Our services summarized…
June 11, 2009
Orlando Outdoor Massage
June 10, 2009
It’s summer time in Central Florida which means hot and humid days, but wonderful sultry evenings. One of the great things to have during this time is a massage by your pool or in your favorite garden spot.
To make sure you have the best outdoor massage, follow these tips:
- If the area is not screened in and this is an evening massage, have some kind of mosquito repellent.
- If during the day, find a shaded area if you are sensative to heat. A fan would be great as well.
- Make sure to not get a sunburn before a pool side massage.
Following these steps will help guarantee a great massage session.
In conclusion, what is your favorite outdoor spot? Can you fit a massage table in that area? If so, give us a call! We’ll be more than happy to come and give you a great massage there!
Sincerely,
Tina A-Team Massage Orlando
Taking Care of Your Health Through Education
April 27, 2009
As a massage therapist, I am concerned about A-Team Massage’s customers health and well being. Many times I am amazed at the lack of self care. Many times this can be remedied by the customers being educated on how easy it s to take care of themselves.
For example, there are some simple techniques that can be done between massages to keep the knots out of your back. My favorite is the tennis ball and sock technique.
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Take a tennis ball, place it in a tube sock.
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Find a wall and then stand with your back to it.
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Position the tennis ball on the wall directly in front of an area that hurts. Using the sock helps in positioning, especially in the upper back area.
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Lean back into the tennis ball and apply pressure. The pressure needs to be deep enough to get results, but not so deep that you leave bruises. Shift your weight around so the tennis ball moves around on your trigger points.
This is just one example of how you can be educated to take better care of yourself. A key to better self care is reading health articles. You can learn a lot from many educational health articles, one example being the tennis ball technique.
Of course, as a massage therapist I’m really interested in natural health advice for myself and my customers. Modern medicine is great, but many times it’s only duplicating what Mother Nature has already done. For example, aspirin is easily found in nature within willow bark.
Again, education is vital for great self care. Everything from help in determining symptoms for something as intimate and uncomfortable as yeast infection symptoms. Knowing how to self diagnose, backed by a doctor’s visit, is incredibly empowering for your mental and physical well being.
In addition, taking care of your health is about appearance. Face it (pun intended) if you don’t take care of yourself, your appearance will suffer and when you don’t feel good about how you look, that wears on your emotional well being. As you can imagine, there are tons of anti-wrinkle creams out there, but with research you can find the best anti wrinkle cream.
Lastly, not only should you educate yourself on products to use on yourself and ingest, but also excercise equipment and clothing. I don’t know about you, but when working out the last thing you need are really uncomfortable clothes. Researching things like what are the best yoga pants will go a long ways towards keeping you motivated. If your not comfortable doing yoga, you’ll stop.
I think you get the point by now. Educate yourself and you will be a healthier person for it. If you have any questions or would like help in finding something, please feel free to call me. There are many great resources I will be more than happy to point you to.
Sincerely,
Tina
We have a knol!
July 29, 2008
Don’t know what a knol is? It’s a “unit of knowledge”. Specifically, a knol is “an authorative article about a specific topic”. Think of Wikipedia or Squidoo – this is Google’s new version of those two websites.
Come and see our knol! Orlando Massage
Back to the home page of A-Team Massage Orlando.
Massage in The Workplace
May 17, 2008
By Robin Brain
A rapidly increasing number of companies all over the world a realizing the benefits of massage and are heeding the call to provide massage therapy on site. Stress costs employers enormous amounts of money every year. Millions of workers are absent every workday due to stress related complaints. Numerous surveys confirm that workers perceive that they are under much more stress than ever before. Firms are curbing employee stress and absenteeism by offering heavily subsidized or even free massage treatment actually in the workplace. Increasing levels of competition and the pressure to succeed contribute to the stress in the workplace, which can have disastrous effects on our health. It is most unfortunate that so many individuals are dissatisfied with their jobs. This is hardly surprising in cases where the work environment is artificially lit, poorly ventilated, noisy and cramped. If the work is repetitive and boring and requires no skill this will also create a poor image of work. Since a major part of our life centres around our work we need to find a balance, combat our stress and enjoy our work.
Many studies have shown that a simple 10-15 minute seated massage enhances one’s overall health and well-being.
Massage in the workplace:
- lowers physical stress and tension, which can lead to problems such as headaches, backache, neck and shoulder discomfort and eyestrain
- decreases blood pressure
- balances mental and emotional strain
- reduces insomnia and improves the quality of sleep
- relieves muscular and joint problems acquired during sustained or repetitive activities
- reduces tiredness and improves vitality
- stimulates the mind, increasing alertness and powers of concentration
- improves work performance
- raises staff moral and attitude so that job satisfaction is heightened and staff are positive and motivated.
An excellent, highly effective way to reduce your workplace tension is to employ the self-massage techniques described in Chapter “Self massage”. You should also follow the simple exercises outlined in Chapter “A Healthy lifestyle”. Try to swap an on-site chair massage regularly with your work colleagues. Some of the reasons you should consider a chair massage are:
- it’s very convenient as there is no need to change clothes or shower
- it only takes 10-15 minutes – a massage can be enjoyed during the lunch or tea break
- it costs nothing
- the results are noticeable immediately
- it’s easy
- it’s safe
- it’s both enjoyable to give as well as to receive massage.
This simple massage sequence only takes about 10 minutes and will produce excellent results.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Brain
http://EzineArticles.com/?Massage-in-The-Workplace&id=1172474
Don’t Touch Me There! – Avoiding Massage Mishaps and Misunderstandings
May 17, 2008
There is no avoiding this simple fact about massage therapy: Providing or receiving the healing power of touch is intimate. And intimacy, even in the most professional settings, can expose vulnerabilities and lead to uncomfortable and even awkward situations.
It is the responsibility of the massage therapist to create an environment that is conducive to a healthy, relaxing and satisfying experience for the client. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the client to communicate with the massage therapist in a manner that allows the therapist to provide the service in a manner that puts the client at ease.
An experienced massage therapist will be able to guide the recipient through the massage process so that there is little confusion about some of the basic areas that cause embarrassment or confusion.
Take It All Off?
The amount of clothing worn during a massage is dependent on the type of massage being administered. It
is normal to be completely undressed during a full body Swedish massage but is not absolutely necessary. If a client prefers to wear panties or briefs during the massage that is fine. Frankly, the client should be able to wear whatever makes them most comfortable. Regardless, the therapist will appropriately drape the client so that only the areas of the body being massaged are exposed.
The therapist will usually instruct the client about what to expect before they begin undressing. The therapist will then leave the room and allow the client to undress and get comfortable on the massage table under a sheet or towel. The massage therapist will then uncover only the area of the body being massaged.
Touchy Feely
There are a variety of reasons that an individual may want a massage: stress relief, relaxation, general wellness, enhance circulation, improved flexibility, etc. No matter what the reason for the massage the therapist is always under the obligation to respect the boundaries set by the client and to establish his or her own boundaries.
Therapeutic massage is, by nature, a sensual experience. However, it is not intended to be a sexual experience. If a client, male or female, makes any overtly sexual requests or suggestions then the therapist is obligated to professionally and forcefully identify the inappropriateness of these comments. Conversely, no therapist should take liberties or make assumptions relative to what parts of the body can be touched.
In general, it is never appropriate to touch the genitals during a massage session. The client cannot expect to be touched sexually and the therapist cannot touch a client in a sexual manner. Either case will betray the trust in the relationship between the two parties…to say nothing of the potential for legal and ethical issues.
And let’s be clear. While there are documented benefits of breast massage, it is not, and should not be, included in a total body massage. Breasts are off limits unless a very special request is made of a qualified therapist. The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork includes a specific policy in its Standards of Practice. The Board states that therapists may “only provide therapeutic breast massage as indicated in the plan of care, and only after receiving informed voluntary consent from the client.” That being said, breast massage is legally restricted in some states.
An experienced massage therapist, male or female, will know how to deflect sexual advances by a client. If a subtle response does not do the job then a forceful statement or ending the session will be the correct response. Any client who feels that they are being touched inappropriately should feel confident in their right to speak up. If it is incidental contact or just an accident the therapist will apologize and continue with the client’s discomfort noted accordingly.
Extracurricular Activity
As stated earlier, touch is intimate. Permission for such intimacy is accorded based on the massage therapist’s professionalism and the trust of the client. At the same time, a relationship is established…a professional relationship but a relationship nonetheless. Understanding and honoring the boundaries of that relationship will allow both parties to fill their roles appropriately.
It is generally accepted that there ought not to be any personal relationship between the therapist and a paying client. Allowing the relationship to expand beyond the massage table to a social or even romantic connection is to invite a host of ethical dilemmas. A therapist could be perceived as taking advantage of a client who might be in a vulnerable state due to stress or physical ailment. In the state of Washington it is illegal to date a client within two years of the last session. That is strict stuff and is as likely to protect a therapist from misunderstandings as it is to protect a client.
Borders and Boundaries
Providing the healing power of touch is an honorable and ancient profession. The benefits of massage therapy are numerous and continue to gain acceptance as a mainstream health practice. No one should ever have to feel uncomfortable about getting a massage and they won’t if they are in the hands of a well-trained and ethically centered massage professional.
J. Terrence McDermott is the administrator of Massage Schools Guide at http://www.massageschoolsguide.com, a website offering resources for prospective massage therapists.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_McDermotthttp://EzineArticles.com/?Dont-Touch-Me-There!—Avoiding-Massage-Mishaps-and-Misunderstandings&id=1018344
10 Tips to Get the Most From Your Massage
May 13, 2008
http://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/tips.html
- Be as receptive and open to the massage process as possible.
- Don’t eat just before a massage session. Let your body digest your meal first.
- Be on time. If you arrive in a frenzied, rushed state, it may take longer to relax.
- Take off only as much clothing as you are comfortable removing. If you don’t want to remove your clothing, wear clothing that will be comfortable during the massage and will allow the massage therapist to touch and move the areas of your body you expect will need to be massaged.
Privacy – The therapist will either leave the room or otherwise provide privacy while you undress. A sheet or towel is provided for draping during the massage and the therapist will uncover only the part of your body being massaged, ensuring that modesty is respected at all times. After the massage is finished, you will be provided with privacy while dressing.
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Communicate with your massage therapist
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Before the session, give accurate health information and let the massage therapist know your expectations and reasons for the massage.
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Allergies to Oils, Lotions, Powders – The therapist may use oil, lotion or powders to reduce friction on your skin. If you are allergic to any oils, lotions or powders, tell your massage therapist, who can choose a substitute.
- Some massage therapists play recorded music during the massage session. Others find music distracting. If it’s provided, let your massage therapist know if you have any music preferences or if you would prefer they turn off the music.
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Some people like to talk during a massage, while others remain silent. Tell your massage therapist what you prefer.
- During the massage session, report any discomfort, whether it’s from the massage or due to any problems or distractions related to the environment, e.g., room temperature, music volume, lighting, etc.
- Give feedback to the massage therapist during the massage on the amount of pressure, speed of hand movement, etc. If anything happens that you dislike or seems improper, you have the right to ask the massage therapist to stop. If necessary, you also have the right to end the session.
- Don’t be afraid to discuss any apprehensions or concerns. It’s important that you be as comfortable as possible during your massage. Your massage therapist is a professional dedicated to do his or her best to help you feel at ease.
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- Remember to breathe normally. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation. People often stop or limit their breathing when they feel anxious or a sensitive area is massaged.
- Relax your muscles and your mind. Tightening up by contracting or hardening your muscles during the massage is counterproductive. Let your massage therapist know this is happening. They may need to adjust the massage technique they use and may also be able to help you relax the affected area. If you find your thoughts are racing during the massage, one way to be more body-centered and to quiet your mind is to follow the hands of the massage therapist and focus on how the touch feels.
- Drink extra water after your massage.
- Don’t get up too quickly and do allow for some open, quiet time after your massage session. If you’re dizzy or light headed after the massage, do not get off the table too fast. It also may take a little time to integrate or absorb the results of the massage session.
- Be prepared to schedule several massage sessions. Massage has its greatest benefits over time. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you get a massage, the better you will feel and the more quickly your body will respond. From one session to the next, relaxation deepens as the chronic patterns of stress in the body are affected and released. If you’re getting massage to address chronic muscular tension or recovery from a soft tissue injury, more than one session is usually needed.
