By Melisa Bell Reinhart

Ahhh massage, one of life’s great pleasures. Who doesn’t like to be pampered and treated as if he or she is only person in the world that matters?

Massage produces a deep form of relaxation enabling our bodies and minds to forget about everything and let go of life’s daily stresses. But massage is not only about relaxation. As one of the oldest and simplest forms of healthcare, massage also increases circulation, stimulates the lymph system, relaxes injured or overused muscles, and releases endorphins (the body’s natural painkiller).

All of that and you don’t even need pay for a trained professional to experience its benefits because 1. I’m a trained professional (and I’ll teach you how to do it!) and 2. Who knows where you need a little extra attention better than, well, you?

Self-massage is easy, free, and can be done anywhere and for any length of time.

Getting Started

First, take the time to check in with your body, really focusing on any aches and pains you may be experiencing. Which aches have seemingly always been there? Which aches and pains are new? Which activities make you feel better? Which actives make you feel worse? 

Taking a brief inventory before you get started will help you to be more conscious of your body not just during the massage but throughout the day.

Techniques

The beauty of self-massage is that you don’t need to go out and buy any special equipment to get started. Your hands, fingers, elbows--even an old tennis ball--all make excellent massage tools that can apply a focused, deep, or light pressure with very little physical effort. You can use them on any part of your body; it’s all about what feels good.

Lean

For example, if your forearms are in need of some work, one of the easiest things to do is place one forearm on a table and, using the opposite elbow, gently lean into the area that’s tight and place the exact amount of pressure on it that feels good. Hold for a few seconds, release, and gently lean in again. You can also do this in little increments working up and down the entire forearm, holding each spot for a couple of seconds. When you’re finished working on the front, flip your arm over and do the exact same thing to the back.

Squeeze

Squeezing is an excellent technique to increase circulation and wake up the muscles. Using your whole hand start at the neck and give a gentle squeeze. Next, inch your way down to the base of the neck with little squeezes. Then, work your way over to the shoulder and down the arm squeezing all the way to the hand. End by giving each finger and then fingertip an individual squeeze. You can work slowly or fast-- whatever feels good. Note the difference between the arm you just massaged and the other arm. It will probably be substantial.

Rub

We all know how good it feels to have our temples rubbed. Use that exact same motion on any part of the body to produce spectacular results. Slow, circular motions can help to release a tight jaw, stiff neck, or an aching knee.

Thump

To work on larger muscle groups while using very little effort, simply make a loose fist with your hand and gently thump on the area in need. This is great for the legs (front, back, and side) and lower back. A gentle thump can help to increase circulation and stimulate the area.

Shake

A playful form of self-massage is to let it all out with a good shake. Stand up and extend your arms (or hands, legs or feet) and gently shake them for a few seconds or a few minutes playing around with rapid and slow movements to see what feels best. It’s easy with the added benefit of providing a quick burst of energy while at the same time getting the blood circulating. A silly way to release stress that actually feels great!

Tennis Balls are Good for You

Another method of self-massage is to use a tennis ball to help us reach the hard-to-get spots or to go deeper into the easy to reach places. For a “foot massage extraordinaire” take a tennis ball, and one foot at a time, stand on it.

Use your body weight to roll it all over the bottom of your foot, putting extra weight into the places that really need it. When you’re finished, note the difference between the foot you’ve just massaged and the other one. The difference will be pretty remarkable.

This same concept can be transferred to the back. Stand with your back to a wall and slip a tennis ball in-between your back and the wall. From here just lean in to apply pressure or move against the wall to roll the ball along your back. This is a great technique to get to some of the hard to reach places.

You can also take two tennis balls and place them into a sock close together, knotting the end of the sock to keep them in place. Lie on the floor and place the two balls in the sock at the base of your skull, on the occipital ridge, the place where the skull meets the neck. By releasing the weight of the head onto the tennis balls, in other words just lying there and taking deep breaths, your neck will begin to relax. You’ll be shocked at how incredibly relaxing and supportive this feels.

Anytime, Anywhere

When massaging yourself take a couple of deep slow breaths and really focus on the part of the body you’re working on. Imagine that with each breath the muscles are relaxing deeper and deeper. By focusing our attention and breath we become more aware and connected to our body.

Self-massage is an amazingly simple thing we can do to take care of ourselves. We can do it any time, any place, and it’s completely free! Play around with it, have fun and most importantly know that it can truly make a difference. And, hey, it feels really good too, so why not?