How do you give a good shoulder massage?!
Question: Just interested in giving a few of my friends a treat :)
What other kinds of massages can you give and how?
Answers: Just interested in giving a few of my friends a treat :)
What other kinds of massages can you give and how?
Use lotion or a massage oil. It helps keep smooth contact between you.
Have your friend sit straight but comfortably in a chair. Place your hands on your friend's shoulders. Knead the two muscles on either side of the neck next to the shoulders. Start with very little pressure, then squeeze harder. Work on the back of the neck. Have your friend lean his or her head forward. Support your friend's forehead firmly with one of your hands. This lets your friend's neck muscles relax.With the thumb and first finger of your other hand, make tiny circles at the base of the skull. Gently squeeze the entire back of the neck. Bring your friend's head up to its normal position.
Use a "thumb crawling" technique. Press both thumbs down, one on the outside of each shoulder. Move them in, pressing firmly at intervals of 0.5 in. until both thumbs reach the spine at the same time. "Crawl" your thumbs out again to the shoulder joints. Repeat this movement 4 or 5 times.
With one hand on each shoulder, knead the upper back and shoulders. Work your hands away from each other, ending at the upper arms. Then reverse the process by massaging back to either side of the neck.
You can normally just make it up as you go. As long as you are putting in some good even pressure and moving in slow circular motions its going to feel good. You can use this technique on all body parts.
PuffinLo's answer sounds pretty good, I would just like to add that you can have your friend sit backwards in the chair, that way they have the back rest to lean forward on and maybe rest their chin on. Also it would let you work more of the back, between the shoulder blades is a tight area for a lot of people. Just go with the flow, do whatever you think would feel good, but don't apply too much pressure, or you could end up hurting your friend. Another option, if you have resources to do so, would be to get your friends gift certificates for a professional massage.