Tuesday 6 September 2011

What is a Swedish massage?

People always enquire about the technicalities of a Swedish massage, or ask the question what is a Swedish massage? The Swedish massage is one of the most popular forms of massages in the world. If you have never been to a spa before, and have absolutely no clue what treatment to get, opt for a Swedish massage; it is the perfect way to start your journey into the magical world of massages.

Many people want to know the reason as to why is it called a Swedish massage. The Swedish massage and physical therapy were both established by a Swedish physiologist named Per Henrik Ling at the University of Stockholm. He expanded on the Western concepts of anatomy instead of focusing on the massage styles in Asia. During the 19th century he invented “Medical Gymnastics”, which included many movements that were originally performed by therapists. This popularly became known as the “Swedish Movements” all over Europe and “ Swedish Movement Cure” in the United States. Today it is simply known by the name “Swedish Massage”. This massage is the building block of all types of massages in Western countries, such as the sport massage, deep tissue massage and the immensely popular aromatherapy massage.

What exactly happens when you opt for a Swedish massage? The first thing that any masseuse will do is lubricate the body with oil, then using her expertise, she would stroke the body to warm up the muscles. This process helps to release tension and eliminate any knots that have formed in your body due to walking, stress or even just sitting in one place for hours. This massage helps you to relax, ease any kind of muscle tension and is known to have a lot of health benefits like promoting circulation in the body and relaxing the nerves.

As a masseuse you should enquire about any injuries or health ailments and give the massage according to the client’s body type. You should also ask the client beforehand about the kind of pressure he or she likes. Do they prefer a light hand or firm hand? Also, some clients may want to concentrate the massage on a particular area (e.g. back, neck). With practice, you will develop your own unique technique; remember no two massages will ever be the same as all masseurs have their style.

If you want to learn how to massage or enquire about different massage training courses, find a Fitness Academy that teaches you all the basic forms of massage like Aromatherapy Massage, Swedish Sports Massage and Ayurveda massage. A reputed and good school will also teach you Alternative Medicine & the medical benefits of Massage, Client Medical Recall, Personal Etiquette, Muscular Anatomy, Importance of Breathing & Stretching, Types of Massages, Swedish Massage Techniques, Basic Introduction to Oils and Full Body Sequence & Strokes. These are just a few important details all massage therapists must know before they begin their long and fulfilling career as a massage therapist.

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