Probably not, but if you have, I’ll bet you can count the number of your acquaintances with this strange aversion on the fingers of one hand!

The reassuring power of touch plus the therapeutic value of targeted stress and pain release makes massage both an ultimately relaxing and revitalising experience. In today’s chaotic pace of live, many of us are looking for ways to reduce and manage day-to-day stress that, in the long run, can have a negative impact on our health.

You may have treated yourself to a day at a spa for professional massage treatment to unwind, but at anything between £25 for a facial or Indian head massage to £75 for a full body massage, this is an expensive extravagance that only the wealthy could regularly enjoy.

Or you may have improvised and tried to give a partner, friend or loved one who’s tired or suffering with tension aches and pains a comforting massage.

But if you’ve never been shown how to do it properly, you may feel as if you’re just ‘rubbing’ someone in an ineffectual way.

Or even worse, you could be causing real damage to delicate skin, tissue or bones if you apply too much pressure in the wrong place.

The Learn To Massage DVD set offers an insight into insider techniques used by professional therapists in three different areas of massage - full body, facial and Indian head massage. The DVD set aims to tell you everything you need to know to carry out each of these three therapies competently and efficiently.

The expertise required to give these varying types of massage differs in terms of moves, strokes and terminology.

But the one thing these techniques share, when applied properly, is the delivery of a calming and rejuvenating massage that should leave your subject truly relaxed and feeling good to be alive.

These experiences are not only fun, they’re good for you too. They all deliver health benefits, from lowering blood pressure and treating repetitive stress and strain injuries to reducing headaches, muscle pain and chronic pain and relieving insomnia, anxiety and depression.

The Full Body Massage DVD shows step-by-step instructions on how to soothe and tone the neck, shoulders, back, arms, legs, buttocks, abdomen and feet, covering 11 professional massage techniques including:

....effleurage, petrissage, knuckling, finger vibrating, kneading, coining, wringing, fanning, cutting, chopping and cupping.

The therapist talks you through the entire session, helping you to understand when, why and for how long to apply each technique. Close ups of the exact hand movements involved help you feel confident that you’re applying the right stroke in the correct way.

The introduction to the DVD also gives guidance on how to make your subject feel comfortable at the beginning of the massage, towel techniques to protect their modesty and some tips on which massage oil to use and the best way to apply it.

My favourite part of this Full Body Massage DVD?

The strokes and hand movements that pinpoint back pain, targeting and eradicating any aches built up from poor posture and sitting at a computer for too long. Plus the thigh muscle workout that helps fight cellulite!

And least favourite?

Care should be taken during the buttock massage! Surprisingly, for such a padded area, massaging with too much pressure can cause unexpected soreness! And if done correctly the same cellulite-busting techniques as used in the thigh area are also at work here too!

The Luxury Facial Massage DVD has a similar instructional style, with a professional therapist demonstrating 11 anti-ageing strokes that smooth out wrinkles, crow’s feet, frown marks and neck lines, and tighten baggy skin around the chin, neck and eye areas.

The techniques used in this DVD - including effleurage, knuckling, fanning, kneading, fast lifting, fast slapping and cupping, prayer, friction, zigzag and sinus drainage movements – can also be adapted so you apply the facial massage to yourself.

With repeated treatments, facial massage can soften expression lines so that they gradually fade away, so as well as this being a relaxing treat, it can also over time make you look younger with lasting effects.

The best part of this DVD for me?

The ‘draining of the sinuses’ technique that helps alleviate nagging ‘pressure’ headaches and nasal congestion – I found these tactics so useful that I now apply them straight away at the first sign of a headache or cold, rather than heading straight for the pain killers or sinus medication.

And the not so great?

Personally I found the recommended sweet almond oil a bit too greasy for the facial area – much better to find facial oil from your preferred cosmetics brand, which to me feels much more pampering and less ‘cloggy’. I found some great oil from Champneys, and Neal’s Yard also offer some great organic and lovely-smelling facial oils.

An Indian head massage differs from the other two treatments in that the subject remains fully clothed and remains seated – rather than lying down – during the massage, and you don’t need to use any oils.

The Indian Head Massage DVD reveals the mysteries behind this centuries old method of relaxation, using 23 different techniques including:

...fanning, pullbacks, palm rolls, palm pressing, clapping, hacking, smoothing, grasping, thumb extensions, rubbing, figure skating, plucking, combing, squeezing and balancing.

Applying the ancient science of holistic Ayurvedic healing, the DVD demonstrates how Indian head massage balances your mind, body and spirit by removing negative tension and chasing away toxins that cause tension, fatigue and pain in your neck, scalp, shoulders and face.

The result is a refreshing treatment that soothes you completely, chasing away headaches and reducing anxiety while encouraging you to think more clearly and sleep better.

The professional Indian head massage therapist presenting the DVD puts particular emphasis on the subtle finger, knuckle and thumb movements that release stress and increase blood flow in your neck, scalp, shoulders and face.

You’re also shown how to target the shiatsu points in the neck, forehead and temples to prevent migraine and tension headaches.

My favourite part of this DVD?

The scalp workout is particularly effective for finding and releasing tension that you don’t even know is there! Plus hair generally feels glossier and softer afterwards, as the massage moves stimulate natural conditioning agents in the scalp and hair... which all adds to the fabulous feel-good factor at the end of the treatment!

Not so favourite?

Take care with the ear massage and be sure to apply gentle moves only. It’s easy to get carried away and tug or press too hard – which can hurt or damage the sensitive areas of the ear.

This Learn To Massage DVD set is great if you want a relatively quick and thorough overview on giving professional-quality massages for relaxation and therapeutic reasons.

Each DVD explains all the techniques concisely and zooms in on finger, hand and arm movements so that you can copy exactly and know you’re performing all the actions properly. And the medium of DVD, which allows you to practise in the comfort of your own home, is a cheap and convenient way of learning to massage.

As with everything in life, you may not perform each move perfectly the first time you try it, and the more practise you apply, the better you’ll become with time. Having said that, this DVD set gives you all you need to get started on giving massages for both fun and profit.

After about 4 or 5 goes of trying these techniques you will probably reach a level of expertise where you feel confident charging for a massage, if that’s your objective. But from the point of view of giving a massage for pleasure, you will succeed from the first time you try all three of these massage types!

However, if you want professional accreditation, this DVD set can act as a ‘taster’ to get you started, before getting involved in more formal vocation-centred training.

I would love to hear what you think so please comment below. I'm also happy to answer any questions you may have. I check back regularly, so please ask and I'll do my best to give you an honest and open answer.

Thanks for reading

Alison

APD Internet Marketing