Basic Stone Massage Supplies and How to Use Them By Chris Turley At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Health spas nowadays are fully equipped with technological gadgets that promise the "Zen" feeling you want to achieve. Some offer a water massage therapy session, which subjects you to various intensities of jetting water onto your body. Others give you an oxygen therapy session, which gives you oxygen from digital pumps. This renews the cells and improves blood oxygenation and circulation. There are also spas that offer all kinds of enhanced body wraps-salt wraps, mud wraps, seaweed wraps, fruit wraps-which promise total rejuvenation of the inner and outer body.

Yet most people opt for more laid back and manual therapeutic approaches when it comes to relaxation. They consult their aches and pains in spas that offer healing of the both body and mind. These traditional spas deliver by providing an array of massages that fit the needs of the client. The therapists of these spas are very specialized in what they do and give the client what is necessary to achieve full relaxation.

These spas have various materials, which they fully utilize in performing de-stressing methods. Some use local fruits, oils, needles, stones, and their own hands and feet. The most therapeutic is the one with the hot stone massage kit. Although needles are said to be intensely therapeutic, its invasiveness make people think twice or thrice about having it performed on them.

A stone massage is a combination of the healing properties of the hot stones and the deep tissue work that the therapist provides. Here are some basic stone massage supplies that help you attain total healing and relaxation:

a.) Massage table. This is essential in all types of massages. It is where the client lays down in supine or prone position. This is of just the right height so that it will be easy for the therapist to place the stones properly. It should be properly draped with soft, clean towels before the client comes in.

b.) Towels. The towels should be in contrast with the color of the stones that are used during the massage. This way, the therapist can keep a good eye on the stones while they are being placed and maintained on the body part. They should always be clean and replaced for each new client. Towels make it easy for the therapist to handle the hot stones. They are always within reach for the therapist to use.

c.) Heating pot. Every complete hot stone massage kit has this. The heating pot is the essential part of the stone massage experience because without the heat, how could there be a "hot" stone massage? It is like an ordinary pot of water that heats up stones. It is filled with water up to a half an inch from the brim when the stones are placed. The therapist heats up the stones between 120 and 150 degrees for about 15 to 55 minutes in preparation for the client's session.

d.) Massage stones. Therapists use these stones to administer massage with heat. They also use these stones to concentrate the massage on trigger points on the client's body. They usually use basalt stones but there are also marble and chakra stones for more specialized stone massages. The commonly used basalt stones are igneous in origin. They are very smooth and quite strong because they are made up of fine crystals. They also retain heat very well, especially the largest ones.

e.) Ice bath. Massage therapists keep this handy for the immediate cooling down of stones and the client's skin when the client finds the stones too hot for them to take. This prevents burns and gives immediate relief from too much heat.

f.) Oils. The essential oils make it easy for the therapists to perform basic massage techniques such as petrissage and effleurage. These make the kneading and gliding motion of the hands and stones smoother and more relaxing.

Hot stone massages enable the clients feel more rejuvenated than ever, after each session. Some people even find themselves cured of their ailments after this specialized massage. But there are tricks to each trade. And the ones that comprise the kit, really hit the spot.

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