Make the Most of Massage

Author: Mark Liskey

Massage Body Mechanics: How to Use Your Legs
If you’re coming out of a massage and your arms and shoulders are shot, you’re doing one thing very wrong. You’re not using your legs.

I don’t mean you should be sticking a knee in the lumbar erectors. (Though I have thought about that…) What I mean is that you’re not using your legs to generate pressure.

To generate pressure using your legs, you’ll need to lower your table, move your feet so that you’re in a position to work muscles effectively, and push from your feet for super-deep pressure.

Lower Your Table

For the first 10 years of my 25 years in massage, I did massage on my terms, using any technique that I wanted to. But after a while my body started to talk back—and I developed pain issues in my neck, shoulders and arms.

My main problem could be essentially boiled down to this: my table was too high. This meant that I relied on my upper body (shoulders and arms) to deliver medium to deep pressure.

The Lower Table Basics

When I lowered my table, I was able to generate medium to deep pressure simply by leaning. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to lean to deliver pressure: Table Height is Everything.

By the way, you won’t need to worry about your back with a lower table, as long as you remember to squat when lighter pressure is required.

Drive From Your Feet

As I experimented with using a lower table, I learned that I could generate super-deep pressure by pushing up to the balls of my feet as I leaned.

But, in order to do this, I needed to have my feet positioned correctly—under my base.

Move Your Feet All the Time

Once I started to work on getting my feet under me, I realized that there were many times during the massage—including many non-deep pressure times—when my feet were out of position (not under me).

During these times, I would sometimes tweak my shoulders and neck because I was over-reaching as I pressed. Once I saw this, it made sense that I should move my feet all the time during the massage so that I was always in the best position to execute any massage stroke and all ranges of pressure.

Get in Position for the Put-Away Shot

Tennis is a great analogy for having your feet in the right position. In tennis, it’s always better if you can get to the ball, set yourself, then swing as opposed to reaching to make a shot. Why? Because when your feet are under you, you can get your whole body into the swing, and you’re less likely to injury your shoulder.

The same holds true for massage. You can’t get your whole body into the lean and maintain good mechanics unless your feet are in the correct position.

3 Keys to Good Footwork

Here are 3 keys to good footwork that will allow you to easily deliver pressure and take the strain out of your upper body:
1. Listen to your feet.
If you haven’t heard your feet move in a minute or two during a massage, you’re probably reaching. Also, if you’re tired and/or hungry, you’re less likely to move your feet. At the end of a long day of massage I’m constantly reminding myself to move my feet.
1. Pause, move, lean.
When you feel yourself reaching, it’s time to pause, move and then lean. As long as you have a hand(s) on the client, pausing then repositioning your feet won’t seem disruptive.

In this video, I show you what I mean: Massage Body Mechanics: Pause, Move, Lean.
1. Drive from your feet.
When you need extra pressure, drive from your feet. To drive from your feet, you need to push up on the balls of your feet.

Think of your arms as the connectors between your power source (lower body) and tools (finger, knuckle, thumb, fist, elbow) that you’re pressing into the client.

The connectors (arms) only need to stabilize the tools. So your arms should be relatively relaxed. Your legs, on the other hand, are contracting as you push from your legs.

In this video, Massage Body Mechanics: How to Use Your Legs, I demonstrate how I generate additional pressure by pushing from my feet.

It’s Feels Good When It’s Flowing

As you start to get comfortable using your legs to generate pressure, you may get the feeling that your dancing or doing yoga or Tai Chi.

When I’m on with moving me feet, I feel like I’m getting paid to do a massage and work on my posture at the same time.

The 15 Minute Crash Course

Here’s how I would handle getting a quick jump on incorporating my legs into my body mechanics:
1. If you don’t already lean, read Table Height Is Everything. It’s a quick read.
2. Watch Massage Body Mechanics: Pause, Move, Lean.
3. Watch Massage Body Mechanics: How to Use Your Legs.
My Best Body Mechanics Online CEU Course

A while back I almost quit massage because of pain and injuries.

Then I spent a year revamping my massage to see if I could massage pain-free. That’s where incorporating the lower half of my body into the massage came in along with a bunch of other strategies that ultimately saved my massage career.

I pulled all that first-hand experience together and made a live CEU class which I taught for about 5 years. During those 5 years I listened to the massage therapists taking the course and worked out the learning kinks.

Now I have an online version of the live body mechanics class that is kink-free and will help you massage pain-free.

Check it out here.
September 17, 2016
Work Hard-to-Reach Attachments Pain-Free
As a neuromuscular massage therapist, I would do anything to reach a muscle attachment—even if it meant sacrificing a thumb or a finger. But after many years of “going for attachments”, I started to run out of thumbs and fingers.

For the next decade I worked on figuring out how I could massage hard-to-reach attachments without killing myself.

Here’s my general formula. Later in this article, I’ll show you how I apply this formula to hamstring attachments.
1. Don’t glide up to the attachments.
We are gliding machines. Gliding is relaxing. Customers love it and gliding provides a lot of continuity to a massage. However, gliding, especially without moving your feet, can put you in a bad position to access a muscle attachment.

[bctt tweet=”We, MTs, are gliding machines, but gliding could hurt us when working attachments. ” username=”Mark LiskeyMarkLiskey”]

I’ve found that it’s better to get over an attachment and then drop down. In, I Broke a Massage Rule and I Like It!, I explain how to pause, keep your place and reposition your feet without making the stroke feel interrupted.
1. Use a variety of tools—thumbs, knuckles and fingers.
If you’re only using your thumbs to work muscle attachments, you’re going to burn them out. In this video, I demonstrate how to use thumbs, fingers, fists and knuckles in a variety of ways: Tools and Power Tools video.
1. Use non-dominant hand.
If you’re go-to tool is your right thumb, start using your left thumb more. It will feel awkward at first, but here’s a quick way to get started.

For the next 50 massages, every time you use a dominant-side tool for attachment work (e.g. right thumb), use a non-dominant-side tool (left thumb), too.

Make it easy when you first start by only placing a non-dominant-side tool down for 1 or 2 seconds. Gradually add more time. As you add time, you’ll naturally explore and get better with the non-dominant-side tool.

After 50 massages, you’ll be on your way to creating a habit of using a non-dominant-side tool for attachment work.
1. Use a hand-held massage tool.
This is my favorite. Why? Because, to some extent, I can give all my fingers a break when I’m using a hand-held tool. Getting started using a hand-held tool is like getting started using your non-dominant side: you need to create a habit of reaching for the massage tool.

So for 50 massages use a massage tool every time you work an attachment—even if it’s just for a second. For a primer on using hand-held massage tools, check out this video: Save Your Hands Using a T-bar/L-bar video.

Going for Hammy Attachments

Here’s how I would use these 4 suggestions to work hammy attachments.

First, I’d relax the client with gliding strokes on the hamstrings. Then when I was ready to work the attachments, I’d position myself over the ischium.

Next, I’d explore the attachment area with my knuckles and thumbs to pinpoint the areas I want to work.

Then I would use my T-bar and L-bar to precisely work the areas that my fingers have identified as “in need of work”. I’d also change my body position so that I can approach the attachment areas from different angles.

I show you what I mean in this video: How to Work Muscle Attachments Without Hurting Your Hands video.

Cut to the Chase

Here are the Cliff’s Notes to working hard-to-reach attachments.
1. Position your body over the attachment and then begin.
2. Use a variety of tools—fingers, knuckles, fists.
3. Incorporate your non-dominant side.
4. Use a hand-held massage tool.
If you only have time to check out one video, this one will serve you best: How to Work Muscle Attachments Without Hurting Your Hands video. Let me know how it goes!

My Best Massage Tools Online CEU Course

A while back I almost quit massage because of pain and injuries.

Then I spent a year revamping my massage to see if I could massage pain-free. Massage tools help saved my hands and upper-body.

Most massage therapists shy away from using massage tools because, less face it, it’s hard to be sensitive with a piece of plastic or a hunk of wood–that is unless you have work-arounds.

I use massage tools in every massage from focused pressure work to total relaxation. I can do this because the work-arounds work and are easy to implement.

So, if you’re ready to take the plunge and delve into massage tools, I have an online, home-study course that will make your learning life easier.

Here it is: How to Use Massage Tools (Fearlessly and Effectively).
September 10, 2016
How to Tell your Client that Her Doctor is Wrong
As you’re building your massage practice, you don’t want to burn bridges—with clients, referral sources and other health care professionals. But there may be a time when acting in your client’s best interest means that you must speak up.

Here’s how I recently got my point across to my client without throwing the doctor under the bus.

Lucy is a Good Runner

Lucy was training for a marathon, and her running coach, Ian, sent her to me. Lucy had been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis by her podiatrist who specialized in running injuries. An X-ray didn’t reveal a bone issue.

Before seeing me, the podiatrist had given Lucy a cortisone shot and treated with her shock wave therapy (sonic waves directed at a soft tissue area). Lucy was also seeing a chiropractor.

Ian’s Concern

Ian had seen a lot of injuries in his decades of training runners and was concerned about how long it was taking Lucy to heal. In addition, she was experiencing a new pain across the top of her foot. Nevertheless, the podiatrist had given the Lucy the green light to continue training for her marathon.

Even with the green light to run, Ian had modified Lucy’s training to pool work and the stationary bike. He was also concerned that Lucy was being over-treated with cortisone, shock wave therapy and adjustments.

I Work on Lucy

When I started working on Lucy’s foot, I discovered that she had a high pain tolerance. So we used an adjusted pain scale to make sure that I wasn’t applying too much pressure. After the massage, she said her foot felt better. I told her that if it were my foot and it didn’t improve in the next couple of days, I would consider getting more diagnostics done.

The next day she ran 6 miles. It was the first time she ran in a week or so.

She reported to me that her plantar fasciitis felt a lot better during the run, but the pain across her foot was still there.

It Gets Worse

Over the next 2 weeks, Lucy continued to run and started seeing a chiropractor who began treating her with more shock wave therapy. Then on one training day, Ian noticed something different about Lucy’s foot. It was swollen across the top of her foot. With Lucy’s permission, he sent me a pic of her foot.

Battle Lines are Drawn

Well, it looked like a no brainer to me—time to get another X-ray, then an MRI. But WAIT, when Lucy asked the podiatrist and chiropractor about the swelling, they both said that they didn’t think she had a fracture and didn’t need an MRI.

The battle lines were drawn. To get my point across I needed to make sure Lucy understood that her condition had gotten worse under the current treatment plan even though she may not have noticed because of her high pain tolerance and that an MRI was more definitive than an educated guess.

Here’s what I did to get my opinion across without throwing anybody under the bus.
1. Provide information that supported my point.
Since Ian was the one who sent me the pic, I texted him links to Youtube videos that talked about metatarsal fractures. In one video, the podiatrist explained how easily a metatarsal fracture can be misdiagnosed. In another one, the podiatrist showed a manual (and potentially painful) test for a metatarsal fracture—something I was positive that no one had done with Lucy.
1. Stay in touch.
After I sent the text to Ian I was going to give the situation 24 hours before I followed up. But Ian had shared the videos with Lucy and shortly after I had texted Ian, Lucy texted me. She had decided to go for further testing.

Then she texted me when the X-ray came back negative. I texted back: “Great! I hope that the podiatrist and chiropractor are right.”

When the MRI came back, it turned out that the chiropractor and podiatrist were right: Lucy didn’t have a fractured metatarsal.

She had fractures in THREE metatarsals! And there was another metatarsal that had a recently healed fracture.
1. Shut up.
Yes, I wanted to gloat. But I think gloating is connected to the gambler’s memory where you remember your wins, but not your losses. And if I really thought about it, I had gotten plenty wrong.

The most important thing was that the guessing was over. Lucy now knew what was wrong with her foot and she could get started with an appropriate treatment.

Getting Along without Going Along

For the most part, the Getting Along without Going Along formula has worked for me when it comes to letting the client know my opinion without jeopardizing the delicate balance between the client, myself, the coach and other health professionals.

It has three parts: 1. support your point in a professional way, 2. stay in touch with the client, and 3. shut up no matter the outcome.

For other ways that I help my clients out, check out I Saved My Client $5000.

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August 27, 2016
How to Crush “Getting More Clients”
If you’re waiting to feel like a pro before you open your massage practice, you’re wasting precious time. Instead of waiting, think about doing the opposite: put yourself out there.

Putting yourself out there means that no matter how uncomfortable you feel and/or how low your confidence is, you are in front of the people who can refer clients to you.

But I’m Weak

This may seem counter-intuitive— showing the world your massage talent when your confidence is shaky—until you view confidence as a moving target.

When a client sings your praises you feel pretty good, right? But a couple of days in a row with no work and you doubt if you can even spread cream.

The truth is that everyone waxes and wanes with confidence. When you’re waning, here’s a technique to help you along: How to Stop Feeling Like an Impostor.

Holes In My Massage

But what if your lack of confidence is partially due to the fact that you have holes in your massage? Great! If you’re putting yourself out there, you’ll now have an immediate need to plug the holes.

Early on in my career, I wanted to be a pro with pain and muscular conditions. However, my anatomy was weak. One day a chiropractor called and asked me to fill in for a sick MT. That quickly lead to a full-time job and suddenly body parts were flying at me. I needed to get up to speed on anatomy fast!

So before my shift, I’d call the chiropractor to get my client list (and their conditions) for the day. Then I’d study the anatomy that pertained to each case before I went in. It worked.

The reality is that most holes that need to be plugged are a lot smaller than we think. To quickly patch holes when doing relaxation and pain relief massage, check out my posts New Therapists Can Be Good Therapists and Competing with Bob for Clients.

Putting Yourself Out There

There are a lot of ways to put yourself out there and get in front of referral sources. I like this 4 step process. It reduces the scariness by easing me into the process.

Step #1: Ask Your Current Clients

Approach your regular clients for referrals, but instead of simply asking them for referrals, give them an incentive to refer to you, like a free massage for each referral. If you have an email list, you can announce your referral program to everyone all at once. Check out How to Email in More Clients for help.

Step #2: Email/Call Other Health Professionals

Next, do a Google search for local businesses with referral potential. Look for businesses that do NOT have massage as part of their business. My list includes: chiropractors, pain management doctors, personal trainers, individual physical therapists, yoga and Pilates studios, country clubs (tennis and golf), cycling shops and running stores.

Once you have your list, it’s time to call or email to introduce yourself and make a special offer. As a special offer, free demo massages have worked spectacularly for me. Here’s a demo-massage email [download id=”688″] that I sent to personal training studios. You’ll need to modify it, but it shows you the main points to get across.

In the email you’ll notice that I offer the demo massages to the business owner, her employees and her clients. In fact, I give the business owner and her employees each 60 minutes of free massage and her customers/clients 15 to 20 minutes.

My first goal is to win over the business owner and her employees. If I do, they will champion my service to their customers/clients.

Step #3: Special Intro Offer

After the demo-massage customer gets off my table, I tell him about our special intro rate. (Our special intro rate is $45.) If the person liked the demo massage, the special intro rate is hard to pass up. Keep your schedule nearby in case someone wants to make an appointment right then. Seriously.

Step #4: Ask the New Clients from the Demo Massages

The people from the demo massages who are now your clients are potential referral sources, too. If you have a referral program, let them know about it. If a demo massage client works at or owns a business that’s a good fit with massage, offer to do demo massages there.

Putting Yourself Out There Is Currency

It’s not an overstatement to say: “Putting yourself out there” is currency that you spend to build a practice.

And you don’t need to be an extrovert to put yourself out there. Most of us aren’t. You just need to follow a plan:
1. Give your current clients a referral incentive.
2. Email/call businesses and offer to do demo massages.
3. Tell the demo-massage customers about your special intro rate.
4. Offer demo massages to new clients who work for or own a business that’s a good fit with massage.
Free Course to Jumpstart Your Massage Business

If you’re just starting a massage business and aren’t making 30K a year working for yourself take this free course: Jumpstart.

If you’re trying to take a meh massage business and make it a dream massage business, go here: Accelerator.
July 9, 2016