

My advice is to line up your joints, so that are not compromising yourself... as cstbrian said, be in the proper stance at the side of the table... and then with a "willing victim" on the table proceed to "lean in"... you might be surprised how much pressure people who like deep tissue really can take. And that may be the issue... you may be doing swedish and they're used to deep tissue so it's not as deep as they like.

And just practice, practice, practice!

Let us know how things go for you... if these suggestions don't work perhaps we can come up with other ideas for you...

 

[bethan]

yup, :iagree:

lower the table was what I thought when I read the subject line.

You will not hurt people leaning into them, but you might hurt yourself if you don't.

Like Maestra said, get someone to practice on and just practice compression (leaning) until you are comfortable with it.

 

[Mischa (backup account)]

Thank you everyone for the tips! I will try them all!!!! I love giving Swedish massage, but don't want anyone to say it was great, except . . . Y'know?

I will lower the table, practice (practice, practice, practice), widen my stance and deepen my lunge. I think I'll also talk to some of the instructors at school to see if I can get some one on one help/feedback.

Thank you all very much. I'm so glad I found this forum!!

 

[Prince Vegeta]

Frequently if I am in any mild back discomfort myself, I find the act of "leaner" takes the pressure off my own muscles and allows them to relax. I often feel better after giving a massage. It's a nice perk.

My table is very low. Not only will it save your back - you can easily sit, or lean more - but your physically challenged clients will love you.

A very high table is difficult for a lot of people to get on to, even with a stool. If you're already unstable due to age, pain, or whatever, standing semi-naked on a little stool trying to hoist yourself onto a narrow table is a chore.

Clambering onto a girlfriends exceptionally high table one day, I had a vision of myself over compensating and heaving myself off the other side.......(giggle).

I did that on a horse once as a kid, so I know.........that it is quite possible!

(At least in the horse scenerio I wasn't naked............. :yikes: )

savannah

 

[John T]

:iagree: Yep to all of the above.

Also, on another note (kinda), if you're doing specific (even general) work, utilizing body mobilization techniques will also enable you to go 'deep'er with little impact to your body. In addition, if you need to have the client move closer to your side of the table (or further from you as the case may dictate), ask the client to move. Most clients will oblige. Of course, some clients may not be as moveable as others, so take this into account.

Good luck.

 

[xxprincessxx]

lower table, but also really slooooow down. Let yourself really sink into the places you are working deep. Think snails pace. And practice will help of course.

 

[Pippin]

Take some Cranio-sacral Therapy or some John Barnes Myofascial Release. A light touch is a gift with those areas - and you will get fantastic results!

Marion

 

[Elliott N]

Frequently if I am in any mild back discomfort myself, I find the act of "leaner" takes the pressure off my own muscles and allows them to relax. I often feel better after giving a massage. It's a nice perk.

My table is very low. Not only will it save your back - you can easily sit, or lean more - but your physically challenged clients will love you.

A very high table is difficult for a lot of people to get on to, even with a stool. If you're already unstable due to age, pain, or whatever, standing semi-naked on a little stool trying to hoist yourself onto a narrow table is a chore.

Clambering onto a girlfriends exceptionally high table one day, I had a vision of myself over compensating and heaving myself off the other side.......(giggle).

I did that on a horse once as a kid, so I know.........that it is quite possible!

(At least in the horse scenerio I wasn't naked............. :yikes: )

savannah

Thanks for the chuckle (mental imagery)! I do feel well myself after giving a massage, but I will try lowering the table first. Thanks!

 

[Sappho]

Thanks for the tips Gaspen and Seattle Sunshine! It's so easy to forget the details! And now in school we're getting the Neuromuscular portion and I really miss the Swedish!

MarionFM, I've had just a taste of the Cranial-Sacral and I know I want to get additional education in this area!! Maybe it's meant for me! I will check into the Myofascial release as well. Thanks!!

 

[Random Chick]

aside from what everyone has said, and going slower, I find that working without lotion (or a very small amount of lotion) helps as well.

Patrick

 

[Powderpuff]

In addition to the great suggestions mentioned...using your forearm and leaning into it as you do long slow strokes can offer a deeper experience. Your legs are your greatest power source so the more you can learn to use them the more varied the depths of pressure in your work can be.

 

[noelleybelly]

Thank you Patrick and Zoe! More good things to work on/try.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hydrotherm

Look into Hydrotherm Training; it was designed to help acheive greater pressure with a LOT less effort or strain on your body. Amazing treatment to offer aswell. Hydrotherm.co.uk

 

[cmeduck]

Hydrotherm

Look into Hydrotherm Training; it was designed to help acheive greater pressure with a LOT less effort or strain on your body. Amazing treatment to offer aswell. Hydrotherm.co.uk

Jeez, no offense, but do you have anything else to say?
I have seen this on FOUR different posts this morning.

The original poster was asking for ways to improve pressure.

 

[magoo]

Jeez

Squash...

I was looking at our google analytics stats for our Hydrotherm Website and it showed that some of our hits had come from this forum. On most of the posts people where discussing Hydrotherm...so naturally I introduced myself and our site so that I could help answer questions.

With regards to this particular post, the student asks about creating deeper pressure....she also mentions that she is petit and finds working deeply a challenge....ALL I done was mentioned that Hydrotherm is a possible solution to her problem as it is a form of massage that allows you to work deeper with little effort.

So I am sorry that this has caused you offence :?

 

[Dannygirl]

FWIW I hardly think that 5'7" is petite.
Poster is a student and could hardly afford your equipment.

Plus there is no need to keep repeating your info on every post.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi pipgarden! One of the disadvaneforum.xxxes to very light massage touch - in my opinion - is that it almost feels as if the practitioner is not connected to the receiver, nor the work.

In school, I had a peer practicing on me and she also had a very light touch...just did not feel engaged in the process to me at all and her hands were a little clammy. Well, we were asked to do a session blindfolded. This made all the difference in the world for her (and me). Hello connection and pressure!

Without your eyes, you are forced to get in touch via other senses...and your hands. This was an incredibly powerful learning experience. So much so, that now if I am feeling disconnected or distracted at all, I close my eyes.

Maybe try a practice session with a family member blindfolded and see if that helps with an increase of connectivity and pressure.