Day 78 - Blinded

Tonight's class theme centered on "intuition." I think of it more as "just knowing something." First, we had a brief lecture about what intuition is. Next up, we began a guided meditation that didn't work out as well as it was supposed to.
Our teacher had us form two circles, one on the outside and one on the inside, each facing in opposite directions and walking - with our eyes closed. Unfortunately, with my class, just because our eyes are closed doesn't mean our mouths are...or at least some of the classmates. There was too much talking and bumping into things to finish the walking around in circles meditation. After that, with our eyes still closed, our teacher went around and paired us up to determine who we were to work with this evening - the goal being that we have not worked with this person yet. I had worked with this young lady before, but it had been just after we had started the program, so it had definitely been awhile.
Next on our intuition theme: blindfolded massage. The student-therapists would be blindfolded and work on the student-clients...while the student-clients and teacher and teacher's assistant would be able to see. I went first as the client and despite not knowing the time and not being able to see, my partner did a great job. She dropped the lotion bottle once, but that's ok. After that, it was my turn. I think I did a pretty good job, all things considered. I still fumbled around with my draping, but I think I actually did a better job without seeing it - at least on one anterior leg.
I don't know how much I believe in this intuition stuff, but I feel like there are some instincts that kick in when one sense is lost.
Maybe it's a matter of semantics.

Day 77 - Variations in Review

We got the pleasure of having the Drill Sargeant(DS) back tonight, substitute teaching. I definitely like him. We went over some of the high points of the last several weeks in Massage Variations class, in preparation for the final exams on Wednesday night. We will have a written and hands-on final.
After that - bodywork! I gotta say, though, that with all this bodywork that I have been getting, over the weekend, I found myself a little sore because I hadn't take care of myself properly - not drinking enough water, maybe also not soaking in an Epsom Salt tub to keep my muscles loose.
Tomorrow night's class will be very interesting during the bodywork portion. We will be doing blindfold massages, where the therapist is blindfolded. The thought behind it is that the blindfold will make you "see" with your hands better and also not be as distracted by what's going on around you. Regardless of the reason, it should be interesting.

Day 76 - Cool It!

We here in Maryland have had a hot and dry summer. There were I think over 30 days in which temperatures were over 90 degrees. On my way to and from the J-O-B, I drive by a pond. I have watched this eighth of an acre pond go from something that looks like it could sustain life - as in fish - to something that needs to have its grass mowed. After a rain last week, it had a bit of water in it, maybe about 10 feet across. This afternoon - mow it.
In the beginning of summer, our central AC was blowing hot air, instead of the bone-chilling cold air it was supposed to. With the inside unit being over 20 years old, we knew it didn't need just a band-aid this time, it needed to be replaced. However, we just can't come up with that kind of money to get that sort of thing, so we have been using window units and a portable A/C unit lent to us by friends. We have them in the bedroom and the dining/living room. It's been bearable, but just barely.
That means that whenever I have had a guinea pig - uh - I mean, friend or family member, come over for one of my practice massages, it's been like a new spa treatment - The Sauna Massage! Coming soon to a spa near you! I have done them in 100 degree heat! That's just crazy!
By the time I get done these massages, I'm drenched in perspiration. Doing massages is very physical and making sure to have good body mechanics is essential to a lasting career. Just doing a regular massage is taxing enough while learning. Doing a Sauna Massage is downright masochistic and draining. Several Saturdays after working on a couple practice clients, I would not be able to do anything else the rest of the day.
For the big announcement: Tomorrow we're getting a new A/C unit installed! The first thing I'm going to do when I know it's working is put the temperature on 65 degrees. My guinea pigs practice clients will be very thrilled that it will not be a Sauna Massage any longer!
Oh...and yes, I had class tonight. Lecture. Bodywork. Talkative classmates. The usual.

Day 75 - Pain, Stress, and Malaise? No, Thanks, I'll Pass...

Tonight we studied how pain, stress, and malaise can affect a person and what a Massage Therapist can do to help - or what NOT to do to try to help. It seems like common sense stuff. One thing that it seemed all of the class found unusual was that everybody has the same pain threshhold, but environment, upbringing, basic history, and the like is what actually affects people's tolerance for pain. That took a moment to sink in for everybody, I think.
We also talked about how malaise (depression) can be a downward cycle. For instance, if you become injured, you have to wait to heal, so you don't do what you used to do, so you become depressed. Once you're depressed, then your body becomes stressed and more pain happens, causing less ability to do the things done previously. I think this last year has been my malaise cycle, of which I think I've been slowly coming out. While my mood has certainly lightened, I'm trying to figure out where my physical limits or non-limits are, especially since I haven't been very active. It's hard to be active when I'm either sitting at work, the car, class, or laying on the table. I don't have time for much else, but this week I have gotten up early twice and done a 15 minute walking program with OnDemand exercise.tv. At least it's something.
And of course, we did more practicing on bodywork. Oh, the burden to be practiced on...

Day 74 - Professionalism

I've never worked in the food industry. I worked for about a year as a Customer Service Representative in an upscale clothing store when I was first going to college. That's about the extent I have of working with the general public. I did, however, serve in a capacity where I answered phone calls coming from people inquiring about their pensions - dealing with their MONEY! So, I had to have a certain amount of professionalism and courtesy in dealing with those calls. I was yelled at, cursed at, hung up on, and other not so pleasant experiences. I think there was only one time where somebody yelled at me so badly on the phone that I started crying. For the most part, though, I was able to help people get the information they needed, or get them their money they needed. One gentleman sent me a HUGE gorgeous flower arrangement - because of how I helped him! Those are the ones I like to remember - where I helped somebody.
In our Massage Variations class, we're focusing not just on the strokes, but also on the profession of being a Massage Therapist. We're focusing on all the professionalism that's expected from us by clients, the kind of relationship we have with clients, how we communicate with clients, and most importantly, how we serve the clients, because when it comes down to it, it's all about the clients.
I hope that as I gain more knowledge and experience in this field, I will be better learn about serving people.

Day 73 - Sir, Yes, Sir!

Back in the day, my dad served in the US Army. According to Mom, he went through boot camp three or four times, due to re-enlisting after being discharged. I guess that's the way they did it. He served in Korea, Okinawa, and Vietnam in the Big Red One. He repaired helicopters. At any rate, I'm sure he dealt with his share of drill Sargents. He even became a police officer after he got out of the Army for the last time. I guess he got used to serving in uniform.
What does that have to do with massage school?
We had another substitute tonight for class. An older gentleman who is a retired Maryland State Trooper. I guess it was after he retired that he became a Licensed Massage Therapist. I definitely liked him. He reminded me A BUNCH of my dad. Gentle and caring, but you can definitely see the disciplined and tough character underneath. He even resembled my dad a bit, with a couple of the same mannerisms. This guy, though, was a straight-shooter. Dad, was more of a guy that held back a lot of what he was thinking and feeling...at least BEFORE he had the stroke. Afterward, well, if you're missing hair, he'd be sure to tell you about it.
Now I'm picturing my dad as a Massage Therapist, and that is quite the mental picture.
For lecture tonight, we learned about a holistic approach to health and the client/therapist relationship. During the bodywork, we had a 50 point evaluation done by the drill Sargent. I ended up with 43 points, so I can see where I need improvement. My partner was a tiny little young woman, so I was afraid I would break her in half if I really did some of the deep tissue work of which I'm capable. I did get some things accomplished, I think, but he noticed my hesitation about the deepness of the work on my partner. Well, of the folks I've been practicing on here at my house may tell you, I don't shy away from deep tissue - and really leaning into it. If only I could get graded on what I do here. *sigh*

Day 72 - Is It Boundry or Boundary?

The homework assignment that was due tonight and took me four hours in the initial pass was regarding Therapeutic Boundaries. Yes, it took me four hours to answer 14 questions. And then I probably spent another half hour or hour reworking some of my answers to the questions. After handing in our homework, we went over some possible answers to these questions. Very interesting, indeed.
During bodywork, the music playing was an Enya CD. My partner apparently doesn't like Enya. When he was on the table, he was twitching like the music gave him convulsions or something. This is the same classmate I have that we joke around about our "personal space" and then proceed to place a hand on the other person's side of the table...possibly even on their book - a direct invasion of personal space.
Keeping it fun, folks. Keeping it fun.

Day 71 - Face It!

I think the last body part we were to learn for Massage Variations class if the head, neck, and face. Watch - after I say that, we'll probably have some obsure body part to learn. But I think that's it...I don't really know what we'll be going over after this, but hey, I'm sure it will be fun.
We learned that we should actually ask somebody if they want their face worked on because she might be wearing make-up or maybe painted her eyebrows on and it takes a lot of time to do that and she wouldn't want us messing it up. Of course, we find out about asking AFTER I've already been massaging people's face. Well, hopefully, I'll remember to ask.
After learning all the body parts so far, my favorite places I like having massaged: glutes and feet. If it's done right, my quadriceps. Oh, I guess my back, too. And my neck. My arms like attention, too.
Umm...I think I pretty much named everything. So...I like it all, but especially the glutes and feet.

I wonder what we'll learn tomorrow night. I wonder if it will involve bones.

Day 70 - Abby-normal?

In session six of our Massage Variations class, we learned about the anterior upper torso - basically, the arms, hands chest, and abdomen. Because of certain "delicate" areas, there are special ways of draping the client, particularly female clients. So we got to learn and practice all of that. Obviously, the chest doesn't get massaged all over, and the abdomen has a certain protocol to promote good digestive function. Yes, it's a good thing to hear a client's stomach growling/gurgling. That means that what we're doing is effective.
Whenever there are an uneven number of students in class, the one student who doesn't have a partner will join another "team" and two students will work on one student so all can practice. Unfortunately, that means that one doesn't get treatment that particular night. In tonight's class, a classmate joined my partner and I and I was the "unfortunate" student that had two people practicing on me at one time, which can be called a 4-handed massage. At one point, both of my hands were being massaged, and I gotta say, it was awesome!

Day 69 - Ante Up

Mondays are tough. After a nice relaxing weekend, having to get up for the J-O-B is just - well - TOUGH! But I made it through today at work and then got to go to class, where our regular teacher was sick. Our TA stepped up to the plate, and despite being thrown into it, did a really good job. In some ways, better than the other substitute experiences we've had in our class.
At any rate, we learned more about the muscle structure and dimensional relationships of the anterior lower limbs, including the feet. Basically, we did the front of the leg and the feet. We learned that really paying attention to the feet and the knees means a lot to our clients, which in turn could mean a nice tip. ;-)
When we practiced the bodywork, my partner really paid attention to my feet and by the time he was on my second leg, I was totally zoned out. Not asleep, but totally zoned. When I started to get myself together to begin bodywork on my partner, our TA said I looked like I had "massage after glow." Oh yeah...I was zoned.
Thank you, sir, may I have another?

Day 68 - Gluteus to the Max!

The first time I got a massage, I totally did not know what to expect, and the therapist started massaging my gluteal muscles, but at the time, all I could think was, "She's massaging my butt," and the discomfort that came from worrying about what my butt looks like - too big, too white...well, you get the picture. Actually, I hope you don't get the picture, 'cause then you'd be picturing my bare butt.
At any rate - back to our regularly scheduled programming - after my initial discomfort, the butt massage (gluteal massage) felt really stinkin' good because all those muscles that work constantly want a little attention.
In our variations class this evening, we learned more about treating the glutes, hamstrings, piriformis, soleus, and other muscles that comprise the posterior leg and backside. We learned how to effectively "drape" the person on the table to make them feel as secure as possible with their cheek exposed and another technique for helping relieve some sciatic pain. Then, of course, we had to practice on each other.
The past week or so, I'd been feeling some soreness (pain, actually) on my left posterior thigh, which I told my partner about. She worked at it for a few minutes and after the session ended, I did not feel that soreness as acutely as I previously did.
Yeah, I guess you could say that I enjoyed class tonight.

Day 67 - Artistic License

Artists are a different breed of people. I have many artist friends, and in some ways, consider myself an artist. And yes, we're - uh - different.

But what does that have to do with massage?
During tonight's class, we learned about the muscle's in the back. Oh sure, you can look at a picture of "Big Red" - the anatomical man with all his muscles. Or you can do our our teacher did - draw the muscles on a volunteer classmate. Using China Markers (which are so cool - almost as cool as Sharpies), our artistic teacher drew the boney landmarks (spine, spine of scapula, etc) in black and then drew where the attaching muscles "flow" on our classmate's back. It's kinda cool when you see it in that perspective. It will definitely help me remember it!
Then, we had to practice more massage, putting into practice what we learned about the flow of muscles. It's pretty rough, ya know. Going to class, getting massages.
Really rough.
Really.

Day 66 - Isn't that Special?

In tonight's class, we learned about how to be aware of special situations or special groups of people while doing bodywork with them. Groups such as the very young or the very old, those with disabilities, and expectant mothers.

There are many different thoughts on prenatal massage, and when it's deemed "safe" for the mother (and baby) to have a massage. Tired, sore, cranky, and swollen mothers-to-be can have a massage, as long as it's been ok'ed by their doctor. The first and foremost thing to keep in mind is that the preggo - uh - I mean, expectant mother is side-lying on the table, with proper bolstering (pillows) and draping for her support and comfort.
So guess what we practiced tonight?
You got it - sidelying massage!
It's not as easy, for sure, to drape a client whose sidelying, and not always as easy to get to her whole body for the full-body massage. However, in practicing, my partner and I found that because of the position, certain parts (scapula and its attachment tissues) are more easily worked. We were both able to work out some adhesions (you might call "knots") that we couldn't get to in either prone (on the tummy) or supine (on the back) positions.
I think I learned more in this evening's class than I have in other recent bodywork classes. Way cool!

Day 65 - Full Circle

In my short time at BSOM, I have noticed a bit of a theme: former students become today's instructors. My current class is a prime example. Our instructor, Jenna, was a student at BSOM several years ago, and incidently, in the same class as my friend, who was one of the people instrumental in helping me make the decision to go to BSOM. Jenna was also one of our TA's in our first class there, and now our instructor for the class of Massage Variations. I guess it comes full circle, huh?
In Massage Variations class, We'll learn how to use different "tools" - such as forearm, elbows, knucles, fists, and I guess other stuff. We learned more about using the elbow tonight. The next four weeks should be very interesting, indeed. I may be pretty sore, as we'll be learning more about deep tissue bodywork.

Day 64 - Getting Tested

We had our "final" night of Core this evening, including a hands-on final exam. We've been through this before, but apparently, the grading gets tougher in Core classes the more we take.
To simulate a "real world" situation, we put our name tags in a basket and somebody withdrew two names of who would be partners for the exam. It's supposed to be totally random and hopefully, somebody we've never worked with prior to tonight.
My thought was that it would be best to work with somebody I'm comfortable with, so I had lined up my partner on Monday night. Well, that was shot down, so I worked with a lovely woman with whom I had never worked (randomness worked) and it went very well. So, ok. I'll admit it. It's a good idea to switch up partners as much as possible to get used to working with all kinds of different bodies.
During the exam, I used one of the techniques that the instructor showed me last night, and when doing so, with all the lotion on my hands, my hands in contact with my partner's skin made a fart noise - like a 4th grader making fart noises with his hand under his arm. The first time it happened, I just went about doing what I was doing, but the second time, my partner giggled, and then a neighbor working at the next table over giggled, and then I pretty much lost it, giggling, and had to work really hard to get back to "beingness" to continue working on my partner.
I guess it wasn't too bad, but I think I lost three points on my final for it, getting a score of 97%.

Day 63 - But Who's Counting?

Apparently, I had two Day 61's. I just skipped Day 62. It's now Day 63. But who's counting?
Anyway...had class tonight. We had a special treat since our teacher for Professional Development filled in for our teacher(s) this evening. She had some interesting advice on how to best preserve our bodies and the way we use our body mechanics.
Instead of doing an "Everybody watch this" Demo, she had us start on the body work and then she came around and gave us pointers and demos at our tables. The best part was being her "guinea pig" for the demo. She worked on my right foot and boy, did it tingle when she was done! She even asked what was wrong with my ankle. I told her that I'd sprained it about 50 billion times and she worked a couple areas on it. I don't know if it helped yet or not. I didn't know there was a problem with it. Sure did feel good though.
That's where I want to be: being able to tell something's wrong with a body part even before the client tells me, because I can FEEL it.
I got some more practice to do.

Day 61 - Practice, Practice, Practice

When I was a kid and taking piano lessons, my mom made me practice. In the most nasally tone she could use, her words were, "Practice, practice, practice!"
Being in school, especially this week, makes me do the same thing. You really just have to practice as much as you can to get to be the best you can be.
I wish I had really understood that as a kid in piano lessons...that and stepping away from the music on the sheet and playing a lot more by ear and feel.
We reviewed foundations of massage - compassion, honesty, and integrity. And more importantly, we got to practice more bodywork - and for a little bit longer - 45 minute sessions! We even got to try out using hot stones. You know what? I need some practice with those!

Day 61 - Can I Get An Amen!?!

After being in massage school for the last five weeks and not getting a massage, tonight's "teaser" was enough to make me really look forward to tomorrow night's class.
Certainly, over the weekend was quite wonderful, as well. I had no quizzes, homework, nor any exams for which to study. Nothing to do but enjoy life and maybe practice a little, too.
In our four evening long "Core" class, we have a tag team of instructors, one of whom had already taught us in our first class of Anatomy, and we had an instructor who was new to us. They seem to do well together and I feel that they will do their best with us this week. Next week, we'll have another new class that will last four weeks, or something like that, of "Massage Variations." Either way, every night for the next five weeks: bodywork!
We had enough lecture and demostration tonight so that we only had about 30 minutes on the table, but we made those 30 minutes count. Tomorrow night, hopefully, we will get more time on the table.