What is Korean Massage?
Traditional Korean massage is varieties of Asian massage techniques involving the thumb, elbow, and fingertip pressure. A Korean massage can be defined as one that uses several techniques. Some of which include shiatsu and reflexology. As well as Japanese practices of fingertip and elbow pressure. In addition, elements of reflexology and shiatsu, a type of Japanese massage, enhance this type of massage by facilitating the release of stress within the muscles and nervous system. Positive energy will then flow naturally throughout the body, alleviating medical as well as psychological conditions.
How to Perform Korean Massage?
Korean massage incorporates techniques of Swedish, Shiatsu, and Thai massage. It is usually a deep massage. The ajumas typically massage all body parts including your stomach and breasts. Korean Massage uses many different Japanese massage techniques including fingertip, thumb, and elbow pressure, along with shiatsu and reflexology movements to release muscle tension, relax the nervous system and create positive energy flow throughout the body. These techniques have been used in Korea, along with acupuncture and herbal remedies, for thousands of years. Originally developed by Buddhist monks from China, the therapies were used in conjunction with Korean medicine to heal or treat illness and maintain good health.
The Origin of Korean Massages
Korean Buddhists believe that remaining in good health means maintaining the delicate balance of “Um-Yang,” similar to the concept of Yin-Yang in Chinese philosophy. Invented by Chinese Buddhist monks hundreds of years ago, Korean massage techniques, sometimes integrated with herbal and acupuncture remedies, are intended to expedite beneficial energy flow through the body that positively affects physical and emotional health.
Key Points of Korean Massages:
- Emphasis is placed on pressure points and stretching routines.
- Certain massage techniques resemble Korean Martial Therapy (KMT) in regards to self-stretching.
- Consider a type of deep tissue massage because of its intensity and focus on energetically working muscles.
- A shiatsu massage involves the massage therapist using his or her feet to perform a deep tissue massage on the back.
- According to Korean holistic medicine, the hands contain areas that correspond to certain points on the body as well as organs in the body. By massaging the entire hand, a therapist is essentially healing all aspects of the body, especially the skeletal muscular system.
- This type of hand massage is unique and is not like hand reflexology.
- Back walking is a form of massage incorporating elements of Indian massage techniques. Shiatsu employs the feet to alter the basic structure of damaged soft tissue in order to eliminate pain.
- A trained Korean massage therapist will stroke, pull, pump and push a client’s back with the feet in an attempt to stretch the spine and relieve pressure on vertebral discs.
Something About Korean Acupressure:
Korean massage correlates with Korean acupressure. It is the ancient practice of healing using finger pressure to invigorate the ability of the body to self-heal. Just as massage therapy endows someone with energy, emotional stasis, and a sense of calm, acupressure also provides the same positive and healthy benefits.
The Benefits of Korean Massage:
Therapists alternate between lightly pressing on vital areas of the body to firmly massaging and pressing on these areas. The belief held regarding Korean techniques of massage and acupressure involves the promotion of circulation. That helps detoxify the body on a more cellular and deeper level, thereby reducing instances of disease and chronic illness.