Massage Video Blog

I know I am kind of stuck on Thai Massage right now, but I came across this one video clip and thought I need to share this with you.

I don't want to criticize the therapist in the video, but I want to add something to what I said yesterday.

The main problem that I have with Thai massage is that you have to be extremely cautious and sensitive to the client, because some of the Thai moves are not for everybody.

I will talk here mainly about the lower back.

The video starts with pushing your hands with upper body weight into the lower back. This doesn't make any sense. The normal curvature of the lower back is already a lordosis, which means it bends towards the front and this moves would just increase the lordotic pressure of the spine, which is not a smart move.

But let's put this into a broader contents. Usually the lower back muscles tend to be tight and short, while the ab muscles have a tendency to be weak and overstretched. You get in many people the typical forward tilt of the hip, which is one of the main indicators for this fact.

If I press now somewhat perpendicular into the lower back you increase not only the lordosis, but you also stretch the anterior (front) connecting muscles of the spine and further weakening them.

But this is not enough there a several more moves that put the person into a hyper-lordosis (extreme back-arch) with simultaneous pressure in the lower back area. Stay away from that. It can easily give somebody a back ache, who has never experienced such problems before.

These moves are only for the extremely flexible (not for the normal Joe Blow) and it is still questionable to me, what purpose they have, what is done to counteract these movements and how it supposedly help the spinal health.

Anyway I know that I'm not an expert on Thai massage matters, but as a licensed massage therapist and exercise physiologist I urge therapists to be responsible enough to say in a video, that this things should not be practiced at home, unless you know what you are doing.

Anyway you can make up your own mind about it now.



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Labels: thai massage video

Thai Massage is one of those massage styles that not just feel good and are great to do, but are also great to watch. There is a yoga, tai chi element to it, a harmonious flow between the moves that is so crucial for the great effects.

I sometimes have a feeling that some of the therapists sometimes see it almost as a performance, a dance that can be distracting at times, when the therapist focuses more on the movements than on the actual response of the clients body.

If it turns into some partner yoga type of thing, it is definitely not what this styles was intended to be. Thai Massage is heavily influenced by ayurvedic medicine and so all the principles of ayurvedic medicine also apply to thai massage.

The other problem that I sometimes encountered with thai massage was that the therapist was not sensitive enough to know, how far you can stretch. It can be very tricky and probably also a reason why there are so many in socalled partner massage, which encounters the same basic problem of disconnect between the two partners.

I usually stay away from some of the more advanced stretches - also because it is sometimes hard to get out with ease in case something goes wrong (like a cramp!)

I know a lot of the Thai therapists will ensure you that Thai massage has been around for so long and there is no evidence of a lot of injury through Thai massage, but so it was said for Yoga too and the rate of injuries has definitely increased.

Maybe it is related to the fact that Thai massage therapists used to be trained for a very long time and were maybe not so goal orientated or self absorbed.

Anyway I don't want to sound to negative. There are great thai massage therapists out there, I just wanted you to consider that there is more danger on getting injured with this massage styles than with some of the more passive ones.

I am also always out to check out new videos that maybe show you something new or give you great detail, so you can benefit in your own practice from watching them.

Here is an example of a Thai massage video that shows a new prop: the Thai massage chair.




I'm not necessarily saying that you should go out and buy this product (although it doesn't look bad), but I believe that you can translate these moves into a camping bed, lounge chair.

It's always good to have a repertoire of moves that you can perform wherever, with minimal need of props. The more options you have the more flexible you will be in your work.

That's why I translated a some Thai massage from the mat onto a bed. It is much easier on the knees and is a great technique before going to sleep. Enjoy

Labels: partner massage, thai massage, thai massage video

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Labels: couples massage video, thai body massage video, thai massage video

Labels: couples massage video, thai body massage video, thai massage video