I've edited some of my above responses - people who read them earlier might want to jump to the top again.
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Originally Posted by MexicanOnABike
How do you relax leg muscles? I work on my feet all day and i do a lot of walking. when i get home, my legs are a bit sore. I'd like to know what you do to relax the muscles so that they can be better in the morning.
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This looks like a decent self-leg-massage description (it's essentially Swedish methods: effleurage, pettrisage, and tapotement), although "preventing cellulite" sounds like an oversell to me:
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Knowing how to massage your own legs is very useful whether you are athletic or not. Leg massage can relieve aching after standing too long & help tired muscles recover after exercise. It stimulates the lymph system and regular thigh massage is believed by many to improve the appearance of thighs by smoothing them out & preventing cellulite. Do the whole sequence on one leg first, then the other one.
1. First, mold your hands to the shape of your leg, rest your foot flat and bend your knee up. Start by stroking your whole leg from ankle to thigh with one hand on each side of the leg. Begin at the foot and stroke smoothly up the calf, over the knee and up to the top of the thigh. Repeat five times.
2. Knead the whole thigh, paying attention to the front and outside. With alternate hands, rhythmically squeeze and release the flesh. This regular kneading can really improve the shape & texture of the thighs.
3. After that step, smooth your thigh by stroking it. Stroke up the thigh from the knee with one hand following the other.
4. Pummel the front and outside of your thighs with loosely clenched fists. This bouncy movement brings blood to the surface and relieves stiffness after sitting down for too long.
5. Massage all around your knee, stroke the area gently, then apply circular pressures with your fingertips around the kneecap. Finish by stroking softly behind your knee up toward your body.
6. Knead your calf muscles with both hands, alternating squeezing the muscle away from the bone & then releasing it. Then gently soothe the area by gently stroking, one hand following the other up the back of the leg.
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Originally Posted by willravel
Oh, how do you wake up your clients when they doze off? Just curious.
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I usually start my clients prone (face down). The last step in a Swedish massage is typically tapotement (drumming) to the entire back of the body, so that can bring them back to consciousness.
When ending the massage supine (face up), I'm ending on the neck, scalp, and face. I haven't had anyone fall asleep during that portion.
If they are asleep during the rest of the session, that's fine with me. The muscles relax a bit more, and they still get the benefits of the session along with a nap.
I'd rather have a sleeping client than one who wants to talk through the whole session. Talking interferes with relaxation.