Contents
1. What time to choose
It is best to massage yourself in the morning after waking up or in the evening before going to bed, the most inappropriate time is after eating.
2. How long will it take
Approximately 25 minutes – 4 minutes for each leg, 3 minutes for each arm, 3 minutes for the muscles of the chest and abdomen, 3 minutes for the muscles of the back and buttocks, 5 minutes for the head, face and neck.
3. How to prepare
- Before massage, wipe your hands with alcohol or cologne, remove watches and rings, nails should be short so as not to damage the skin.
- Get into a position in which you can relax as much as possible.
- Use massage oil or cream to make your hands glide easily.
- Perform all movements along the lymphatic pathways: from the fingers to the armpits, from the feet to the groin, massage the chest from the middle to the sides, the back – from the spine to the sides, the neck – from top to bottom, the head – from the crown to the temporal and occipital region.
4. Where to begin
First massage the toes, then the back of the foot, the Achilles tendon, the ankle joint, the gastrocnemius muscle, the shin muscles (located on the front of the lower leg), knees, and thighs.
Then the chest and arms: fingers, hands, wrists, forearm, elbow and shoulder joints. Then the gluteal muscles, lower back, back and abdomen. Finally – the neck, face and head.
5. What should be the movements?
Stroke first, then press, rub, knead and stroke again (try not to move the skin while doing this).
Face, joints and rib area stroke with the pads of the fingers, the rest of the areas with the palms. You can do it with one hand or with two at the same time.
Press down need the base of the palm and the bump of the thumb, while squeezing all the other fingers. Place the brush across the muscle to be massaged. Pressing requires more force than stroking.
Rastiranie similar to stroking, but with it, the hand does not slide over the skin, but moves it. In addition, rubbing should be done more vigorously. Movements can be longitudinal, transverse, circular and zigzag. Rub your palms and feet with your knuckles.
Kneading – the most difficult and most effective element of self-massage. Grasp the muscle tightly with your fingers, lift it up and turn it as if you are squeezing water out of a sponge.
6. How to end the massage
Be sure to take a shower, rub the body with a rigid massage glove in the same way as during massage. After showering, rub vigorously with a terry towel.
7. Contraindications
Self-massage cannot be done if you have a fever, rash, blood diseases, problems with veins, inflammation of the lymph nodes, strong excitement, or, conversely, overwork after exercise. The abdomen should not be massaged during menstruation, with a hernia, kidney stones and in the gallbladder.