DP Tool Club 17/CD_ASCQ_17_101194.iso/vrac/backrub8.zip/BACKRUB8.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-11 | 25KB | 478 lines

Archive-name: backrubs/faq
Last-modified: 11 August 1994

 Some questions come up time and time again in alt.backrubs.  Often
the questions are interesting and the answers are not immediately obvious.
However, each time one of these questions appears, much bandwidth and
reader time is wasted on repetitive responses.  This article, which is
posted every two weeks, is an attempt to answer the most common questions,
so that discussion can move on to more interesting topics.
 Your suggestions for changes to this article are welcome.  Please
see the section entitled Administrivia for information about whom to
contact and what changes are planned.

Subject: List of Categories
The questions answered here are divided into several categories:
 Section 1  General Questions
 Section 2  Basics of Massage
 Section 3  Novice Questions
 Section 4  Professional Massage
 Section 5  Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs
 Section 6  Administrivia and Acknowledgements

Subject: List of Questions
Here is the detailed list of questions:
  Section 1: General Questions
    1.1)  What is alt.backrubs about?
    1.2)  What must I know about anonymous posts?
    1.3)  What does this acronym stand for?
    1.4)  What is massage?
  Section 2: Basics of Massage
    2.1)  How can I learn about massage?
    2.2)  Is massage a sexual technique?
    2.3)  Could I hurt anyone if I do something wrong?
  Section 3: Novice Questions
    3.1)  How should I start?
    3.2)  How can I find people to give/receive massages?
    3.3)  What can I do about ticklishness?
    3.4)  What oil should I use?
    3.5)  How can I get oils?
    3.6)  Is there anything I can do about my tired hands?
  Section 4: Professional Massage
    4.1)  What about licensing?
    4.2)  Professional issues (massage table suppliers, organizations, etc.)
  Section 5: Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs
    5.1)  The backrubs exchange
    5.2)  The alt.backrubs archive
  Section 6: Administrivia
    6.1)  Whom should I flame for anything I don't like about this FAQL?
    6.2)  What is on the To Do list?
    6.3)  Recent changes to this list
    6.4)  Acknowledgements

 To find the answer to question 3.2 search for a line beginning with
`Q3.2)', there will be only one.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1 -- General Information

Q1.1) What is the alt.backrubs newsgroup about?
 This newsgroup functions primarily as a place for discussion of
massage techniques and principles, and issues related to massage.  Although
you'd be wasting energy posting messages seeking sexual partners here,
there have been some interesting discussions about areas of overlap between
massage and sex.  See the archive (below) for collections of such postings.

------------------------------

Q1.2) Anonymous Posts
 There isn't a lot of tolerance for anonymous posting in
alt.backrubs.  This intolerance is often expressed by people not following
up or responding to anonymous posts.  If there is some reason you must post
using an anonymous service you will find people more co-operative if you
give your real name and e-mail address as well as explaining why you must
use the service.  In case you must remain anonymous you should mention the
reason in your post.

------------------------------

Q1.3) Acronyms
 Acronyms peculiar to alt.backrubs:
  AMBP   = Associated Bodyworkers and Massages Professionals
  AMTA   = American Massage Therapy Association
  AOBTA  = American Oriental Body Therapy Association
  LITA   = Look In The alt.backrubs Archive
  MT     = Massage Therapist (Massage Technician, in some places)
  NCETMB = USA National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage
           and Bodywork
  NCBTMB = USA National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage
           and Bodywork
  RMT    = Registered MT (usually abbreviated to MT)

 Other acronyms you should be familiar with:
  ETLA  = Extended TLA, i.e. a four letter acronym
  FAQ   = Frequently Asked Question (this is also the traditional
          acronym for a list of FAQs)
  FAQL  = Frequently Asked Question List
  FTP   = File Transfer Protocol
  ISBN  = International Standard Book Number
  TLA   = Three Letter Acronym
  USA   = United States of America
  :-)   = An emoticon often used to express humourous intent or
          happiness, also used to abate a strong statement so as not
          to offend
  :)    = ditto (but less formal)

------------------------------

Q1.4) What is massage?
 Massage includes a number of disciplines which share the use of
pressure and friction for therapeutic or affectionate physical responses,
or both.
 Swedish massage (a proper name, not a reference to Sweden) refers
to a collection of techniques designed primarily to relax muscles by
applying pressure to them against deeper muscles and bones, and rubbing in
the same direction as that of blood flow returning to the heart.  (Recall
that the lymph system and the veins which carry blood back to the heart
both rely on muscle action, rather than heart pump pressure, to operate).
Light pressure can be applied in the opposite direction.  Benefits include
relaxing muscles, increasing circulation, removing metabolic waste
products, and facilitating the recipient in obtaining a feeling of
connectedness and a better awareness of their body and the way they use and
position it.  Friction is reduced by use of oil, or lacking that baby
powder.  Some claim benefits from vegetable rather than mineral oil while
others disagree.  (See the question about oil, below.)
 Shiatsu, on the other hand, is a system based on the energy
meridians.  Shiatsu massage are normally done fully clothed and involve the
pressing of points on the body and the stretching and opening of the energy
meridians.  The `what.to.expect' file in the archive contains some
discussion of Shiatsu massage.  Shiatsu is somewhat related to acupuncture,
which is a form of anaesthesia and therapy used in Chinese hospitals for
surgery.  Its proponents view it as a form of treatment alternative to
medicine or surgery. (Toru Namikoshi's Complete Book of Shiatsu Therapy
ISBN 0 87040 461 x claims to be the definitive work :-)
 Reflexology, which may be related, views all the organs as
corresponding to places on the soles of feet, or palms of hands.
Proponents claim the ability to diagnose and treat illnesses of these
organs by appropriate massage.
 Aromatherapy is closely related to Swedish massage (see above)
because it uses oil to reduce skin friction to allow greater pressure on
the muscles.  By mixing scents with the oil, various pleasing moods can be
created.  Proponents claim health benefits associated with specific choices
of scent.  For example, clary sage can be used to combat depression.
 Erotic massage is really a sexual foreplay technique, rather than a
form of massage.  Massage focuses on muscles, whereas erotic massage
focuses on skin.
 This is not an exhaustive list of types of massage and bodywork.
If you are interested in learning about a specific type that is not
mentioned here, look for a file about it in the archive or read one of the
books recommended in this FAQL or in the book file in the archive.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 2 -- Basics of Massage

Q2.1) How can I learn about massage?
 _The Massage Book_ by George Downing and Anne Kent Rush is highly
(and frequently) recommended.  It is not one of the many coffee table books
on massage. (ISBN 0 394 70770 2)
 The alt.backrubs archive (see separate question) contains a lot of
advice for novice and experienced massagers.  The archive category `Getting
Started' contains basic advice about massage techniques.

------------------------------

Q2.2) Is massage a sexual technique?
 It can be, but it need not be.
 Massage operates in a continuum, between physical therapy, or say
Shiatsu, which is exclusively muscle focused, and is highly non-erotic,
through Swedish massage, which is muscle focused and includes affectionate,
but not erotic touch, to erotic massage, which is a sexual technique.
 Most people's response to a good (Swedish) massage is to fall
asleep, not to get aroused.  If a massage is focused on relaxing muscle
groups, it will not be an erotic experience.  The donor will get a major
workout and the receiver will be very relaxed.  If a massage is focused
also on touching skin, it will be an affectionate experience, and a highly
intimate, emotional one, but still not an erotic one.  If a body rub is
primarily focused on touching skin, and if that focus includes erogenous
zones it will be an erotic experience.
 There are some very nice strokes which are used only in sexual
contexts, and they are quite distinct from the strokes used in other kinds
of massage.  Some of them are described in the archive.
 It deserves to be pointed out that one of the hallmarks of a
dysfunctional family (one which perpetuates a culture of addiction and
dependence) is a deep confusion between affectionate touch and erotic
touch, and a deep hunger for yet fear of emotional intimacy.  People who
have this confusion are likely to see any kind of touch as erotic, or to
use affectionate touch as a surrogate for forbidden erotic touch.  These
same people are likely to see all nudity as sexual, or more properly, to
consider both touch and nudity, as well as sex, as a surrogate for the
intimacy vacuum associated with that culture.  This forms the subtext for
some of the threads that appear periodically in the newsgroup.  Because
most massage, like most body therapies, is hindered by clothing, and
involves touch, this newsgroup periodically attracts the attention of some
of these unfortunates.
 This is worth mentioning because you will avoid unpleasant
misunderstandings if you are clear in your own mind on what you want, and
if you are able to clearly discern between a prospective
masseur/masseuse/massee :-) and a prospective sexual partner, or someone
with a voyeuristic interest in the pseudo-intimacy of nudity.
 There is lots about this in the archive.

------------------------------

Q2.3) Might I hurt someone if I do something wrong?
 There are some things to be careful of.  Read a good book, to learn
all you need to know.  In general, be careful of organs, joints (including
vertebra), and veins.  Avoid applying heavy pressure to the kneecap, back
of the knee, the abdomen and the front of the neck.  There is a right
direction (toward the heart) and a wrong direction to apply pressure.
(Veins have valves designed to prevent backflow of blood returning to your
heart.  You don't want to blow those valves!)  Read the `toward.heart' file
in the archive if you are interested in the discussion of why certain
massage techniques do not go towards the heart.  Similarly, the abdomen
should be massaged in a clockwise direction, because of the way the
intestines are laid out.
 Obviously avoid broken bones, acute inflammations, etc., and use
caution if the recipient has a medical problem, including infections.
Cancer and plebitis have been mentioned as conditions incompatible with
massage.
 Beyond that, you're responsible for getting your own expert
therapeutic, medical, legal, etc. advice :-)
 The `warning' file in the archive contains some of the more dire
warnings posted to the newsgroup.  The `toward.heart' file in the archive
contains some more information about the direction to apply pressure in.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 3 -- Novice Questions

Q3.1) How should I start?
 Practice.  Practicing bad technique will have a bad effect,
practicing good technique will have a good effect, so do some reading
first, and often to correct yourself as you start out.  You will learn much
more from giving one massage to each of 20 people, than you will by giving
20 massages to one person.  Even if there is a primary recipient you have
in mind, the quality of that one person's experience will be severely
limited if your experience is limited to that one person.
 Receiving a massage can also be a learning experience.  You may
better understand variations of touch, pressure, etc. as well as learning
new techniques and strokes from others.  Caroline Knight adds: you can
learn alot by applying strokes to yourself.
 As you massage another person, be aware of the effects that your
touch is having both on the person you're touching and on yourself.
Temporarily put aside anything else you might have going on, and focus your
attention on the massage.  What are your fingers conveying about the
tension and texture of the recipients muscles?  Be aware of how both of you
are breathing.  Use your body weight to gently and smoothly apply pressure,
instead of muscling the pressure.  Learning to give a good massage is only
partly about learning technique.  A lot of what you need to learn is about
being present in your body and present in the current moment.  You can
learn a lot about superficial anatomy just paying attention to what your
fingers are feeling.  See the question about tired hands (below) as well.

------------------------------

Q3.2) How can I find people to give (or receive) massages?
 Among people that share an interest in massage, and among people
that trust you. (See the question about sexual massage, above.)  A list of
people willing to exchange backrubs has been set up.  See the question
about the exchange (below) for more information.

------------------------------

Q3.3) What can I do about ticklishness?
 Ticklishness arises from hypersensitivity.  Sometimes, but not
always, this is due to nervousness or discomfort with being touched, or
with being unclothed.  (See the question about sexual massage, above.)
This can be dealt with by massaging first less threatening areas.  The back
is perhaps the least threatening area to massage, followed by (in most
cases) the limbs, neck and head (including the face).  By the time you
reach more sensitive legs, chest, and abdomen, they will have relaxed from
the effects of the massage, and they also will have had a chance to develop
a level of comfort with you that they feel safe.  (Assuming your attitude
and approach to massage are consistent with such feelings.)  Increased
pressure will also reduce ticklishness, particularly if their sensitivity
is physiological rather than emotional.
 [e-mail] recommended: The easiest solution is to have
the person receiving the backrub place their hands on or near the hands of
the person giving the backrub...  After several times of using this
technique the recipient will no longer need to touch the masseuse.

------------------------------

Q3.4) What oil should I use?
 There is lots of material in the archive about massage oils.
Please, read it before posting something like `Hey, I use oil for my
massages.  Has anyone else tried this yet?'.
 Mineral oil and some vegetable oils are thick.  If liberally
slopped on they will both tend to clog pores.  Some people have skin
especially prone to inflammation from this.  On the other hand many massage
lotions have a mineral oil base.  When applied sparingly, as for deep
tissue work, they don't usually cause problems.  There are also a number of
lighter weight vegetable oil blends available.  They go on easily and
produce a much thinner oil film.  They also spill a lot faster if you get
careless with the cap open.  Vegetable oils can go rancid (in the bottle,
on clothes, on sheets, etc.) which mineral oils don't.  Some massage
schools use mineral oil exclusively because of this -- rancid rugs and
sheets are not appealing.  Also, mineral oils are hypoallergenic.
 A convenient squeeze dispenser bottle (i.e., having a narrow spout
with a small opening) can be found in many stores (you might try at a camp
outfitting store, a pharmacy or even a cosmetics outlet).
 Refrigerating oil when not in use and keeping bottles full also
helps.  If you refrigerate the oil then you might want to warm the bottle
of oil in a hot water bath before using it.  Some people have allergies to
specific vegetable oils.  Some people feel that vegetable oils are in some
way more natural than mineral oils.  Oils containing vitamin E may have a
better shelf life, since it's an antioxidant.

------------------------------

Q3.5) How do I get oils?
 You don't need special oils, but they can be a nice touch.  Make
sure you remember to rub the oil between your hands to warm it, never pour
it directly on the person you are massaging, as it is uncomfortable and
distracting.
 The file `oils.sources', in the archive, contains lists of places
you can order ready-made oils from.  It also contains information about
making your own oils.
 If you are just starting out, John Cole recommends trying safflower
oil.  It is a light, odourless vegetable oil available from most grocery
stores.  Caroline Knight wrote: `I'm still using grape seed oil as my base
as recommended by someone from alt.backrubs ages ago!'

------------------------------

Q3.6) Is there anything I can do about my tired hands?
 Many people use their hands too much for massage.  If you need to
apply lots of pressure (see the `deep.back' and `knots' files in the
archive and seperate question about the archive) you should lean into the
massage and let your weight provide much of the pressure.  The `weak.arms'
file in the archive is also of interest.
 Don't be afraid to use other parts of your body than just your
hands for variety.  I've had great success using my forearms and wrists.
The palms and heel of the hand are commonly used for certain light and deep
strokes respectively.  Some people like to use their feet but must be very
careful not to apply too much pressure.  The variety of strokes and
pressure that can be achieved by using other parts of the body can be a
blessing to both the recipient and giver.  The `with.feet' file in the
archive contains some discussion of these points.
 You can prevent your hands from getting tired by strengthening them
through regular excercise (see the `finger.excer' file in the archive).
The archive contains information about massages you or others can give to
your aching hands too (see `finger.excer', `hand&neck', `wrist.pain', to
start).

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 4 -- Professional Massage

Q4.1) What about licensing?
 Licensing is, of course, only relevant if you are looking to charge
for giving massages.  The restrictions and regulations differ from state to
state in the USA and province to province in Canada.  (If you have
information about regulation in other countries, please post it to the
newsgroup.)  Some jurisdictions have no restrictions, some provide two-tier
regulation (distinguishing between so-called technicians or bodyworkers and
therapists), some just want to make sure massage is not being used as a
cover for prostitution.  Finally, some require a level of training level
equivalent to what a physical therapist would have.  More information, and
much discussion, is available in the archive (see the category about
certification).

------------------------------

Q4.2) Professional issues
 The alt.backrubs newsgroup has had many discussions of issues
related to massage as a profession and tools and techniques for massage
professionals.  Copies of many posts on these topics are available in the
alt.backrubs archive (see separate question).  For example, the archive
contains information about massage tables, professional organizations and
draping standards.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 5 -- Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs

Q5.1) The backrubs exchange
 The new backrubs exchange programme is a list of people, from
around the globe, willing to exchange backrubs.  (The old programme
disappeared without a trace long ago.)  There are three files in the
archive (see separate question) about the backrubs exchange programme:
the announcement, the most current update, and a collection of
postings that perhaps should be considered for inclusion in the next
update.  The files are named `exchange.prog', `exchange.update' and
`exchange.extras'.  Please read the announcement before submitting
your entry.
 If you want to be added to the list please send mail to
<[e-mail]>.
 The archive also contains information about other exchanges
held in Chicago (`exchange.chicago') and Seattle (`exchange.seattle').

------------------------------

Q5.2) The alt.backrubs archive
 There is an FTP-accessible archive of alt.backrubs postings
organized by topic.  Full details can be found in the archive announcement
(posted to the newsgroup every 10 days and archived at the rtfm.mit.edu FTP
site).  Essential details about the archive follow.
 The alt.backrubs archive is at the anonymous FTP site
ftp.csd.uwo.ca whose numeric address is 129.100.11.252.  Please connect
during off-peak hours (between 7pm and 7am Eastern time), the server is 5
hours behind GMT during standard time (it is in Ontario, Canada).  The
files are in the directory `pub/news/alt.backrubs'.
 Most files at the FTP site have been compressed with the standard
Unix compress program.  All transfers must be in binary form and you'll
need some kind of uncompress to read them (the GNU unzip, `gunzip', works
fine).  The file `00README' in the archive contains information about where
you can obtain an uncompress program.  The files are in mailbox format (so
you can read them as ordinary text files or use any standard mail reader to
treat them as a list of mail messages).
 The archive is maintained by J. Blustein <[e-mail]>.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 6 -- Administrivia

Q6.1) Whom should I flame for anything I don't like about this FAQL?
 /dev/null, of course.  Any additions or suggestions or discussion
can be posted to the newsgroup, or mailed to the FAQL maintainer
<[e-mail]>.  The maintainer is not a massage professional.  All mail
about the FAQL will be acknowledged within five days of receipt (usually on
the day of receipt).  If you haven't received a notice of receipt within a
week then something is wrong.

------------------------------

Q6.2) To Do
 This FAQL is still under construction.  What follows is a list of
questions to be added or changed:
   - I think the part about massaging towards the heart needs to be
 rewritten, but I'm not qualified to do it
   - a chart summarizing the oils file in the archive
   - some paragraphs that summarize all the advice about oils in all
 the various files about massage oil in the archive

 If you would like to volunteer :) to write some or all of the
answers please contact the archive maintainer <[e-mail]>.

------------------------------

Q6.3) Recent changes to this FAQL
 Major reformatting.  Added information about the archive.  Added
intro section and section about exchange.  Added suggestions from people
listed below.  A general overhaul -- this is a major revision.
 Minor editing changes.  Quoted filenames in archive.  Added
information about `exchange.extras'.  Added pointer to acknowledgements in
List of Categories.

16 May 1994
   Change to exchange coordinator.
8 July 1994
   Added question about anonymous posts (Q1.2).
19 July 1994
   Changed note about Swedish being a proper noun from end to
 beginning of question 1.4 (What is massage?).
11 August 1994
   Added info about Chicago and Seattle exchagnes to archive
 section.

------------------------------

Q6.4) Acknowledgements
 Most parts of this FAQL are almost identical to those posted by
[e-mail] (Winkler) on 3 Dec 1992 (see the `faql.all' file in
the archive).  Winkler deserves a lot of credit for the work he did.
 The introductory portion of this article have been adapted from the
same section in the comp.lang.c FAQL (message-ID
<[e-mail]> posted on 1 Jan 1994) which is
copyright 1988, 1990-1993 by Steve Summit.
 The FAQL is posted by J. Blustein <[e-mail]>.  The following
(in alphabetical order by surname) are collaborating to edit and amend the
FAQL: Bill Arnett <[e-mail]>, Corrina Perrone
<[e-mail]>, John Cole <[e-mail]>, julian collier
<[e-mail]> and Keith Grant <[e-mail]>.  Please
send mail about this FAQL to [e-mail], not to the other members of the
`alt.backrubs team'.
 A A Adams <[e-mail]>, John Cole, Keith Grant and
Caroline Knight <[e-mail]> made suggestions that are
incorporated into this FAQL.
--
J. Blustein       (This space intentionally left blank.)      <[e-mail]>