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Barefoot massage with the therapist focusing on how to engage tissue from different angles with each stroke using myofascial release, trigger point therapy, deep tissue and ROM techniques applied with their feet is a game changer for athletes every where. Wait...back up. What's barefoot massage? Read this first. The consistent compression given during a barefoot massage session, or barefoot bar therapy as I lovingly call it, releases tight muscles and chronic postural holding patterns. Over time, areas of muscle spasm can develop in tissues due to poor posture or overuse during work or exercise. They can cause a lot of pain both locally and refer pain out to other areas of your body. Sometimes these muscle spasms can even affect your range of motion. Getting a deep massage a few days before a competition, that is globally and holistically focused can really make a difference in your athletic performance. Regular massage sessions can also make you much more comfortable during crossfit and other intense work outs because massage can help reduce the pain associated with delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. Many athletes have to work out during times of soreness and may not work out to their full potential because of it. Barefoot massage speeds the muscle recovery time, thus making every workout more productive. So, when should you schedule your barefoot bar therapy session? The best time to schedule your massage is during recovery periods, like deload weeks and rest days. FasciAshi therapists (that's me!) don't suggest lifting anything heavy for at least 24 hours after a barefoot massage session due to the wonderful tractioning strokes up the back. Those delicious decompressing movements create space between vertebra and you may feel some sense of instability in your back if you decide to lift right after a barefoot bar therapy session. The benefits of regular Barefoot bar therapy include:
Barefoot massage is not for:
I even have all kinds of ways to bolster you to make you comfortable on the massage table so don't worry. Deep compression can be for everyone (sort of - lol!). This cushion in the picture below helps lady clients feel more comfortable by supporting them instead of squashing them into the table. Also It's going to help me work deep on one of my female clients who has pectus excavatum. She says it 100% helps her feel more comfortable on the table. She's also a crossfitter and you know shes got some serious tension from her workouts!  Oh yeah! I also have something exciting to share...I got my actual certification in the mail this last week! WOOP! So proud to share my newest certification in FasciAshi barefoot Ashiatsu. I've learned so much more from working with this new information and framework. I've been massaging with my feet forever now but I decided to join a new company and I'm loving their passion and vision. Plus, look at how beautiful this certification looks! Super proud therapist right now. :)  Hillary Arrieta, Small business owner, therapist, Author of this blog...Hi! I'm Hillary Arrieta, a massage therapist, educator, and wholistic wellness professional who works with health-conscious clients looking to enhance their lives with natural therapies. Deeply client-centered sessions infused with restorative bodywork, aromatics, and meditation are created in my cozy studio just North of Dallas, Texas Ya'll!
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 by Michele Cook, Body Ache Escape Massage Center, massage in Columbus, Ohio
How to Get a Great Massage Tip #1 Get to your massage early! If you are a repeat customer, get to your massage about 5 minutes early. That will give you enough time to go to the bathroom and get ready in the room. If you happen to get here much earlier, turn on your favorite music in your car and take a few cleansing breaths to help get you in the relaxation zone. Get a Great Massage Tip #2 Breathe DeepWhen you first get onto the table until your therapist comes back into the room, take deep cleansing breaths. Inhale the breath into the stomach, lungs, all the way under the collarbone. When you exhale, relax...sinking into the table more each time. Think only about the breath, trying to clear your mind. How to Get a Great Massage Tip #3 Keep open communication with us.Need an extra pillow....tell us . Too hot or too cold....tell us. Want more pressure?...tell us. Don't like the music....tell us. Want the face rest adjusted...let us know! We are sometimes psychic, but not always! Let us know what you need so your massage can be excellent! Tip #4 on How to Get a Great Massage To Talk or Not to Talk...that is the question.Some people feel like talking will help them relax. If thats you, talk away. If you don't want to talk, thats ok too. Some cues we take that you don't want to talk are..."Don't be surprised if I fall asleep" or "I'm so tired today". Tip #5 on how to get a great massage Try not to help us.Sometimes people think that lifting the body part we're working on will help us. Well sometimes it does, but it makes your massage not as good. More often it makes it harder for us to do what we want to do. So if we're moving your neck or leg or arm to do stretches, just relax and let us do it. The only time you should move your own body is if we ask you too. Tip #6 on How to Get a Great Massage When we stop and push on a sore spot or "knot", relax! I know, I know...its hard to relax when we're pushing on a spot that hurts, but if you relax more with every breath that soreness will go away. Another tip is to relax your body all around the spot and eventually that spot will relax too. A muscle is made up of a bunch of fibers. The knot that you feel is some of those fibers that have stayed contracted. Pushing on the knot helps it to stretch out so that it relaxes back with the rest of the muscle. How to Get a Great Massage Tip #7 Get Regular Massage is a form of detoxifying the body. When the muscles tense up, they draw toxins to it (lactic acid, uric acid, etc.). Massage helps get rid of these toxins, however this process can create whats called a healing crisis. This is when the body is so full of toxins that it creates side effects the next day or two days. The side effects can range from nausea to diarrhea, having a headache or fatigue. These will be temporary. The side effects will not continue once you get on a regular massage schedule. Once a month is a good schedule to prevent the toxins from building up to such an extreme level. I personally try to get a massage every 2-3 weeks. How to Get a Great Massage Tip #8- Stay Hydrated!I talked in a previous tip on how massage releases toxins. Making sure you drink the proper amount of water helps flush all those toxins out of the body to prevent the healing crisis. 
"Dissatisfaction and suffering arise when our mind attaches or is averse to, experiencing a particular thought, image, desire, or action". Richard Miller Ph.D  I'm happy to say that I have made significant strides in my life by adopting a few mindful practices. I am here to encourage you to give them a try. Please keep in mind that what I'm about to suggest are PRACTICES. I've been working with them for quite a while, and I am not perfect and don't ever expect myself to be. I have my zen moments, but I still have my rage moments. I've come a long way. When I can have compassion for the struggle, my own, and the struggle of others, I notice the changes I've made and can appreciate all my hard work. Give them a try. When you feel like quitting, challenge yourself to keep working with them, and you'll weave some magic into your life. Mindful Practice #1: Acceptance. Pesky annoyances that wear you down...What if you could take a step back and accept those people, places, things, and situations that drive you up the wall? There's power in that, my friend. The point is, we can never really change someone else and that traffic jam isn't going to go away anytime soon. You're stuck in the thick of it. Accept that and breathe, which brings me to my next practice. Mindful practice #2: Welcome to the present reality. Welcoming is the opposite of resisting. The more you resist reality, the more suffering you cause yourself. "Dissatisfaction and suffering arise when our mind attaches or is averse to, experiencing a particular thought, image, desire, or action." Richard Miller The practice of welcoming in whatever it is that you are experiencing - at the moment you are experiencing it- is a liberating practice in awareness and will serve you when things that are out of your control present themselves in your life. Mindful practice #3: Take responsibility for yourself. That rage, that disgust, that's all you, babe. Dig deeper and find the source of that anger. Does it stem from a belief that you can let go of and, in return, receive some peace in your life? You get to decide how you're going to react to situations. No one is pulling strings or "pushing your buttons." You are a free being. You get to make choices. There are many ways that we cause or substantially contribute to our suffering. When we choose to accept things just as they are, whether our current reality, other people, or ourselves, we begin to open up to a more peaceful way of living, we can see that every moment is paired with its perfect calm response. Did you enjoy this blog? What are some of your mindful practices? Share in the comments!
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