Glutes

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Gluteal muscles are commonly referred to as glutes in our industry. I’ve always found it interesting and telling about how we interact with such a physically strong yet socially taboo area. On the therapy side I feel bodywork is incomplete without glute work. These muscles lead to so much back pain and immobility I’m annoyed if I see someone for a session and they don’t at least knead through mine at least once. On the intimacy side, well, Sir Mix-a-Lot writes songs as an ode to the area. Glutes fit right in a middle ground, they need work but also concern intimacy with clients.

Using your knees to work this area is ideal for several reasons. Very few people are going to find your touch suspect while using your knees and your hands will thank you every time you do this. Those large powerhouse muscles love being leaned into with nearly all of your body weight over such a broad surface. Start slow, hands on the ground on either side of the client to step up if you’re concerned about pressure. It’s all flesh that you’re sinking into, no bone.

You’re working multiple layers of muscle in this one move. Gluteus maximus, medius an minimus all get some work as well as the deep lateral rotators. Piriformis is the big guy though, he causes more low back or leg pain than the others in my experience. You’re compressing all of these layers almost all at the same time. Thai massage is effective.

Stay away from the tailbone and the border along the sacrum you can hug up to with your knees. This deep compression can be done for some time and you can also repeat it more than one in a session. I prefer working on clients on a mat on the floor but if your balance is good and you work on a table try hopping up after mentioning it to your client. Thai massage can be adapted to the table but it changes the physics slightly.

Clients will often ask me why this area is so tight when I work on them. Depending on my mood and their psychological set I’ll often reply, “because you’re a tight ass.” I’ll see you soon for Thai massage in Austin, Tx.

Shoulder blades

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When I teach a yoga class I’m often telling students to roll their shoulder blades back and down. This postural change makes for a relaxed, heart open, improved posture that goes a long way to removing the upper back pain most seem to encounter. Shoulders rolled forward like Smeagol is horrible. In Austin I see far too many computer warriors suffering from back pain that’s easily treatable.

The back and down shoulder blade posture isn’t forced or contrived. Everyone and their spine/posture exists within a set of boundaries and parameters. There isn’t an aggression to the rolled back and down posture of the shoulder blades but most people, when they move this direction, will get a kinesthetic sense of what feels right when they go through the range of motion the shoulder blades allow.

This simple Thai massage twist is an easy way to introduce the range of motion that the shoulder blade and spine will allow. This opens the chest, retracts the shoulder blade and allows the spine to rotate open on one side. This reminder can go a long way to helping introduce better posture by showing the client what feels good. Shoulder blades back and down feels free. Fly away, open.

If someone feels uncomfortable feel free to move away from the lower back so the twist isn’t as strong in that area. If you perform this on someone make sure to get solid feedback. If there is any spine injury or former surgeries make sure to communicate and go slow, even someone with spinal fusion finds this freeing but make sure the movement isn’t sharp or jerky. Slow and smooth feels best and when in doubt, ask the person you’re working on how it feels.

Shoulder blades, back and down..trust me.

Thai massage for hips

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Clients continually seem amazed that we’re able to ferret out what’s going on with their bodies and make them feel better quickly. In even a short 30 minute session I can usually go a long way to making them feel better and further than that, educate them on how to prevent it from happening in the future.

Low back pain is almost always coming from the hips and pelvic bowl. In my clinical experience most times when someone points to their lumbar vertebrae they’re having issues below, in their pelvic bowl and in the muscular attachments around the pelvic bowl. I’ll soften the muscles around the area, mobilize and stretch them and when clients stand up they’re amazed that the pain is gone or at least lessened.

Massage therapists who are learning Thai massage are changing how bodywork, massage and our profession works in Austin, Texas. I told recent students that they can come in as a licensed massage therapist and leave a healer. That’s a big jump but I stand by my words. You can get CEU’s through the state of Texas taking my classes but we’re more than massage therapists, we’re trying to help people heal. We do that with Thai massage and a heavy dose of educating clients so they can help themselves.

Don’t short change yourself. You deserve to feel better and so do clients. I teach, share and give away this work because I must. No one should suffer needlessly. Try these stretches out on friends. I’ll see you soon.

Thai massage for feet

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Thai massage is the most simple yet effective bodywork I’ve ever experienced. Clients walk out feeling taller, more aligned and often give me this look of “how did you do that?” I can tell they’ve never felt this way before, didn’t even know it was possible. I’ve made it my mission to make sure everyone knows what this work is and why it needs to spread to every spa, chiropractors office and private studio in town. If you’re not getting Thai massage, you’re selling your life short.

This sequence is easy to follow, watch it with a friend and practice along.

People have extremely tight feet. Toes in particular are very tight and immobile. The pulling and stretching we do to the muscles that run underneath the arch create space for the bones and move the toes through their range of motion. Feet are often cramped inside shoes so there isn’t much mobility.

Energetically feet are the bottom of the body, the foundation. In Thai massage we encounter eastern theories about chakras and in traditional Thai massage we’re working on the feet first, then move ourselves up through the rest of the body. The feet have much to do with the alignment, balance and foundation we feel in the rest of our lives. Don’t forget, to teach his disciples Jesus washed his students feet. Keep that in mind while you work.

2 hours?

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In a Thai massage class I taught recently a student commented that they could never work on someone for 2 hours. I was struck by the statement and opinions and ideas are always interesting as a spring board for reflection. The response was due to my discussing how I work with clients and what I charge for my sessions.

I have no time limit. I currently charge $100/session and a typical session last 1.5-2 hours. A regular client who’s had deep structural issues and the right situation financially, time wise with physical issues has been getting 3 hour sessions from me for some time. Why? To be frank she’s a healer, she’s working on herself and we see in each other our capacity to help others heal. She pays, I have the time and we both don’t know anyone else who can do the work.

It’s about healing, not about money. Money is just stuff to move around and pay bills with. Beyond a certain point attachment to it leads to suffering. I could charge by the hour but why? What’s the benefit? Clients will look at their watch, I’ll be more concerned about booking to the minute. All seems completely anathema to what I’m trying to build. Over the years I’ve struggled to be the best. I want to give clients bodywork they can’t get elsewhere. Who has no time limit? Who does Thai massage this well? Being completely different in its own way is good marketing.

On September 1st, I’m raising my rates to $130/session. I thought about this long and hard. Does it mean I have less clients? Will people leave? I’m unsure. I presume if they do they have their reasons. If I do work on you for 2 hours then that’s less than $70/hour. Still seems reasonable. That income allows me to possibly see fewer clients, reserve my energy for those that are willing to compensate me for my time.

Focusing on another person for 2 hours in a session Is my meditation. Only within the past six months has my back pain receded enough to allow a deeper seated meditation practice. What have I done all these years? Moving meditation. Moving meditation in the form of yoga, moving meditation in the form of bodywork and Thai massage. I’ve spend 10 years working on me, working on you and somewhere in the middle figuring out how to narrow my focus and concentrate on what I Can control. I help you with pain, I don’t hurt. I help me with pain, I don’t hurt. When the hurt subsides enough I sit and meditate and continue a path that’s told to lead to the cessation of suffering. All makes sense to me.

I’m a healer. Healing starts with me. No illusions, no pretending to be something you’re not. If you see me at the office wearing scrubs I’m still a healer, I just disguise myself as a massage therapist. When my student asked about the 2 hours I reminded myself that Thai massage was said to have been created by the Buddha’s doctor. It’s been preserved by Buddhist monks in monasteries. It’s fundamental practice is that of metta or lovingkindness. At it’s core it’s healing work to help those who suffer. When I help you suffer less, I get lost. I embrace the boundary and ego dissolving quality of healing work. You are me. We are no different. If I can ease your suffering, I’ve eased mine. There is no separation.

2 hours may seem like a long time but this is how I meditate. I’ve never done what I’ve done for money. It’s why the money begins to come. A client described a pain down his leg into his foot and I nodded. I told him we would take a look and we did over the 2 hour session he had with me recently. I had time to work with his legs and address other postural issues during our time. When he stood up after the session he looked at me, almost quizzically and said, “there’s no pain down my leg.” I nodded and honestly barely even noticed his comment. He was surprised that I’d somehow helped.

The reason I can help is because I’ve devoted myself to my path as a healer for sessions that often last 2 hours. Healing takes time, tissue change can’t be forced. That built up catalog of observation over the last ten years in meditation is what allows me to help. Thank you to my clients and students who provide space for me to continue that path.

Thai massage for hands

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Hands that get constant use also need regular tlc. As a massage therapist the work I do with my hands keeps me going, allowing me to work on clients without concern that I’m harming myself in the process. Thai bodywork in particular allows a therapist to work effectively using more of your body and leverage to save my digits and carpals.

In this sequence we show a simple to use and learn set of techniques to work on hands and forearms. This opens the carpals and stretches tiny muscles in the hand that are often tense causing hand pain or tingling fingers. The traction to the fingers decompresses joints and creates for space for free flow of blood and nutrition to your hands.

The model in this video is Erika Maassen, a local musician. Her dog Maggie is featured in our how to massage your dog video from a few weeks back. Erika plays ukulele, piano and guitar in addition to spending time at a keyboard so the work we do on her hands is greatly appreciated and helps keep her performing.

Thai massage license

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I stumbled across an article from the Naga center in Portland, OR. I’ve been familiar with them for over a year now, occasionally returning to their website to check out the structure and well, to feel like I’m visiting family.

When I ran across the above article I felt somewhat sad. It brought home to me just how alone I feel at times. In the bodywork world, I’m a fringe of a fringe. What do I do? I know I engage in some of the most healing bodywork on the planet. Let me say that again, I engage in some of the most healing bodywork…on the planet. I was taught by my teacher and absorbed everything I could over the course of several years. As a teaching assistant I watched like a hawk and continued to apprentice myself to glean any information I could about this healing work I’ve grown to love.

Who gets it? Not many. If you’re reading this in and around Austin, TX most of our citizens don’t even know what Thai massage is. Those that have had it, may not have had a session that was any good. Who is the teacher? How long was the course? Are they a licensed therapist? The list of questions go on but here’s my opinion on the matter folks. I’ve lived in Austin, TX for six years and you know who gives me bodywork? My students. I can barely find anyone who practices this healing art and after conversations with my teacher, took up the banner and decided I’d pour my being into creating a dent in Austin, TX. You may not know what Thai massage is now but give me 20 years and it’ll be as common as swedish and deep tissue.

Should Thai massage be regulated beyond the usual massage licensing board in the state of Texas? I put my palm gently on my forehead and lament whatever thoughts come up. I recently started teaching anyone who wants to learn through the Austin Thai massage group on Facebook. Why? Why would I give it away? Quite simply because someone gave it to me.

My holding up the banner is because I was taught traditional Thai massage by a competent and thorough teacher who gave me her blessing to start teaching others. When people want it, here you go. Your sincerity is enough, let’s get to healing. There’s no need for you to be a licensed massage therapist to practice this work. I honor, obey and follow the rules and regulations of the state of TX but reading the article from the Naga center I realized how alone I’ve felt. Six years I wandered around knowing nearly no one knew what I did, where it came from or what its benefit was. Massage is done on a table, cream is used and the client is naked. The first obstacle new students who are massage therapists face is they come to me and I say, “get rid of your table, get rid of your cream and leave the clients clothes on.”

I will continue teaching and promoting this healing work because it’s needed. Need, not want. People are in pain, they suffer. Who gives them relief? I remember Jesus’ saying, “Come to me ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” We should be following the advice of great teachers. I’ve said it before to a group of massage therapists and I’ll say it again, If Jesus returned to earth today and performed healings, he’d be put in prison for practicing medicine without a license.

Thai bodywork, Thai massage has a home in Austin, Tx. I’m helping to promote, educate and preserve this tradition. No fluff, solid substance and deep healing. Massage therapists, do yourself a favor. Come see what the fuss is about.

Namaste,
Robert

Is Thai massage, massage?

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Over the years I’ve grown past borders, boundaries and certain conceptions. The way I work is based on ten years of experience and the practical necessity of doing what works. My work comes out of helping myself first, then I pass that information on to you. I’m doing quite well and it helps me speak authoritatively on the subjects I address regarding health.

A client commented on my work and asked how I knew to work a spot on his leg. I told him that his arches are fallen, that it’s rotating his legs inwards and causing a case of flat back that contributing to his low back pain. No frills, no fuss, just alignment. He told me he didn’t think other massage therapists would have noticed his feet and I’m again reminded of why I’m teaching Thai massage and what I do. I’m good at it. Really good. I’m not just rubbing cream on you, I’m trying to find the key that unlocks your posture and allows you to heal.

Thai massage isn’t really massage as far as most are concerned. Someone told me recently that their spa job didn’t like them stretching clients. The concern was that she was helping make the clients better and therefore the clients would leave. How would they make money? Thai massage is so far out of left field to most people that they can look at it and be puzzled. I practice it, teach it and promote it because it works. Simple, so simple most massage therapists are ending their careers early and losing out on what I consider the best bodywork around.

Thai massage is done on a mat, not a table. Thai massage is done with clothes on, not nude. Thai massage is done without creams or lotions. Those three things can leave a massage therapist disoriented, I’ve seen it in my classes. They settle in quickly and I’m drawing the creative, the visionaries and healers in our profession to the work but I see the momentary bewilderment in their eyes. Thai massage takes what you think bodywork is and turns it upside down.

When I teach at a local massage school, the first thing I do is take off my shoes and do a headstand. The whole class looks at me puzzled and I ask them, “what does this do?” As they speak and we talk about it I’m sending a message visually, I’m here to turn your education upside down. If you grab what I’m teaching, take it and use it you’ll come out on the other side whole. No ego, no pat on the back, this is hard work but it’s worth every bit of effort.

Is Thai massage, massage? Depends on what you think massage is. What’s your goal? My goal was health. I wanted no back pain. I wanted to stand tall, to sit upright and be able to meditate. I can do all of those now. Do you want less back pain? Do you want to heal from old injuries? Do you want better posture? Do you want to make contact with your soul? Do you want to be centered and calm? Do you want a better life? Thai massage can help give you that.

No ego. Ten years experience. On a good day I sit and realize my spine feels cushioned, whole and supported by angels and clouds. I can only smile. My work, my life and my practice are the same. This isn’t a intellectual exercise, this is real life. Massage as most think of it only took me so far. I still use it when appropriate but most people need Thai bodywork or Thai massage. I see you stand and feel your pain from slouching. I sense your anguish and frustration with life. I feel it because I’ve been there, past tense. I’ve kept working on it and every day it gets a bit better. Less strain, less stress, better breathing. That can also be yours.

Come get a session, find out for yourself.

Massage therapists, forget what you’ve been taught. Step into a new way of doing things. You’ll save your hands and build a career, the kind that will allow you to prosper spiritually and financially. 20 years from now Thai massage will be as ubiquitous as swedish and deep tissue. Trust me.

Mastery

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Working with a client yesterday it dawned on me the skill level I’ve attained. Doing Thai massage isn’t the same as receiving it. The only thing I’ve noticed is that I believe I’m occasionally a little heavy handed due to not receiving the work regularly but overall I’ve absorbed it. It’s in my cells, not something abstract I read in a book. When people tell me they have pain in one spot, I know to look at another. When they’re having pain I can discern the structural issue and often help.

Working with students in my last Thai massage class a chart was pulled out with sen lines, the energy lines in Thai massage. I glanced at it, something I’ve not looked at in what seems like years and just giggled internally. I feel them. Map? Model? Chart? I laughed realizing others don’t even know they’re there, I just sense them after years of working on people and myself. I no longer need the model.

I’ll probably always have moments of I’m not good enough, I think my perfectionist streak leads to that. In the end I realize I’ve devoted the past ten years of my life to healing. I heal myself, heal others and try to find new areas and ways to continue that path.

You can get a massage anywhere. Nothing beats experience. I often tell people these days I focus on chronic pain issues, working with athletes like dancers or yoga practitioners. I can work on anyone but my nuanced skill set means these niche groups seek me out.

When I got out of massage school I started to notice the patterns in peoples posture. Session after session I worked and ten years in I’m Really good at what I do. I’m good enough that I’m teaching others what I do without review, without advanced preparation and railing off on concepts related to energetics, physiology, anatomy and bodymind. This won’t lead to a puffed up I know it all attitude but it does lead to my charging what I’m worth, being confident in my skills and continuing to grow and develop.

It’s humbling to look back, remembering times when I’ve almost given up. I refused. I knew what I had worked it just took time to develop and marketing has never been my focal point. I can work on the marketing but how are healers created?

Heal yourself. Keep working on others and practice healing them. Then you can develop mastery in your chosen field.

Teaching

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Teaching yoga has gotten into my blood in the last 6 years or so. My classes are more Iyengar oriented than vinyasa flow but students are invited to open, express, explore and delve into poses while I correct alignment. When I have doubts, need more information or anatomy, I go look it up. If someone desires a teacher who knows it all, they’re out of luck. Even when I recently had a small injury to my knee I used it as an opportunity to look at knee anatomy and make sure my students are safe concerning what I teach.

I’ve taught mixed yoga classes, yoga classes to seniors, yoga classes in offices and yoga classes where I had to entertain a child running around during. Embracing the present moment is what yoga is all about. If you can’t throw yourself to the wolves and make it up, you’re not a very good teacher. Practice with all things.

My yoga will continue to grow. I’d like to work on the vinyasa and explore new poses to add to my sequences but overall I’ve grown comfortable teaching beginners, one day that may turn into teaching intermediate students.

Thai massage classes are another thing all together. The anatomy is the same but Thai massage classes are like teaching yoga to the 3rd power. You’ve still got many students but now you’ve got one student working on another and the first thing you learn is when giving instruction is to say, “You are the giver and you are the receiver.” The rest of the commands go from there, otherwise no one has a clue who’s moving and who’s relaxing.

My recent Thai massage class really made me feel like this is going to work. There are small things to improve but when therapists who’ve worked 20 years tell you this is the best CEU class they’ve taken, you’re onto something. The work is new to them, completely unhinged and out of left field. Massage therapists who work on a table, with naked clients and cream are told, “Get rid of your table, keep the clients clothed and lose the cream.” We change gears completely. Then on the second day I start to hear, “This doesn’t stress my hands as much. My shoulers are more relaxed.” I just smile.

This isn’t new. This work is 2500 years old and said to have been invented by the Buddha’s doctor. I’m just passing it along.

There’s an Austin Thai massage and therapeutics group on facebook and I’ve been asked on occasion to lead them. I relish any chance to talk about this work I’ve grown to love over the years. I find out what the students want to work on and off we go. I lead, talk, discuss, demonstrate and explore for two hours and I notice a familiar face. The students being worked on get this beatific expression. The muscles in their face grow slack and there’s a relaxed smile that reminds me of the smiling Buddha statues. This familiar expression is a person telling me unconsciously that they didn’t know life could be this easy, relaxed and effortless.

I just smile and keep sharing. Teaching gives me the opportunity to say things that even I find amazing afterwards. When I easily flow from a discussion about piriformis anatomy and function to Jesus walking on water I’m at home. The students feel the sincerity, they feel that it’s not about money, not about business or some scheme. Thai massage and the work I teach is about healing.

You want to learn? Come.

Thai massage is deeper

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Thai massage is relatively new to central Texas. I continue to promote the work and educate bodyworkers and the public as to the differences. I’ve worked for ten years and if you give me an option Thai massage is what I’ll get nearly every time I work with a therapist. When students ask me why I started teaching I tell them I need someone to work on me.

The depth that I need to access, the muscular insertions and alignment needed are easily provided with this bodywork. Fortunately for therapists it’s also easier on our hands and bodies.

Swedish and deep tissue massage are the most common forms of bodywork performed in the U.S. American schools have pushed massage and bodywork regulation that’s having most states license massage and this is the primary bodywork taught in most schools.

Swedish of course is originally from Sweden and is generally long flowing strokes over muscles and skin using creme or lotion. This flowing motion not only relaxes muscle but improves vascular flow of blood and lymph in particular.

Deep tissue is a western anatomically based focus on particular muscles or groups of muscles. This is usually done after some Swedish work to open up an area. The superficial muscles are relaxed to allow the therapist in so to speak. Then using fingers, elbows, forearms or knuckles the therapist sinks into the tissues to relax and flush specific muscles that are tight.

Both of these kinds of bodywork are effective and there’s a reason they’ve become nearly ubiquitous. As I once heard someone say, “You can’t sling a dead cat in Austin without hitting a massage therapist.” Yep. Most of those massage therapists are doing swedish and deep tissue.

So how does Thai massage fit in?

In my professional opinion Thai massage is deeper than deep tissue. It does not use cream, you’re not undressed but Thai massage can access musculature that most deep tissue therapists overlook in my experience. Thai massage doesn’t cancel out this other work, I use it myself daily depending on a client’s needs but Thai massage differs in a very specific way. It honors movement.

When I lift someone’s arm and rotate their torso I’m getting their trapezius and rhomboids to lengthen. Even without pressure what I’ve done is taken the muscles and lengthened them all the way down into their insertion and origin. Tendon is what connects muscle to bone and in Thai we work down to it easily while saving my hands.

Thai massage in this way allows me to use my body more efficiently and accesses that deep spot the client wants worked on. Once you figure out the pattern and unwind it you feel like you’ve done a great job and the clients respond very well to the practice. I’ve had clients tell me repeatedly that they can’t believe they wasted their time and money on those “other” massages.

Like deep tissue? You’ll probably love Thai massage. Leave your clothes on and your preconceived notions at the door.

See you soon for Thai massage in Austin, Texas.

Thai seated back pt.3

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This is the last in our series on Thai massage from a seated position. All three of these videos and the work can be viewed and performed in sequence to make a little routine your friends will thank you for.

The value in Thai massage lay in its ability to use body weight effectively. It’s similar to jiu jitsu in that you’re using the receivers body and weight against itself to apply pressure. Work smart, not hard. For massage therapists with an active practice it creates space to save your hands and allows new opportunities in movement.

Dancers, yoga students and martial artists especially appreciate the work. If you’d like to learn Thai massage register for class this Friday.