Step1
The most valuable quality in a good masseur is empathy - the ability to 'feel' what you partner's feeling. It's easy if you let yourself notice their body language - are their muscles relaxing under your hands? Are they smiling? And, of course, don't forget to ask them how it is for them! When you are receiving your massage, it's fine to ask you partner to go more slowly, to use firmer or more gentle pressure, or to avoid a painful area.
Some individuals are nervous of being touched: this might show itself as ticklishness or a tendency to tense up when someone lays a hand on them. If your partner is ill-at-ease like this, there will be obvious benefits to you when he or she becomes comfortable with your touch. Start gradually, with a non-threatening area such as their hands, scalp or the tops of their shoulders. It's important not to rush.
Step2
Start by choosing the music together. Turn off the phones and share a drink if you like. Ask your partner to get comfortable on the duvet, lying face down with a pillow under his or her head and one under the feet. Cover their body with two large towels.
Place your oil within easy reach; the more hairy he is, the more oil you'll need.
Your best starting position is to kneel astride your partner's bottom; make sure you are both comfortable! Take some of your weight on your legs and you'll be able to easily reach along your partner's back without straining your own.
A good beginning for your massage is to place your hands on your partner's back, over the towels, and ask them to take 3 long, deep breaths.
As they breathe, breathe just as they do.
Fold the top towel down, pour a little oil in the palm of your hands and rub hands together to warm it.
Now sweep your hands up from the base of the back, either side of the spine, over the shoulders and stroke smoothly down with your fingertips to the start. Keep it light at first, gently increasing pressure as you repeat.
Take your time.
Step3
back, neck & shoulder massage
Back, neck & shoulders:
1. Moving up to the shoulder area, place one hand on top of the other and circle around each of the shoulder blades. Staying nice and slow, use the pads of your fingers to massage the tops of the shoulders, round the sides of the neck and up to the base of the skull.
2. Keep the same rhythm going now, as you pick up the muscles around the tops of the shoulders with your fingers and thumbs, squeezing to loosen them up. Once your partner's shoulders feel relaxed, sweep back down to the base of the spine with a few more long, smooth strokes.
3. Next, from the base of the spine, spread out your hands with a thumb either side of the spine. Run up to the top and gently back down. With your palms, gently increase pressure each time you go, so that your hands smoothe the muscles on both sides of their back.
4. Move on to some petrissage - keeping the pressure on the palms of your hands, make small circles with your thumbs all the way up both sides of the spine. Don't touch the bones of the spine, but if you feel any knots along your partner's back you may want to spend more time on them: ask your partner how it feels. Keep your hands oiled. Sweep back down, then repeat as often as you both like.
5. Concentrating on the lower back now, fold the towels down a little more. Make pads of your hands and move up and down over your partner's lower back, buttocks and hips. Ask them how they're feeling: have I missed anything; are there any parts you wish I'd done more of? (If yes, go back and give extra attention there).
Step4
massage your partner's legs
Massaging the legs:
1. When you're ready, move to a kneeling position between your partner's feet and give the same long, flowing effleurage stroke to the legs: ankle to thigh and back again.
2. Now pay attention to their feet: making sure your hands are well oiled, do small pressure circles with your thumbs under their toes, around the arches, all around the heel and round the ankles. If your partner seems ticklish, it's best to leave this part out.
3. To finish from the feet: make circular strokes from the roots of the toes, up over the feet, around the ankles and up along the legs. Keep your fingers outside of the main muscle, your thumbs inside. Maintain your rhythm. Keep your movements slow and soft, and keep moving.
4. Soothe your partner's legs with long, downward strokes from the upper thighs to the soles of their feet. As you stroke down, press the palms of your hands more firmly then lift off at the toes.
Step5
Massaging the fronts of the legs & feet:
1. Get your partner to turn over. When they're comfortable lying on their back, put the pillow under their knees - if they have a back problem, add more pillows as needed. Cover them up again with the towels.
2. Kneeling between the feet, fold the bottom towel up and oil your hands. Use your palms to give long, even strokes all the way from the toes to the tops of the legs and back down again - go very lightly over the knees.
3. Loosen up the toes by rolling the pad of each one, firmly, between your thumb and index finger. Then rest your partner's ankle in the palm of one hand and massage with your other hand: thumb on one side; fingers on the other.
4. When you have treated both feet, continue on up the legs with your thumb-and-fingers movement. You should go softly over the knees, but very firmly on the thighs. Keeping your rhythm, and with plenty of oil on your hands, pick up the upper thigh muscles and squeeze - as you did with the shoulders.
5. Work gently back down the legs with circular strokes, giving pressure on the down stroke with your fingertips; on the up stroke with your palms. Fold the towel back down to cover the legs and feet.
Step6
massage your partner's upper body
Massaging the upper body front:
1. Move to a position behind your partner's head.
2. After folding the top towel down, make long smooth strokes from shoulder to waist. As you come back to the shoulders, gently use the backs of your hands to continue the stroke over your partner's neck and under the chin. Following down to the shoulders again, sweep the palms of your hands along the upper arms then back to the shoulders.
3. This long, flowing effleurage stroke sounds more complicated than it is: the movement comes naturally! Repeat as often as you both like.
4. To massage the chest, spread out your fingers and circle around the pecs.
5. Massage around the shoulders and up into the back of the neck. Make small pressure circles, using the pads of your thumbs, either side of the spine to the base of the skull. Never touch the spine itself: it's uncomfortable and can cause injury.
6. As your partner's neck and shoulders soften, cradle their shoulder muscles in the palms of your hands; smooth gently in circles to either side.
Step7
massage your partners face, head & scalp
Massaging the temples & scalp:
1. Rest your partner's head in both hands. Using firm circular strokes, move your hands all over their head - try to keep in constant contact with the scalp. You should actually feel the scalp moving.
2. Now lay their head gently down and stroke their forehead with your fingertips. Stroke lightly towards you, passing one hand quickly over the other, lifting off as you reach the hairline. Make your strokes lighter and lighter as you continue.
Step8
Completing your massage:
To finish, lay your hands on your partner's belly with plenty of oil, and sweep your hands in one gentle stroke, up over the chest & down along the arms, finally lifting off from the hands. Repeat as often as you like.
give your partner a romantic massage
back, neck & shoulder massage
Back, neck & shoulders:
massage your partner's legs
Massaging the legs:
massage your partner's upper body
Massaging the upper body front:
massage your partners face, head & scalp
Massaging the temples & scalp:
Novice 
