10 Top Massage Strokes You Could Learn From a Hot Stone DVD

Style matters. This is true whether we are swimming, teaching, fishing, racing, knitting, programming, singing, skating, writing, or yodeling. When performing various activities, style both helps to add enhancement and variety to the activity. For instance, when giving a hot stone massage, we can use a wide variety of different strokes. Each one, which a hot stone dvd could feature, provides a unique benefit:

1. Cupping
Put your hands in a cupping position, with the palms facing downward. While maintaining that cupping position, softly beat along the patient's body.

2. Draining
Use thumbs on small areas, and your hand's heel for bigger areas. Press strongly using the thumb or heel of one hand. Keep alternating hands as you move upwards along the muscle or limb.

3. Friction strokes
These deeper strokes allow you to massage areas including the joints, tendons, and muscles. Such strokes are particularly effective in reducing tension. Use your fingers and thumbs to start working firmly yet gradually into the region of the patient's body. You should use very small circular motions. Employ light or deep pressure, depending on the patient's preference.

4. Gliding
This strike can be either light or firm, and circular or long strokes. Glide your hands along an entire limb, or the patient's entire body. It is important that the flat portion of your hands remain in contact with the patient.

5. Hacking
Your hands should be open and both palms should face each other. Alternate your hands, to create a "chopping" movement as you move up and down the patient's body. One variation you can use is to bend your fingers, to create loose fists.

6. Kneading
Kneading helps to improve blood circulation and makes muscles more supple. Lightly grab the area that you will massage. Then duplicate the action you would use to knead bread.

7. Percussion strokes
These types of strokes include cupping, hacking, and pinching. You can use these strokes on various parts of the body, including:

arms
back
legs
shoulders

However, NEVER use percussion strokes on the back. To perform them, keep your wrists and hands very relaxed. You can also use light or firm pressure.

8. Pinching
This is a painless pinching that will not hurt the patient. Lightly raise small quantities of the patient's flesh, and then allow it to glide through your fingers.

9. Pulling
This technique is for stretching and pulling the patient's legs and the muscles of the central part of the body. Use a pulling movement as you alternate hands and travel upwards, along the patient's body.

10. Wringing
Place your hands on either side of a limb of the patient, or the patient's body. Move gradually towards the patient's head, using a back-and-forth movement.

When providing a hot stone massage, you can use a variety of strokes, to enhance your massage style. Fortunately, an array of hot stone massage DVDs can provide excellent instruction. While your patient probably will not issue you style points, you will probably receive a hearty "Thank you."

To find a quality hot stone DVD, visit us at http://www.tirmassagestone.com today.

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