What is Ashiatsu? Ashi = Foot Atsu = Pressure
"Foot Pressure"
When I was in massage school, I decided to enroll in an additional training: Ashiatsu massage training. I registered for the training as a deep dive into the world of barefoot massage, while the concepts of the human body, anatomy, and postural analysis were all fresh in my mind from school. I enrolled in the fundamental training with The Center Barefoot Massage, and I spent three days learning how to use my feet to provide a full body massage. I was intrigued to enroll in the first training session because I wanted to learn a new style that would allow me to offer a deeper massage for clients that needed something "deeper", and to learn a new skill that would help me offer massage for a longer period of time without harming my body.
"The body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care". ~ Buddha
What I learned in Ashiatsu Fundamentals.
Theory: Not all pressure is created equal, and for some, the "no pain, no gain" saying comes into play, but for others, when a correct pressure is not adequately achieved, then it feels too intense. Either type of client can benefit from the broader aspects of the foot - the whole foot or just the heel - which is able to engulf the muscles in such a way that a hand cannot, and provide more depth, all the while still working light to deep. Ashiatsu is not meant to get so deep that it is painful, in fact, it's just the opposite as it provides the depth that the body needs to release its own tensions and stresses without engaging the "fight-or-flight" reaction that pain can trigger.
Not surprisingly, it takes much less effort to provide a deeper massage with feet than hands. This is one of the reasons that I sought to learn Ashiatsu while still in massage school - I needed to achieve some deep work for some of my family and friends when practicing massage, and I was at a loss on how to provide that work with my forearms and hands, while still protecting the health of my body. I also wanted to provide this deep work without them feeling my boney elbow digging into their glutei.
Structural Benefits: Ashiatsu is a deep tissue compression massage that works on relieving the bound fascia in the body, as well as tension in muscles. It is a deeper, yet broader massage technique that allows the tissues in the body to be lengthened and compressed. For the therapist, I learned beneficial body mechanics to protect my body while standing on the massage table and using the bars above for balance. I learned to engage the core more, slowly sink into the tissues with care while stacking my joints, and relax my upper body and breathe.
Just like there are structural benefits for the massage therapist, the following is a list of benefits for the client receiving Ashiatsu:
Ashiatsu increases the circulation, which helps to remove toxins and inflammation in the tissues and joints that can be a constant source of pain.
Ashiatsu improves flexibility by lengthening the muscle fibers and ligaments in the body by often moving the tissue in two different directions.
Ashiatsu contributes to the overall health of the body's tissues by loosening adhesions and tense muscles through its deep, compressive application.
Ashiatsu is relaxing as, like traditional massage, it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system by slowing down the clients heart rate through slow, intentional contact.
Pedi-Care: As an athlete (cross-country and soccer), I have always taken a little extra care and paid a little more attention to my feet, whether it was avoiding long toenails or pampering with a sugar scrub and lathering with lotion. In Ashiatsu training, however, I learned a few more tips and tricks to ensure that my feet are as pleasant as my hands. I learned to continue to keep my nails in check and my callouses soft, or nonexistent, really. I also learned to warm them up by standing on a preheated flax pillow before starting massage. I even use this trick for my hands because no one likes to be greeted with frigid hands or feet when they are trying to relax!
How to Use My Feet: Of course, at the end of the training, I should have learned how to use my feet to give a massage, or really, tools to continue to practice to get better. Just like learning massage with your hands, it takes A LOT of practice, and I will always be a student ready to soak up as much knowledge, tips, and tricks as possible.
In this training, I did get the opportunity to practice honing my massage intuition with my feet. On the last day of the training we were able to practice on clients for a full-hour, full-body Ashiatsu massage. The greatest compliment that I received that day was from the first client who was impressed that I could sense his tight fascia in his lower back, which he told me, after I asked, that he had suffered from a lower back injury from a car accident. I was so excited that I could feel his tight fascia unwind beneath my foot that I was encouraged to continue my Ashiatsu journey.
My Ashiatsu Journey.
I am on the path to obtain my certification with The Center for Barefoot Massage, and if you are interested in experiencing this type of massage, I would love to provide you with an Ashiatsu massage. Please visit my services page for more information.
If you are not in the area, I am delighted to share this information with you and I hope that you are able to experience the incredible benefits of Ashiatsu in your area!
All my light. All my love.
Jordan
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