Effleurage is the basic flowing open handed stroke. Most massages begin and end with this stroke. When you learn massage it's the first stroke you learn. It's the foundation of Swedish massage and on this page you'll learn how to massage using this basic stroke.
To do a good classic effleurage stroke you need to make sure your hands are relaxed. Tension in the hands is easily felt by the person you're working on. Make sure you're relaxed when you start the massage. If you are having a particularly hectic day, stop and take a few deep breathes before you start the massage.
When you first start giving massages it's natural to feel a bit nervous and tense. As time passes you'll be able to be more and more relaxed during a session.
When you start the stroke you need to approach the area that you'll massage gently. Don't just smack your whole hand down at once. Start with your fingertips, then your fingers, then the palm and finally the heel of the hand comes in contact with the body. If you're doing a backwards stroke, you can do it the other way around--heel of hand, palm, fingers, fingertips. When I was in massage school the teachers used to always say, "Pretty hands, pretty hands." That's how you should think of it. No heavy clumpy hands that smack the person on the back.
When receiving a massage I've noticed that this stroke feels best when the person keeps their fingers spread. If you're holding your fingers close together your hands are tense. So relax your hands and let your fingers spread apart. Distribute the pressure evenly through your hand from thumb to little finger. The pressure should not be coming from the palm of your hand only. If it is, you'll have problems with your hands in the future.
This stroke is used to warm up muscle tissue and apply your massage oil. At the beginning of the massage you would apply oil to your hands and then use an effleurage stroke to apply the oil. Once there is enough oil on the person's skin you can concentrate on the stroke and warming a tissue.
This also makes a good diagnostic stroke. As you move your hands up and down the person's body notice areas that may feel hot or cool. Also notice areas where the muscles feel tight. You can pay closer attention to these areas later in the massage.
You don't have to just do this stroke with an open hand. You can also use your fist. Hold your hand in a loose fist and use the flat part of your knuckles to do the stroke. You can also use your foreare to give the massage. The forearm is a boarder surface that will help you apply more pressure.
If you feel like you need to use more pressure during the massage you can use a technique called bracing. While using one hand to do the effleurage stroke, place the other hand on top of it to apply more pressure.
People naturally tend to do this stroke a little too fast. You should go just a little slower than you think you should and that will be great. Remember as you're doing this stroke, you should be checking for dysfunction in the muscles. This is a diagnostic stroke after all. Take note of areas that feel hotter or colder than others. Notice hard or bumpy places in the muscles. The information you gather from doing this simple effleurage stroke will help you determine how to proceed with the rest of the massage.
Here's a video that will show what this stroke looks like.
You can sign up to learn more Massage Techniques at www.learn-massage-online.com
