(Warning: Make sure not to push on the spine.)
- Have your partner sit on the floor at the end of the bed, facing away
from you. While sitting on the edge of the bed above her, straddle her,
so that each one of your legs are next to each of her arms.
- Once you've gotten to the starting position, place your hands on her
shoulders. (Your left hand should be on her left shoulder, your right
hand should be on her right shoulder.) Place your hands so they are
evenly covering both the front and back of each shoulder.
- Use your thumb pads to push into the muscles on the shoulder and dig
upwards. (Be careful not to do it too hard, you want your partner to
feel comfortable.) Then, move your thumbs in a circular motion from
either side of the spine and out towards the end of the shoulders.
- After you have reached the end, slide your hands back to the sides of
the neck. Push the palm of each of your hands towards the fingers of
that hand, around the shoulder muscle, lifting the muscle up off the
shoulder. Repeat across to the end of the shoulder.
- At the end of the shoulder, use your fingers to kneed the muscle in a
circular motion. "It is important to use both hands and massage both
sides simultaneously," says Melissa Kirsch, certified massage
practitioner from Wilmington, Delaware. "That way, your partner doesn't
ever feel the stress of being out of balance."
- Now, use your palms and your thumbs to manipulate the area on the
back, directly underneath the shoulder muscles. Be careful not to put
any pressure on the spine.
- Put your thumbs on either side of the spine, starting at the top of
the back, just below the hairline. Push lightly, with your thumbs, in a
circular motion for three circles. Then move your hand down towards the
buttocks (still on either side of the spine) about a half of an inch. Do
three more circles and continue down the spine another half inch.
Continue this pattern as far as you can reach.
- Slide your hands gently up the back until they are just below the
hairline. Use your pointer, middle and ring finger to need circles at
the bottom of the neck on either side of the spine.
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