Effleurage
An Effleurage is often described as a Swedish massage movement using long, gliding strokes over the skin. It is typically used to apply lubricants, such as oil, cream, butters, and gels to an area.
Effleurage
Written by Shawn White, LMT
This article is a deeper dive into what effleurage is, and it has been written with the hopes you will explore the intricacies of touch on your own. In my practice I use the elements of massage to help me analyze every technique used throughout my sessions. I hope they will serve as a tool to you as well. The purpose of the elements are to help you slow down and think about every detail of touch you apply.
The Elements of Effleurage
- Point: The point is the entire surface of the hand.
- Shape: The shape is a pronated palm.
- Pressure: Typically the pressure is some variation of light to medium.
- Line: Typically uses broad strokes with the intent to cover a larger area.
- Movement: Often fluid and rhythmic like a wave.
- Temperature: Generally we want to have warm hands when touching our client.
Virtues of Effleurage
Empathy
In massage school we are often taught that the function of effleurage is to apply lubricant to the body. As a result many tend to perform this technique in a robotic way. When a massage begins to feel robotic it quickly begins to feel lackluster. Have you ever received a massage and the first movements felt rote and empty? Perhaps the first few techniques feel fast, without any pressure, or seem disinterested. This is common in massage, because many massage therapist apply effleurage as a partial junk move.
Junk moves are when a technique is being used as a means to waste time, or do not contribute to the overall pleasure of the massage.
Performing a massage is like writing a book. The first sentence must pull in your audience. The first paragraph needs to draw them into the next. From page to chapter, every part of the narrative should be enticing the reader to remain entrenched in the story.
In massage your first technique must pull the client into the experience. After the first technique they should be looking forward to the next. In essence, every second of the session should be extraordinary. Just like and epic adventure, there is no space on the page for filler. In a massage there are no seconds worth wasting, therefore there should never be any junk moves.
Your first technique, even if it is being used to apply lubricant, must set the stage for continued excellence.
Imagine how wonderful it would feel if your massage therapist used every movement of their hand to help you feel spectacular. How wonderful would it be to be at the absolute center of someone else’s attention, and their only goal is to help you feel great. You must be the kind of massage therapist who is attentive, kind, and cares about every second of your client’s experience. All it takes is for you to use the golden rule. Do onto others as you would want done onto you.
When you take the time to imagine what they want to feel, then imagine how it would feel, you can then begin to take the steps to help them feel it.
Every moment of the massage should feel magnificent.
Humility
A universal rule of thumb in every massage is you do not know how your client feels unless you ask them. Many massage therapists claim to be an empath. In my opinion this is a trap. A massage therapist should never claim to be an empath, others should be the arbiter of this. Many who claim to be empaths are emotionally undisciplined, judgemental and haughty. The last thing you want to do in a massage is have the arrogance of believing you know more about what your client is feeling than they do. Rather than assume a bump or lump is a knot, ask your client if the spot hurts. Rather than assuming your technique feels terrific, ask them how good it feels. In effect, search for ways you can have humility throughout the session.
Creativity
Explore in every second of your session. Search for ways to enhance every sensation, and always explore new ways to build on the basics.
Intent of Effleurage
Like every massage technique performed in a session, you must have an intention behind your actions.
Common intentions of effleurage are,
- to apply lubricant to an area.
- to warm up the muscles.
- to encourage relaxation.
- to improve circulation.
- to promote tissue repair.
- to transition from one technique to another.
- to promote lymph flow.
- to apply a finishing touch.
What does it mean to warm up the muscles?
If you asked a massage therapist this question, they might say, it is akin to an introduction to the body. It is to help the client relax, so they may make the most of their massage session. The unfortunate reality of most techniques used to warm up the muscle, is they are often junk moves. In my professional opinion, most of the techniques used to warm up the muscles offer the opposite of comfort. If the techniques a massage therapist uses to warm up the muscles feel like nothing, the client will believe nothing is being done. This draws them into a cerebral space of stress and annoyance. In effect if you use junk moves to warm up the muscles, your client will become focused on the seconds and minutes of their massage you are wasting.
Final Thoughts
Think about all of your techniques when you aren’t massaging. Ask what the intent of each technique is, so your intentions and actions are always aligned. Define your intentions. If the intent of one technique is to warm up the muscles, ask yourself what that actually means. After you have defined the concept in a describable and justifiable way, question yourself. Are you actually doing what you think or feel you are doing?
