Massage on larger clients

[Kameli]

Hi all

I am wanting to do a course in reflexology, but before I enroll I have to do A & P which is included in Body Massage, I am quite happy with this and would look forward to study it the only thing is it seems on most of the courses, students have to practice on each other.

I feel quite embarrassed about this because I am quite a big (fat) guy and I think I would be a big ashamed about letting someone practice on me. I just wondered if you proffessional therapists get many larger guys. I really want to do the course but am worried this will put me off. Has anyone got any stories or words of wisdom??? [sm=fit.gif]

 

[kokopelli9090]

When I first studied remedial massage, back in the Dark Ages, I was a bit apprehensive about baring my 'nearly all' in front of people I did not know. Thinking back now, I smile, as by day 2 of the practical element, stripping off to underwear became second nature. There were 20 of us in the class, and not one person commented on the physical appearance of anyone else in the room - for a start we didn't have time - too busy concentrating, plus our 'bodies' on the couch were always well draped.
I am by no means a small woman, and nor were the rest of the bunch (males and females). The only person I can truly remember was a woman of about 60, who was anorexic. I practiced on her alot over the 2 years, and always thought that I was going to 'break' her, as she was so thin and fragile.

Nowadays, I work exclusively on people with lymphoedema - some come with added obesity, and they can sometimes weigh in excess of 20+stones. I don't notice their size any longer, but do know a LOT about their personal lives and personalities!

Please do not worry about your size - it should not be an issue in a massage therapy classroom.

 

[SeiliRerihark]

Hello there

I can understand your concerns as every student feels a bit uncomfortable at first anyway even if they have no body concerns. What I'd like to draw your attention to is that almost everyone on every course I've been on has had some kind of worry about their body, myself included. Some people feel larger than they really are and feel self conscious even when we all think they look really slim. Some poeple have an awful fear of exposing their bodies generally or even being touched, or have moles or scars that embarrass them. Some people who are older and have loose skin or feel wrinkled, some with small or particularly large breasts can be very uncomfortable in massage as you are in pain lying on your front. I went on one course where we had to massage each other breasts and some clients just burst into tears. Some students are just really shy and find mixing with a group diffcult or aren't very clever and worry that they'll look stupid.So when you go to your class have a look around and see what your fellow students own insecurities might be. Then be really nice and supportive to everyone and I'm sure they'll mirror this back.

What I will say from a therapists perspective, and you'll discover this yourself soon anyway, it is different massaging different body shapes. And for this reason a good tutor will ensure that 'groups' don't form and you all move and work with new people. Massaging clients who are heavier is sometimes harder work as they require more pressure to reach the knots. And many many therapists and students are actually very lazy or haven't yet built up the strength to massage firmly. Conversley there are some moves that can be harder to do on very skinny clients as they don't have much muscle tissue. I Have one client that I have to masage with finger tips she's so tiny!

Don't let your insecurities stand in your way though, you'll love the course and everyone will have had some niggle to overcome before the course.

 

[HighHelper]

I would agree with the above. When training, yes it can be very embarrassing stripping off at first, but really, after a while nobody even notices who they are massaging!! Draping is so good, that only one part of a body is exposed anyway, and you are so busy trying to remember moves and pressure etc, that you areally don't notice size.

I massage all shapes and sizes now - the only thing I have to rememebr when I have a larger client is that I may need to lower the table slightly to get the pressure right - equally for taller people I need the face cradle as opposed to the face hole, and for slight people, less p ressure and maybe more towels or blankets for warmth.

Takes all sorts in this world!! Don't let itput you off your course.

Karen

 

[bantheaclu]

Hiya!

Oh boy, I felt exactly the same way when I first thought about learning holistic massage! Being a very curvy size 26 I felt as tho I would be a freak in the classroom, smash all the couches ... you name it, I went through it!

But I gritted my teeth and tried to get a grip on my poor bashed self-image - now I've got just 6 weeks before it all finishes and I've got bags of self-confidence, we all scream with laughter if anyone's "bits" get a show while we try to perfect the ITEC-way of preserving modesty (that is trickier than trying to learn the massage techniques!) and now we don't think twice about disrobing in the classroom.

PLUS you really do find that sometimes us of the more ample figure are a better "fit" for some trainees hands - one of the guys on my course prefers to practice on me than anyone else, because he has HUGE hands and he gets to perform some great strokes on my frame, which he just can't perform on some of our little "sparrows" in class

You quickly learn to look inside the person you are treating, rather than just stopping at the physical appearance. We all of us have some part of ourselves that we'd rather the world didn't see, but a therapist will always want to look at YOU and see how best they can help you, certainly not looking at your frame (or varicose veins ... or whatever ...) for any reason other than how best they can make you comfortable and at ease!!

So please don't let your own self-image get in the way of this wonderful opportunity (as an aside, can you not study A&P as a separate course, without having to do the massage element too? Our course does separate A&P courses as well as the combined, as some people cannot find time to complete the whole Holistic Massage course in one year ... not everyone wants to learn to do massage, some just wish to train as a nutritionist or reflexologist and the only prerequisite for this is that you have an A&P qualification, not a massage qualification).

Bright blessings

Moonpoppy
[sm=sandrine.gif]

 

[NewMommy]

Hi All

Thank you very much for your kind words and encouragement, I suppose its just like everything in life.... Why should I be ashamed of what I have got!!! I've got as much right as anyone else! I'm def. going to do the course providing I can raise the money!