It's my job to find where the tension is, the resistance and solidness; and then using different movements/ strokes/ techniques, try to coax those muscles into letting go, relaxing, lengthening and softening. The rhythmic soothing movements of the massage at the same time helping to relax the body and soften and sooth the mind.
When muscles are healthy they are naturally soft and pliable; and they don't hurt or feel tender when they are being massaged/worked on. It's like stretching or kneading dough, there is a movement within the soft tissues and muscles glide past each other smoothly. Like pressing into putty, I am able to work deeply into the layers of muscle tissue and access the deeper muscles beneath. Working deeply in this way increases blood flow to the localized area and internal organs, thus nourishing and detoxing the body, helping to keep it healthy.
When muscles are unhealthy they are often chronically tight, overworked and holding a lot of tension. There is a solidness to them and they feel tender and uncomfortable when massaged as well as in everyday life. There is little to no movement within the soft tissues and muscles feel sticky and adhesive to neighboring muscles and bone. Natural blood flow to the area is impeded; muscle tissue is starved of nourishment, toxins build up and muscles become more problematic and painful. It is difficult to 'get in there' and often only the more superficial layers of muscle tissue can be accessed.
Ow! What's causing all this tension?
Poor posture. When our posture is bad there is a muscle imbalance, in which some muscles become very short and tight and consequently stronger, whilst their opposing muscle (muscles work together in pairs) becomes longer and weaker. Over time further postural problems and muscular tension occurs; as the stronger muscles (which continue to get tighter and stronger) start pulling on the framework of the body, further pulling it out of shape. For example when hunched over a computer the muscles in the chest become short, tight and strong; further pulling the shoulders into a rounded position.
Repetitive movements. Our bodies were simply not designed to continuously do the same actions again and again everyday; and yet this is what many of us do, whether in our work, hobby, sport or at the gym. Muscles that are continuously subjected to the same repetitive movements naturally become tired and overworked; muscle tone (tension) remains high in these muscles even when they're resting, because they simply can't relax! With so much tension in the muscle(s) there is an increased risk of an acute injury as well as more chronic conditions such as RSI Muscle imbalances also occur when certain muscles are overly worked/ trained at the expense of other muscles which then become weaker.
So how long will it take to soften my body?!
It's good to determine the cause of the tension so you can try to prevent it getting any worse in between sessions. Remember I'm only going to be working on physically softening your body for an hour or so once a week, fortnight or month; and so it's helpful for you to be conscious of what your doing with your body for the rest of the time. Are you clenching your jaw when you're stressed? Are you constantly looking down at your phone? Are you repetitively doing something everyday that is overworking the same muscle groups?
When there is a lot of tension and 'solidness' in the muscle tissue then it's a good idea to have more regular weekly sessions at first, to try and really 'get in there' and release and soften the area as much a possible. Specific stretches may be given, to do at home in between treatments which will further aid in lengthening and softening the area; and thus enhancing the work done being done on the table. As muscles begin to soften sessions may become less frequent until eventually massage becomes less about releasing chronic tension and more about maintaining softness.
I've never liked the 'no pain no gain' approach to massage whereby if you're not reeling in pain on the table, covered in bruises when you leave and unable to walk for two days after; then the massage was unsuccessful at releasing tension and improving the health of the muscle?! There will always be some discomfort when working on unhealthy muscle tissue but it should never be outside of your comfort zone. When something hurts we naturally tense up in protection and for this reason I feel that forcing muscles to relax by brute force and will is counter productive.
It is far better in my opinion (and a lot more enjoyable for the client!) to gentle coax the muscles into relaxation by gradually softening and releasing tension one layer at a time until eventually the muscle lets go, fibers untangle, knots dissolve and the tissue being worked on becomes soft and pliable enough for more deeper strokes/techniques to be used. For any one who practices yoga or enjoys stretching, you know that you have to have respect and patience; for the body will only let you in and allow you to work deeper once it has softened.
The healing potential of all this softening.
On a physical level, this is where all of the toxins that have been trapped in masses of tight, bunched up muscle tissue, are released back into the blood steam for the body to processes; thus causing nausea, headaches, frequent trips to the bathroom and a general feeling of being 'knocked for six' for some people. Drinking plenty of water (and avoiding putting any more toxins back in) helps to flush these toxins through and there is a powerful cleansing effect on the body.
In the same way our muscles store toxins, they also store much of our 'emotional baggage'. Harsh experiences, feelings of depression, anxiety or simply every day stress, all build up in the body; bringing about a hardness, a tough outer shell, a protection from further pain. Over time this hardness manifests as aches, pains, injury, stiffness, poor posture and illness. Massage aims to soften this armour and flush the body of potentially harmful stress chemicals. All kinds of emotions can be stirred up; and in releasing this the body feels freer and there is a sense of having 'let go' of something you'd been carrying.
As treatments progress and the body softens there are fewer physical/emotional toxins to be released and so the healing crisis lessens. Muscles become soft, pliable and healthy; and although there will always be little areas of feel good pain, the body won't feel so tender to be worked on and massage becomes even more enjoyable and relaxing.
The knead for regular softening
So there's always work to be done in maintaining the softness of the body and mind; and regular massage plays an important role in not allowing tension to build up to the point where it becomes a problem. The longer the gap between sessions the more the body and mind will revert back to chronic tension.
With regular massage comes a deeper awareness of the interconnection of mind, body and soul. In fact massage brings these three parts of ourselves together; as we have the opportunity to escape the world for an hour or so, calm the constant chatter of the mind, relax into our bodies and become more in touch with who we really are within. This then carries over into our everyday life and we find ourselves becoming more in tune with our bodies, more aware of our posture and movement and also more conscious of when everyday stress is creeping back into our body, creating tension and hardness.
By releasing tension and softening the body and mind, regular massage is a much needed (and very enjoyable) tool for maintaining overall health and well being; and not every session is going to be the same. It really is a case of what are you bringing to the table today?! What have you been doing since your last massage? What's going on in your life? Perhaps you've been doing a lot of gardening or heavy lifting? Perhaps work is busy, you've been at the computer a lot, or your children are driving you crazy?! Every session will be different as we ask, where are you feeling tension today? Where is there resistance to letting go and what needs softening?
For me this is the art of massage and what I'm trying to achieve with you in my work as a therapist. It's listening to the body, tuning into the soft tissues and only working as deeply as the muscles will let me in. It's setting the scene and creating a warm, peaceful environment with which to relax and sooth the mind; for once the mind is calm the body relaxes and visa versa. It's knowing when to work and when to just leave the area alone and come back. It's being sensitive to how much pressure to apply and the choice of technique that is needed. It's realigning the fibers and tuning the body. It's the rhythmic dance of the strokes lulling the body and mind back home into relaxation and softness.
So what kneads softening today?!
Beth x
