How To Give A Swedish Full Body Massage

Being able to learn how to give a Swedish full body massage can benefit those who want to take their massage therapy business to the next level, or benefit a larger client base. Swedish massages are able to help relieve pain in cancer patients and those that suffer from other illnesses that cause chronic pain.

1. Get the massage area ready. It is pertinent that you have a work area that has everything you need nearby. Some of the items that you will need to have includes: body oils, towels, soothing CD’s and more. Basically the items you need are the ones that will make your client feel relaxed. You will also want to make sure you have an assortment of items for your client to choose from.
2. Swedish massage techniques. "Effleurage" (touching lightly) is the first technique that you will need to learn when performing a massage. This is one of the main techniques to go back to when performing a Swedish massage. During the light touches it is best to maintain constant contact with the clients’ body throughout the entire massage and to keep the flow running smoothly.
3. Second technique is Friction. Friction is the 2^nd technique to use during your Swedish massage. Make slow strokes with the palm of your hand. The heat that is caused by the friction will relax the muscles of the body.
4. Third technique is Petrissage.  This step is also known as kneading the dough of the skin. This is where you begin to work on the muscles that were tense at the start of the massage. Keep a small curve to your hands to keep from pinching the client.
5. Rid the body of tension. Once you have worked through the first three techniques the 4^th is shaking the tension out of the body. Using the curve of your hand, gently shake the muscles to relieve some of the tension. Once you feel the muscle “release” you client will slip further into relaxation.
6. Tap into the leftover tension. Yes, even after using the above Swedish massage steps have been utilized there will be a small amount of tension left in the body. This is a technique called “tapotement” which simply means using a light tapping motion to the muscle without a large amount of pressure.
7. End the Swedish full body massage. Once the above techniques have been used, close out the massage by using the towel to clean off any extra oil left on the body. You will then allow your client to wipe themselves down with a warm soft towel and put on their clothing.