Client had no feedback on pressure

[wall]

You could ask your other clients how they are experiencing your pressure. As you're elbowing, ask " is this light or deep pressure?" Compare what they say to how you perceived it.

 

[thatashleychick]

Thanks guys for all your feedback.

I have about 9 months experience so maybe that could be the problem. I've had alot of clients since school and I practice alot on my friends so i can get better and i have dvds of deep tissue and rolfing.

I will talk to the massage therapist that works on this women and try to get some advice.he is a tall muscular guy so i'm thinking it might my pressure.

How many people do you work with? Is it possible to ask the male therapist that normally works on her and another therapist to get together for 20-30 minutes, an hour, two hours (whatever they can do) and help you with pressure / body mechanics. Like a mini tutorial. If he isn't willing to do it for free, is it worth it to you to pay him $50-$70 for an hour of his time? Then you could have a friend come in and on the table part of time while this other therapist works with you.
If he isn't willing to do it at all, find someone else in your area who is known for deep work and call her/him. I know that if another therapist called me for some tutor time, I'd be flattered and would help them out for a reduced fee.

Regarding the muscular part ....
I am 6' and weigh around 160lbs. In other words, tall and thin. I used to lift weights occasionally to stay toned - not to build. I have never been "muscular". Yet, my deep work is very deep. It has a lot more to do with mechanics than you may think. When I need to do a deep session, one of the first things I do is lower my table a notch. Then throughout the session I am constantly adjusting my body to get the best alignment so that the pressure comes up from the floor through my body to the client. If I am efforting, my mechanics are off and I adjust.

Are you really comfortable with your body mechanics?
Is your table height good for you?
Are you using too much oil?

I 've felt happy that i got a response from her and that i hit the spot but it took all of my power and energy to help this woman.

Lastly, DO NOT hurt yourself working with clients like this. Be careful with your thumbs, and be careful with your body. Some clients may take a bit more. But you should never feel drained and wiped out after a session. These can be the sessions where you start 'forcing' and possibly injure yourself. At this early seforum.xxxe in your career, if you can't comfortably give this kind of pressure, either don't take these clients (if you have that option where you work) or be up front with them about doing the best you can without hurting yourself. Over time, with experience this may change for you and some day these sessions will not be such an effort for you. Until then, please be careful.

I hope that helps a bit more.
Thanks for a great conversation!
Brian


Edited my own post to fix bad code. cstbrian

 

[student]

I agree with Brian, be careful, be good to yourself, and don't kill yourself just because you need the money. You could always study A-shiatsu (hang on bar from cieling, walk on their back) to work on her. I always wanted to try that, but I'm 185, 5'11" , and not oriental, so this would be kinda absurd.

bear with me here, I'm kinda playing here:
I find the most intense deep specific triggerpoint rhomboid pressure COULD be acheived by putting her supine and put a jack nobber under her rhomboid. You could have her lie supine on a heat pack first while you work her legs for 10 mins. Then do the above jack nobber thing.

Want more excruciating pressure? Fine. Therapist gently, gradually pushes shoulder into table/ jacknobber (Do not dislocate shoulder). Do ROM with her arms on the jacknobber. target supra/infraspinatus also.

I guarantee this will have her screaming in joyous agonizing pain, like a 12. I've done this with a couple super deep-cravers, and the've gone right to the edge, after 10 mins, "OK that's enough". Pant, sigh. OMG.

Finish with some nice fluffy effleurage. This is surprisingly easy on your body to do, BTW. It's "active release" work, just with a tool. I do this on myself, my shouder is trashed from 15 years of archery, salt water flyfishing etc. I have yet to find an LMT who can produce anywhere near the specific pressure that doing the above creates.


Just make sure you have good insurance, and check what modalities your plan covers. This is really closer to PT work than MT, so beware.

Edit note: I just checked my insurance, and it says you can't use tools or implements. I don't use tools (ie massage stones) anymore anyway.

I don't think you would be held liable if you suggested say, a body rolling class or use of a tennis ball, jacknobber, etc. hot stone, etc. to them to use on their own in between sessions. If a client were to actually get motivated enough to learn how to release their own TP's, that would help your session greatly. I've tried suggesting this to quite a few people, but they never seem to bother to follow through.

It can be tough sometimes to try to "fix their wreckage" with a "9-11" session. Please keep in mind I am a male, and have strong arms and hands, but I have had 125 lb. women clients test my TP skills to the max. You are not alone. So don't sweat this.

Pls. note: I am not of the "No pain no gain" rolfing etc. school. I believe in being patient, sinking in slowly (like cornstarch etc.) But there have been some who have been beyond my skill level. Those have been reffered out. Again, It's not worth killing yourself over.

Weight lifters are a tough bunch. But definitely watch using fingers or hands on those rock hard areas, instant blow-out. If you can't ultimately deliver the bone-crushing depth she craves, remember it's her stuff, not yours. Just go get another client, and you'll quickly forget about all this.
There's only so much you can do. I don't think she'll be critical of you for just not being strong enough. That would not be fair IMO.

 

[Designer~Wife]

You could always study A-shiatsu (hang on bar from cieling, walk on their back) to work on her. I always wanted to try that, but I'm 185, 5'11" , and not oriental, so this would be kinda absurd.

Asian modalities are fabulous, even for those who aren't Asian. Your ethnicity/race and size has nothing to do with ability to learn a modality and become a practitioner. I mean, you aren't a Swedish female with blonde hair, but does that mean you can't do Swedish work?

 

[Rogelio teh Scary Feesh]

One small bit of advice about working deep pressure ---- GO SLOWER! It has been my personal experience with "crush me with your power" clients that the slower I go with a fairly sustained pressure the more it is perceived to be very deep, bone crushing, nad mashing powerful pressure by the client.

for what it's worth.................