Massage Tutorial: Using very deep pressure (deep tissue)
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2015
- My new book is out! It's called Massage Is Weird: massagesloth.com/book/
Do you have clients who want/need very deep pressure massage, but you don't know how to offer it without hurting your hands?
Work with your mindset. If you're trying to use lots of pressure while feeling worried or tentative, not only will it translate into your touch, but it could also result in you using mechanically disadvantageous angles and hand tools. By the same token, if you're trying to use your normal massage style, just with lots of pressure, you could set yourself up for injury.
The alternative is to use new angles, and to worry less. Trust your client to be the expert on their unique body, and pour your weight into every move. Use sharper tools, like knuckles and elbows, all while keeping your joints as straight as possible. Think "push-ups" and "planks" rather than "Swedish."
When using your thumb for very deep pressure, try to let as little of the movement as possible come from your thumb joints. Set the shape of your hand, and then move your arm and wrist. When possible, take your thumb out of the equation altogether, using a thumbless petrissage grip. And don't forget about the SUPERTHUMB.
What do you think? Do you have any tips to offer? Any other concerns about working with lots of pressure? Let me know in the comments.
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I'm 5 feet tall and 10 years into trying too hard during my treatments. I've only seen a few of your videos and already have learned more than I ever did in school or during my career. I can't thank you enough for your wisdom and insight!
+lilbrans So great to hear, I really appreciate the kind words :)
I just ordered my" Massage Lazy " T- shirt... c'mon people support!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this channel is one of the best i have seen so far. Very professional and very informative. Keep making great videos Ian!
Quanii Beautiful1q Ha! You're the best, thanks so much for the support :)
I love finding someone who knows what they are talking about anatomically and LOVE the focus on body mechanics
Denise Tapp, MA, CMT My pleasure, glad you found me!
Thanx for sharing your talent :)
One of my favorite channels.
Thank you!! I struggle giving deep tissue massages and these techniques will help me tremendously. Great video!
Ian, thank you so much for your videos. I've only been licensed for 8 months and I'm already looking in to alternate ways to do things because my body is screaming at me. Your videos have greatly helped me.
I'm fortune enough to find this video while studying. I have male practice clients who love lots of pressure. I can't wait to try these techniques out on them. Thanks so much for taking the time to share :)
“ if your not having fun…” &
“ don’t worry “
Words to live by!!!! TY ;))
so rare to find massage videos for men. wish there were more new ones
my exact thoughts
I really enjoy that your tutorials go into mindset as well as mechanics, you have a uniquely thoughtful approach. I mostly watch for relaxation, but I'm learning how to better communicate with my therapist to get the treatment I want. Thank you for posting
You are my savior! I tend to get many clients asking for deep, deep tissue and I always end up in pain. I can't wait to put this into use! Thank you!!!!
Happy to help! Let me know if you have any problems and we'll troubleshoot.
Thanks Ian. I used this on a client in student clinic that scares everyone because she can never get enough pressure. This helped me avoid injury and pleased her greatly!
That is excellent!! Thanks for reporting back with this :)
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I have the hardest time given deep deep pressure, but this video just saved my life. I feel like I've learned more from watching an hour if your videos than I did 6 months in school.
Thanks so much, Kara, I'm glad you found them useful! Make sure to listen to your body, and only offer the pressure that's comfortable for you.
Dido. this has been a great tool
OMG Kara..i feel the exact same way. I am learning way more here than in school.
I really appreciate this video and commend you for showing a real body, not just a thin pliable body like most therapists on UA-cam. Thank you for the techniques.
Excellent video with great tips and a useful demonstration. I just recently began working as an MT and am smaller woman (5'2", 110#) and can absolutely use this advice when clients ask for more pressure. Thanks for posting and I'll definitely check out your other videos as well. :)
Thanks for the suggestion of techniques. I am small and often feel like my pressure might not be enough, however I will feel more confident. Awesome
I am so glad I found this, and your channel, very early in my career. You saved me from making this mistake, just using my usual techniques with more pressure. Thank you!!!
Can't tell you how helpful this has been! :) Thank you Ian!!!
I love receiving deep tissue massages. I really like how in the beginnings now you're presenting a "table of contents" kind of thing. That's really helpful. Keep up the good work!
Felicity Plott Thanks for the feedback on the intro stuff! And thanks for watching :)
You are so well spoken, i have been on the field actively for 1 year and I am always hesitant when it comes to deep tissue. Thank you for this informative and reassuring video good sir. I am truly greatful for your time and teachings and encouragement 🐉💜
Such a great teacher and instructional videos. Love the Massage Sloth! 👍🏻
OMG!! i luv this channel.... I was so worried that my pressure was not deep enough for most clienst. This info is so helpful. i will try it at work tomorrow
Enjoy learning from you. Great work!
Your vids are very helpful...thank you so much!!! Saving our hands!
Wow! Thank you, Massage Sloth, for this video! It's very helpful! Thank you kindly!
Its amazing to me how many of your techniques i have figured out by myself over five years, but i wish i found you before as i started massage because i spent the first two and a half years doing deep tissue with my thumbs and have already done so much damage to thumbs due to pushing with my muscles and straining the ligaments and compressing the cartilage and thumb joints instead of just leaning into people which i do now. You have been so good to watch thank you
Hi Ian, thanks loads for your videos, I learn a lot from you. I really like your explanations and speed of talking, how you clearly show and demonstrate the techniques and the camera is always placed at a good angle so you can easily see what you are doing ...when you have the camera turned on ;-) ps I also really like the sloth!
Great demonstration. Thank you.
Thanks for the tips!! I appreciate it.
Perfect ! It motivates my good work , thanks for sharing !
Wow! You are awesome. And a great instructor. Nice relaxed, patient style. I'd love to get a massage from you!
Daisy May Much appreciated! Look me up if you're ever in the Florida panhandle :)
Very Very informational video. I'm looking forward to trying this work.
Thanks for this! I've been struggling with a few clients who reeeeeally want deep pressure. I have been making myself sore from trying to just "push harder", but now I am realizing that I need to be lazier - drop my table and just lean my full weight into them.
Hey Ian, i'm a tiny thing and in student clinic get these 210 lbs men who want "deep pressure". Have my table super low, and my pace is slow as well, could you show the Superman with a proximal 5th forearm for us tiny folk? Def gonna use the Superman soft/loose fist. Thanks! #MassageLazy
Well done Sloth... surprised I just now found your channel. Therapist to Therapist, Thank You! Happy Healing!
Your techniques, knowledge and ability to communicate effiecently has really inspired me to improve my current skills/techniques. I find you very inspiring thank you very much.
Thanks so much!
love that video, agree !!
I always use my body weight to protect my back
Excellent video 😊 I learned new techniques! Thanks!
I really struggle doing pressure and I have a lot of clients complain about the pressure not being deep enough. I hope this will help me in massage school!
You have a wealth of information, thank you for sharing!
THANK YOU!!! The convo about pain = helpful is one I seem to have a lot these days. And it’s simply not true, but slow weight I can behind. That’s what she said.
This was another great video, lots of great tips and techniques. Thank you for saying not to worry so much, I do and it really messes me up. I am a new to the massage profession I just passed the MBLEx last week so these videos are great for adding new moves to my routine. Thanks again, your amazing!
yes i like lower tables and use of fists over hands. because im older i dont lower my table as much and have found ways to use fists and elbows more now. thank you for this most helpful video.
Great videos! Thank you so much!
Thank you! I now know what to do. Greetings from the Philippines!
Thank you for giving tips to save my thumb from hurting so much merci beaucoup xx
Hey “Sloth”, I appreciate your videos. 👍🏼 Thank you.
Thank you for the video. I think you just save my thumbs and hands!
He is one of the best for sure.
Very helpful, thank you!
This is awesome video, speak my mind, thank you.
Thankkkk you!!! I always learn so much. 🙏🏻💜✨✨💜💜
Thank you so much for sharing great technique for deep tissue,really need that how to work deep ,but at the same time how to save our joints from injuries.
Some people want relaxation, some want therapeutic work. That's where I make the distinction. I can give them both extremely deep pressure, but with relaxation I don't use thumbs and it's more spread out and less focussed.
I always come back to you. Ty for being YOU. I dont know why I have put up a block on 'deep tissue" but here I am because was just scheduled 2 of them this week...I really need to establish better body mechanics. I wana be able to be of service forever and perhaps an additional day :) ❤ to u
Amazing, valuable tips.
Thank you so much for doing this video. Please do more with men and PLEASE PLEASE with extremely hairy men. I struggle with some of my deep tissue moves because of the hair and would love to see how you handle it. You are greatly appreciated.
+Cristy Wallis I will very likely do a video on that in the future! In the mean time, keep in mind that most hairy guys have become desensitized to their own hair a long time ago, and you can do most of your work unmodified. I always check in to make sure, but 95% of the time they just tell me to ignore it. I do tend to use more oil and go a bit slower, but otherwise, proceed as usual. Thanks for the question/suggestion!
As always a great video
At massage school we were always taught to use our elbows when applying pressure like this for longevity reasons. Alot of your strokes are fantastic and would feel great but i cant help but think incorporating elbows for most of the strokes would not only achieve that strong pressure the client wants but keeps our thumbs and fingers free from injury!
Billy Anthony Hey Billy, absolutely. I do think that it's worthwhile to learn how to deliver lots of pressure with your other tools, largely for variety and specificity, but it's smart to shift to using more elbow and forearm work during these very deep massages. Thanks for the comment!
thanks for the info
Loved this video…thank you!
I like your video good points on the clients wanting all the deep tissue. And good reminder to save our hands thank I will subscribe
Massage Sloth. AMAZING!👍👍👍👍
Very informative...keep it up
wonderful!!! these are good!!
Ian, I need to fly you to Birmingham,UK before it's too late for me! ✈️🇬🇧💆
Seriously,though,love your videos and how calming your voice is 👍🏾
Soooo helpful thank you 🙏
Very helpful thank you 😊
Omg thx you great technique
JUST what I was looking for! Have you done one showing how to use KNEES/low table for deep work, like on powerlifters? Thanks, Ian.
I haven't-I keep my feet on the ground, not because I have anything against getting a knee or foot on the table, but just because it's never something I've played with. Thanks for the kind words!
Great tips
Hi Ian, thanks for the video. It is very insightful. I just have thought, can we actually put so much pressure along the lumbar line? does it not just gonna injure the lumbar?
another great chanel with low subsriber count. I dont even know myself how I got here. UA-cam do great work to bury countles chanel under tons of garbage.
Great technique
Wauw! Really great massage, I would really like one of those by your hands. Just as I was going to comment on using elbows, you did a little with elbow..nice. You talk a lot about the techniques you use which is really great, but what about the body-mind connetion? How does that work when using deep pressure? By the way..that guy can handle a lot of pressure!!
I like your uploads a lot, thank you very much for sharing.
Greetings from Holland, Europe
Thank you so much 💕💞♥️💜💙🧡💕
You are great !!!
amazing.
Fabulous just passed and this has given me some great tips as I'm not very tall about extra pressure.
Glad it helped, and congratulations!!
Thank You for share your knowledge for deep tissue
excellent...thanx
It would be amazing to see how to offer extra deep pressure on upper traps only. I had 2 weightlifters yesterday, who asked for that. And I have to admit - I myself like super deep only on upper traps (they feel almost numb and I don’t feel pressure unless it’s super deep). Same pressure feels awful when applied anywhere else.
I hope you make more videos, i love deep pressure massages. I do wonder, do you use massage tools? Like those wooden ones used in reflexology massages. I think that could help reserve your energy and hands.
It's something I've considered, but I greatly value direct contact. My solution so far is to refuse to do work that causes me pain or undue fatigue, but I've been considering implementing hot stones in my practice once again (in a limited capacity). These are still hard work to use, but a different kind of work. If anyone has massage tools that they've found particularly useful for deeper work, I'd like to hear about them!
@@MassageSloth I find the Himalayan Salt Stones (used with grapeseed pil) are fantastic tools for delivering a HS massage without having a stone that can slip out of your graps. They exfolaite the client's skin a bit, too, so they get a salt scrub on top of the massage. These come in rather large sizes, fit comfortably in your hand and are so much better than the basalt stones commonly used.
He goes “quack, quack” 😂
Yes!
Please sir, can you provide a teaching on how best to address scoliosis. I've searched the internet and I'm not finding a lot. The practical component provided at my college wasn't sufficient.
Dang why no more views? Well you still get my patreon bucks for these awesome videos!
phallacious hunt Much appreciated! Until I'm universally lauded for my genius, the support really helps :)
I’m not the best at deep tissue and I start work in 2 hrs for a deep tissue…I will definitely be using these tips
Thank you for creating this video. I have been struggling with my body mechanics during deep tissue sessions. I stopped enjoying doing deep tissue work. Your information will transform my practice and reignite my love of DT. You are brilliant and kind to share such valuable techniques with the world. Again, I thank you.
Do you Tai Chi or other Martial Arts? Your stance and body mechanics indicate so and your posture and use of hips and whole body important in martial practice :) thanks for the informative video!
As a person who suffers from chronic myofascial back pain who has had over 15 massage therapists.. I can personally tell you that the best massages I've had have been from very strong deep pressure. These massages may hurt horrifically but I get the most relief from them. If done correctly, I won't have neck or back pain for a week. There's really no comparison.
@@maplenook ok! I definitely will!
I've tried doing this and other methods to increase pressure as many clients say "go deeper." The owner of the office I work at actually advised against the standing on the balls of the feet and leaning. I think the problem is that I work in an office with other 9 therapists and it's basically a "no one here has regulars" philosophy. So, I'm 5' 5" and 120lbs competing with men and women who are taller and have more body mass. It's basically a shot at the self esteem and a no win situation.
Definitely listen to your body (feet and ankles included!) when figuring out your capacity as a massage therapist. I identify a lot with having to struggle against that idea that "there are no regulars here" philosophy, having worked at a big box massage outlet for a couple of years. In that time, I found it was useful to do little things to differentiate myself as a therapist: Focusing on "detail" work such as neck, hands, and feet. Spending time with areas related to the area of complaint. Going slow and being conscientious.
Basically, in a "no regulars" environment, everything you do can increase your share of the pie chart. Just snagging 2 or 3 regulars can keep you busy while everyone else complains about the feast-or-famine "nature of the business." I found that simply inviting people to book with me was enough to keep me busy more than most others in the franchise environment. Basically, "I'd love to work with you again, just ask for me by name when you book next time." By saying that, a lot of clients finally felt comfortable with making a request.
As for pressure junkies... I recommend finding a couple of massage therapists to refer them to. The people who love working super deep will relish the opportunity, and we'll be able to stay in our comfort zone more consistently.
Hi Ian, what type/brand of face cradle/cushion are you using in this video it looks very comfortable?
Enjoyed and learned from your post....one issue I occasionally face is providing deep tissue work on petite clients. Often my hands/massage tools feel too large. Any suggestions....( or option for another video perhaps ?)
Richard Lane Hi Richard! A video on working with very petite clients is a great idea, as they do present their own challenges. In the meantime: I bet you a thousand bucks that those clients enjoy the breadth of your work. While you may want to try doubled-up fingerpads for some finer work (again, using fingers that you could do push-ups on), consider the fact that they're getting extra work every time you use a too-large hand tool. When you work their traps, the neck gets involved. When you have to nudge past the scapula on your way up or down the erectors, you're working on rhomboid attachments and mobilizing the scapula. It's good stuff that they can't get from every massage therapist!
i've learned a lot from your videos although using fists isn't realistic for a therapist seeing several clients a day. no way using thumbs on 5-7 clients a day deep pressure or not would last long
do you ever worry about irritating acne or having a blemish rupture while massaging?
As a massage therapist for 3+years, I just refer these clients out to others. Doing these techniques eventually take their toll on your body regardless of how correct you do them. There is a reason that the average massage therapist's career lifespan is 6-9 years. We need to move away from "deep tissue" massage as a part of our profession. "Deep tissue" was coined originally as a marketing term only, not an actual technique. Luckily my massage school taught me the pitfalls and risks of doing "deep tissue" massage. I refuse to practice it and I feel like others in our profession should take a stand. We have a nationwide shortage of therapists for a reason. Injuries. Instead, I would suggest using massage tools or a muscle massage gun on clients that want more pressure than what you are comfortable giving them. This would benefit clients and save our bodies as therapists.
I wish I watch this video before trying to do a very deep tissue massage my wrist were sore..... I have learned my lesson.
Tanina Edwards I had to learn that lesson about ten times before it stuck :) Give your wrists some time to recover! Best of luck!
Hi Ian! What if someone wants (and can use) a deep tissue massage and you pass structures that make them jump from the table (like, when you treat the supraspinatus and pass the levator scapula)? This will have an opposite effect, right? That defence musculair is not what you want in a massage. Any tips on that (other than, avoid those stuctures)
Avalon Massage Those little areas of heightened sensitivity can kind of throw you out of your deep pressure groove, but I find that it helps to go broader, lighten up, and slow down in just that area. I definitely want to avoid causing acute pain or over-treatment of any painful structure. While I am worried about causing lasting pain over the next few days and sensitizing the area, I mostly want my client to feel "heard." And yes, sometimes, if the sensitivity is just too much, I'll just avoid the area, or give it some light-pressure Swedish :) It may just need some time to calm down. Thanks for the question!
your videos are amazing thank you greatly!
Its not that VERY deep tissu massage. Its a normal deep tissu thats all but still good.
Ian, I am in massage school and have told that my body mechanics are great. However, my shoulders are really hurting. I would like to try this low table approach, but I am concerned about my wrist angle for the palm. Any ideas?
Michael Dooley That's a valid concern! Lowering the table can lead to more extreme wrist extension if you let it. It's a good idea to get into the habit of consciously stepping back as you start palmar strokes so that you're never applying your full body weight with your wrist at a 90+ degree angle. While I've gotten away with a lot of sloppy wrist mechanics over my decade of work, it's vital to do so mindfully! If you start feeling discomfort, either back off from the lower table, or from the offending techniques. I think that the low table is more than worth it, but it does have its disadvantages.
As for your current shoulder pain, I recommend redoubling your warm-ups! Move your arms through controlled circumductions before every massage, and keep those pecs stretched out. Good luck!
Thank you!