Addendum

I would like to add an addendum to last night's post.
When I started sports massage class, the instructor was showing us how to get up on the table and stretch the client/receiver and most of the classmates practiced it. I was totally not comfortable even trying that - getting up on the table to stretch the client. I was even saying that it's one of my boundaries that I didn't want to cross.
Last night, however, I figured, what the heck - I got up there, stretched my clients, and got back down again. I did it a couple times, but the first time was rather freaky.
I think I had a breakthrough!

Day 116 - Russian Final

I must have a memory shortage on the weekends because I neglected (forgot) to post anything about student clinic from this past Saturday. I had three clients and one student exchange, which gives me a total of seven actual real clients that I've given massages. Out of those seven, six have been men. What are the odds of that?
One of the men this past Saturday was a young man, I'd guess in his 20's, and he never had a massage before. Since he seemed athletic, I figured I'd practice some of my Russian Sports techniques on him. He seemed to like it and I was glad for the practice.
Speaking of Russian, we had our final exam (written and hands-on) tonight. 98 and 100%, respectively, thankyouverymuch.
Now...on to study for the anatomy final exam on Wednesday.

Day 112 - Take Your Time, Don't Be Russian

I must also apologize for not reporting on Clinic, Day 2, so I'll give a brief run-down. Or maybe not so brief.
It went much more smoothly than the first day and I was a lot less nervous. I had two clients, both men and wanted deeper work, and two student exchanges in which I gave massage. Previously, I had been a bit aprehesive about giving my "all" in deep tissue work to women with small frames, but I think have at least gotten over some of that. At least I know that I won't break them now. I practiced that on both my student exchanges.
My first client actually asked what was the difference between regular massage and Russian massage, and I was quite excited to tell him a little about it and even practice a little bit on him, incorporating some of what I'd learned so far.
One of the things that is highly stressed in massage class is to make sure we have good body mechanics to preserve our bodies and give us longevity. It's particularly important to the back. A massage therapist with good body mechanics may have sore hamstring and gluteal muscles, but not a sore back. I'm proud to report that after I had driven home after clinic, it wasn't my back that was sore. It was my hamstrings and glutes that were a little more stiff!
Yay for me!
On to tonight's class. We learned the rest of the segments in Russian after effleurage, wringing and petrissage: friction, vibration, and percussion.
No, it has nothing to do with bongos, The Beach Boys, or cowbells, unfortunately.
After a brief demo, we got to practice a little bit with all of the segments in the order they are performed. Since we had more lecture tonight, we'll get to practice a lot more on Thursday in class.

Day 111 - Getting a Little Taste of Borscht

After calming down from last night's class, I found out that several other classmates were frustrated. Well, I guess we'll work together to achieve our goal: learning this anatomy information.
But in the meantime, we were in Russian Sports Massage (let's just call it Russian) tonight, combined with another class. Our instructor, who likes to make things run as smoothly as possible, had us actually do LOTS of bodywork tonight, even when we haven't learned all the strokes, just to get us used to the pattern of work in this modality.
My partner worked on me first and was still learning "the ropes" and was not overly thrilled with what he was learning from Russian.
When he got on the table, I tired to convince him otherwise, since I wholeheartedly enjoy this modality. He quite enjoyed the massage he got while I was practicing and I think I've converted his thinking.
Now, on to Friday and preparation for clinic on Saturday.

Day 108 - International Delights

As I have discussed previously, I am in a Russian Sports Massage class. Interestingly enough, we aren't learning Russian words, but using the same French words we have learned for Core class: Effleurage and Petrissage. I feel very international now.
In tonight's class, we went over what sort of Petrissage we'll be using in Russian Sports Massage, the different strokes we'll be using, and whether we are pushing or pulling the muscle.
Also in class, we discussed how things went over the weekend in student clinic. There seems to be a consensus that the clinic doesn't have a lot of organization nor communication. (ie - there was a lot of complaining about not knowing where to go at first) I'm just trying to stay of the mind like one of my classmates: just go, do the massages assigned to me, and get the experience.

Day 106 - Just Call Me Martika

I'm just gonna say it: I love Russian Sports Massage! This stuff makes sense, helps you understand proper body mechanics, and dang it, it feels good, too!

In class this evening, we got beginning information about a few of the strokes used and where to use them. Then we got to practice them on each other. I know I definitely need practice on everything, but from what we did tonight, it just seems so - uh - gonna go Spock here - logical.
At one point while working on my partner, with my best Checkov impression, I said to my partner, "My name is Martika and I will be working on you tonight."
Man! Two Star Trek references! Sweet!
Oh, sorry, back to reality.
Since my blog forum is about the whole massage school experience, I just have to share this...when I left for school this evening, WGH wasn't home. Therefore, we didn't get to really talk to each other today and give each other our affirmations and all that mushy stuff. We try to find ways to communicate with each other the information needed. Today's communication, besides texting, was leaving MS Word documents open with messages like, "Thanks for taking care of me" or "Love you bunches" or you know, mushy stuff. I really couldn't do this without him or his support, physical, emotional, and all that jazz. I surely don't want to take him for granted.
Of course not, and don't call me Shirley.

Day 104 - A Good Day

Last post, I discussed the new "Commuter Car" that WGH and I are sharing. This evening, it proved one of its points as to why we purchased it, which was to save money on gas, wear and tear on our other cars, and just to have an extra car - just in case something stoopid happens. On Friday, when I took possession of the car, I filled it up with gas for $25.00. I drove it Friday evening to class and back Saturday, and then WGH took it to work today and then I took it to school for a total of 246 miles since I filled up. I like to fill up at the gas station by school, and since I was going there, I went ahead and filled up, even though it didn't absolutely need it as it was on a half tank.
I ended up putting $19.00 in for 6.8 gallons, for an average of - wait for it - 36 miles per gallon!
Yay! That's what it's all about!
For those who use modern vernacular, that's the shizzle!
After my excitement about getting gas, upon arriving at the school, I entered the classroom and I think I saw the heavens open up! The instructor from our first class was standing at the front of the room, getting ready to teach us Russian Sports Massage! It's safe to say that the whole class was excited to have Molly back. One classmate even baked cookies for the occasion, which we did NOT eat in the classroom since we're not allowed to have any food or drink in the classroom besides water.
Of course we wouldn't eat cookies in the classroom.
You betcha.
We wouldn't DREAM of doing such things.
Anyway, after having a cookie or two, our world was opened up to Russian Sports Massage. This modality actually makes sense to me. I can see it and touch it, unlike CranioSacral or Acupressure. I GET it, and it's only the first class.
In a nutshell, it teaches a certain protocol to use, specifying exactly which muscle group to work and what type of stroke to use, at what pace, and for how long. It's pretty much like the recipe for how to give a massage for repairing muscles that have been worked due to strenuous activity. If you can read a cookbook, you can understand the modality.
I think I'll like it, even if I don't play sports.