Massage

Well, kids. I'm sorry sorry. 16 days without posting?

I've started a new venture. I'm training to become a massage therapist. So far, so good. We're working on Swedish massage techniques. We've worked on face, scalp, neck, arms, hands, legs, feet, and last night, abs.

Now I've never had a massage therapist work on my abs before. I can't remember any even asking me if I wanted that area incorporated into the massage. Well, certainly like everyone else, I was apprehensive.... for both working on someone in that area and in having my abs worked on.

Let me tell you. This is an area that you should not neglect. And if you ever pay for a Swedish massage, make sure you have the therapist work your abs. Several of the key benefits of massage in general are prevalent in the abs. Today I feel better posture and more relaxed in the areas of my stomach, waist, and sides. I'm holding my abs more erect, giving that better posture, but even more obvious, holding your abs firm means... I'm holding my stomach flatter!

One of our first classes we went over the benefits of massage. There are over a dozen. One is maybe a little bit more... esoteric than the rest, but for me, it seems to be one of the most prevalent. I'm more aware of my body and its parts. Now granted in the training sessions we're doing for class, we are concentrating on a single body part for ten times as long as it would receive attention in a typical one-hour long massage, but today, I'm so aware of my abs and how they are supporting my torso, I am 'aware' of them doing their job, and yet, they feel relaxed, not stressed.

More to come on the topic of massage. New direction for me here and not in keeping with what I named this blog. Perhaps I will end up with another one, rename this one, or heck, just deal with it... :)