If you are learning to give a massage, you are most likely starting to learn the Swedish style of massage. This is the most common style of massage therapy. Within that style, the most common massage technique is effleurage.

Rubbing is most often carried out with the palm of the hand in long stroking motions, although the forearm may also be used. You won’t be using the slashing moves seen in some old movies as part of the effleurage. Rubbing can be done lightly, providing light stimulation. Or you can apply more pressure that will go deeper into the muscles helping to eliminate toxins by making the circulation move better.

These strokes can achieve different effects depending on the amount of pressure you apply. The soft and calming caress mentioned above can be of the type given for a more sensual massage. As the pressure increases, the different layers under the skin will be affected, all the way to the muscle.

When you first start practicing giving a massage, you will most likely start with the person being massaged lying on their stomach. In this position, standing by your head, you will place your palms on your upper back on each side of your spine. It will then move down the back to the buttocks in a long, relaxing motion that is the effleurage massage technique. Use a little pressure as you stroke, making sure your guinea pig tells you if he is uncomfortable or if the pressure is too much. You don’t want to put your full weight on your strokes, but you do want to apply firm pressure.

This is perhaps the most basic of all the types of massage you can give. Also, as you learn to give a massage, you learn many different types of strokes. These can include Rocking Horse, shingling, and bilateral tree strokes, among many others, especially if you branch out into other massage styles like shiatsu.

Keep in mind that different parts of the body require different amounts of pressure as you learn to massage. While it’s okay to apply some pressure to the large muscles in your back, you shouldn’t apply the same type of pressure to your shins or knees. As you make long strokes up the leg, you’ll use the space between your thumb and fingers to sweep over your shin with your thumb and fingers on either side applying pressure.

Copyright 2007, Sandra K.