November is here, Thanksgiving is on the way, and cuddle weather is in full swing! Pull your nearest and dearest into bed for some totally necessary cuddle time. Crank the coziness up a few notches by trading tension relieving back massages. Here are some tips on how to give an amazing massage.
Have the recipient of the massage take their top off and lay face down. If you’re exchanging a friendly massage with a girlfriend or pal you can opt to keep the tops on, and massage through the fabric instead, although lotion on bare skin will almost always feel better for a massage. Once you’re ready to start apply a good amount of lotion to your hands and rub them together slightly to warm them up. Start at the lower back, massaging by applying light pressure strokes with the pads of your fingers. Apply more pressure by using your weight and leaning into the strokes. Switch from using your fingertips to using the palms of your hands to knead the muscles. Feel for tension and knots by placing hands (palms down) on their back and starting at the lower back apply light pressure while running your hands up their back and along the muscles that line their spine. Work out the knots by paying extra attention to them when kneading, the idea is to smooth out the bunched up muscle in order to release tension. Massage your way up the back and once you reach the shoulders stop there and focus on kneading and working the knots out of the muscles there too. Adjust your positioning so that you can comfortably massage the muscles in their arms too. Take their arm into your hands knead it with both hands from the shoulder all the way down to the forearm, massage their hand and fingers too before kneading your way back up to their shoulders and neck area. Repeat for the other arm and finish the massage by kneading the muscles on the back of their neck. When it’s your turn, show your partner this guide, and get ready to be putty in their hands.