I can’t say this is my main goal as this will change with every client. If you come with pain, my focus will be on reducing it. If you come with a mobility issue or headaches, stiffness or water retention, etc. I will always work according to your needs at that point of time. But anytime, one of my main goals in any massage treatment is to improve your breathing.
How do I do that? Wel,l there are many ways to do it, but here are three of them.
The legs and feet
Yes! I work on the legs and feet. Believe it or not, but tension in the feet is connected to tension in the shoulders. Although the primary muscles of respiration are in the chest and abdomen, overall muscle tension can affect breathing patterns. Releasing tension in the legs can contribute to a more relaxed state throughout the body.
The pelvic floor
Although I don’t directly work with the pelvic floor, certain stretches in Thai yoga massage can reduce tension in that area of the body. A stretch for the hamstrings and the inner thighs is a great stretch for the pelvic floor as well. The pelvic floor should move with every breath in unison with the diaphragm. And if it is tight, the breathing will be affected too.
The belly
This is the most obvious one and the changes in breathing that I see when I work on the belly are profound. It often amazes my clients how they feel after a belly massage. The diaphragm is working better and the breath is fuller and easier.
All these elements along with many more can easily be incorporated in a 2h Thai massage treatment. It might sound like a long time but believe me, you won’t know where the time has gone in the end.
And your breathing will be much improved in the end.
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Photo by Raspopova Marina on Unsplash
