How to Do the Petrissage Technique

The petrissage technique a basic move in Swedish massage that is used to warm up the body, expel toxins from the muscles and relieve knots in the muscle "belly." A gentle and non-invasive technique, petrissage can be used on anyone without the fear of working too deeply. Begin and end a Swedish massage with the petrissage technique. You can also incorporate petrissage into any part of a the massage when a muscle feels like it needs a bit more "warming up" before deeper tissue work.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Stand in front of the massage table in a comfortable position.

2. Bend your elbows loosely while leaning forward slightly into the clients body. In this technique, the force of the massage therapist comes from the legs, and not the arms, so it is important that you can gently push your body weight forward, leaning into the client's body.

3. Place the outer edges of your palms on the clients body with your palms facing each other. Your dominant hand should be positioned slightly above your non-dominant hand and your fingers should be slightly outstretched. In the petrissage technique, only the palms are working, not the fingers.

4. Lean into your client's body and cup the belly of the muscle while gently pushing your palms together, like kneading dough. You can use the protruding bone of your arm to focus more strength on the muscle belly as you "knead" the muscle.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that the strength of this technique comes from your feet, and not your arms or lower back. If you feel you are working too much with your arms, take a step back. If you feel strain in your lower back, take a small step forward.

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