People Love Ashiatsu Massage Therapy!

People say, "Wow, this is so different...I really like it" when they get their first taste of Ashiatsu massage (barefoot - massage using the feet). The feet are excellent tools for doing massage. All massage schools will eventually teach this wonderful technique. Hands are great for technical work. Elbows go way deep but the feet are big, heavy and can level the spine like you wouldn't believe!

Big people really need Ashiatsu massage. Our legs are much more powerful than our arms. When you couple that power with the ultimate leverage of standing on the table and straddling the client...wow! Ashiatsu barefoot massage comes from the Asian countries. In the Asian countries they all use the feet to do massage in addition to the hands and elbows. Some people don't need Ashiatsu massage because they are just not big enough to require that much pressure but most people do benefit from this wonderful massage modality.
Uh. . . Ah. . . Oh! That's what people say when they receive Ashiatsu massage. Most people are familiar with Swedish massage, which is received by the client on a regular massage table. The therapist uses two tools, his or her hands, to perform the standard massage strokes of petrissage, effleurage, friction, vibration, and tapotement. Swedish massage actually originated in China. In the 19th century, Dr. Henrick Ling brought the massage skills of China to Sweden for gymnastic athletes. For some reason, he forgot to incorporate the other two tools, the feet into the picture. Maybe Dr. Ling had stinky feet and was too embarrassed to take off his shoes. In any case, the resulting consequences are that all over the world we have massage therapists who are using only two of their four main tools. (The elbows and knees are also good massage tools).

Ashiatsu massage (barefoot - using the feet to massage) is the missing part of the picture and pressure. That's right, the therapist uses his or her feet in addition to both hands to apply pressure to the body. Certain areas of the body often require more pressure than the average therapist can apply with just hands. Millions of people who received "two tool massage" in the past are now starting to understand the benefits of "four tool massage."
So, what's different about getting massaged with feet vs. hands?

First and foremost, the legs and feet are much stronger than the arms and hands. Look at the size of your calves compared to your forearms. Compare your thighs to your biceps. One of the main complaints that many people have with massage is that they don't get enough pressure. That's largely because 99 percent of therapists in America use only two tools, the small precision tools 9the hands). (It is also because most therapists are women and many women are not strong enough to give sufficient pressure to bigger/tighter folks...in Japan the women use their feet as well as their hands! Those smart Japanses people!). The hands are great for light precision work. A good four-tool therapist (hands and feet) uses the hands to massage the head, neck and face, the arms and hands, the abdominals, the feet, the quads and trigger points (knots). The hands are like a sports car. They can zip in and around the curves, maneuver through tight areas and flip a U-y in a second.

The feet are a whole different deal. A four-tool therapist uses the feet on the back, the shoulders, the gluteals, and the back of the legs and arms. The feet are like a ful-size pickup truck! They do the heavy work that the sports car can't handle. Let's see you go to Home Depot and pick up some lumber in your sports car. If you do, you'll ruin your sports car. That's what most therapists are doing with their hands. They're trying to do all the heavy work with their small tools. In time, they burn out their wrists, thumbs, forearms and shoulders, and have to retire. Ouch, I hate it when that happens! I hope that my fellow massage therapists read this and take heed. Use four tools!

Barefoot massage requires a set of bars to hold as a steadying device. This makes strokes very safe and secure.
You might wonder, "How does it feel to get massaged with the feet?" Not only do the feet apply more pressure, but also they do it over a significantly broader area. Clients say it feels like they're being "ironed out." Many say that I'm leveling out their spines.

This is exactly what most people need! Most people have humped-over backs and rolled-over shoulders. This creates weak, stretched-out back muscles and tight, over-contracted front muscles. Four-tool massage, along with yoga and chiropractic, is great for healing this problem. Sleeping on your back wouldn't hurt, either.
If you are a client...find an Ashiatsu massage therapist. If you are a therapist that only uses your hands and elbows...learn Ashiatsu massage and use all your tools...including the feet and knees too! If you use your most important tool, your brain, you will understand the importance of LEVERAGE in massage therapy. Good luck and happy rubbing!

I learned how to do massage using my feet all on my own. I highly recommend learning the art of using the feet to do massage and I don't believe you have to go to a special school to learn Ashiatsu. If you do decide to take a class or learn from a video, you will learn the ins and outs of Ashiatsu faster than if you try to do it all on your own.
http://www.vitalitymassage.net/ashiatsubarefoot.html

http://www.vitalitymassage.net Brett Rodgers, owner of Vitality Massage in Asheville, NC.

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