It is possible to perform a massage correctly, yet have it still feel awkward. The hands move, stop, press, and move some more, but for some reason the receiver cannot relax. One stroke is fast, and the next is very slow, and the body never has a chance to settle into the flow of each stroke. In a basic relaxation massage, slow rhythm is often more important than learning a new stroke or technique.
Slow rhythm is very useful for the instructor and for the receiver. The receiver has time to assess if the light pressure is still light, if the medium pressure is still medium, or if it was heavy when it was intended to be light. The person practicing has time to feel if the pressure from their palm is evenly distributed, if the wrist is bent or straight, and if the stroke is moving toward or away from a bony area or pressure point. If the movement is too fast, it is harder to sense these details, which may result in the instructor making adjustments only after the receiver has already started feeling uncomfortable.
An exercise to study the flow of rhythm is to pick a specific, small area of the body such as the forearm or shoulder blade area, and to perform only the basic stroke of broad, palm contact gliding. Place the hands gently on the area, wait for the movement to become quiet, and then move in a very, very slow fashion. It will often feel too slow to the student. Continue in the same direction without using kneading, the thumb, or the finger pads. This simple repetition, at first glance seems boring and easy, yet it helps students learn a skill that they can build upon with more complicated patterns later on.
A student may try different strokes and techniques within the same body area to make up for any perceived insecurity. A gliding stroke is performed for several seconds, then they switch over to kneading for several seconds, then using the thumb to press for several seconds, and then switching to another part of the body. The student feels busy rather than calm. If they perform the same gliding stroke for longer periods of time, it will be possible to feel more closely whether the hands are moving evenly with a flat palm or a crooked wrist, whether the shoulders are tight and raised, whether the receiver’s breathing is comfortable, and whether the pressure is varying from the beginning to the end of the stroke.
In the same way, changes of direction or body parts should also be slow. Lifting both hands off completely at once may break up the smoothness of the session, even if the next stroke is performed smoothly. Attempt to maintain contact with at least one hand as the other is being repositioned. Do not make sudden transitions from palm strokes to light finger and thumb strokes. If a pause is needed, ensure that the pause feels like a pause and not a loss of contact. A smooth transition is helpful in maintaining the continuity of the massage session.
Slow is not necessarily lazy or inattentive; slow is allowing time for a movement to complete its course. You can still have smooth movements with massage lotion or cream, slow, broad contact warm-up strokes, and light kneading, as long as they remain part of a continuous and calm pace. If too much lotion allows your hands to go faster than you can control, reduce the amount of cream on the body in the following session. If the hands are working too hard with too much finger and thumb pressure, return to using a flat, broad palm contact to slow things down and to find the flow of rhythm again.
Finally, a sign of the improvement in rhythm is not a more noticeable improvement in the session; it is a more controlled session with better pressure, with the sensation of no sudden movements or pauses, and with a more comfortable pace. Check with the receiver whether the pace was too fast, too slow, or was okay, and then repeat the last movement that worked for the same receiver, in the same direction, with the same pressure and same speed. Basic massage movement begins to look better as the hands move along slowly, smoothly, and comfortably rather than chasing movement.