Well, I just completed three days of table top Thai massage, and I can’t wait to use it.
Thai massage is a lot of stretching and pressing, so much so that it has been called forced yoga. It is typically done dressed on a mat on the floor. But since most massage therapists don’t want to be closing up their tables and putting down mats, they developed a method of doing it on the table.
As I saw, Thai does a lot of stretches that I already do, but while mine being intuitive have to be worked out, these are doing the same things but are more polished. In fact, I see myself changing some of what I do and using these movements a lot.
Because the therapist uses their body to facilitate the stretches, they are on the table almost as much as the client. (I’m glad my table has an 850 pound working weight.) In fact, I have to lower my table to do this. (I guess I will be making more markings on the legs for yet another height setting. I already have marks for ‘normal’ height and ‘temple Lomi’ height.)
The movements are completely integrateable into other things I do. Now, doing the Thai massage routine, well that is going to have to be practiced. I have some bodies lined up, but will need more. I really hope to be adding this as a regular modality.
Although the class was good, the hotel sucked. It was so bad that I only got three hours of sleep the first night. When it was my turn on the table, I laid down, took note the room was darkened, and promptly started snoring. And that was the joke for the rest of the three days of class. “Brian, don’t snore so loud this time. I can’t hear the teacher.”