The Book Of Massage: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Eastern and Western Techniques Paperback – 23 Aug. 1990

This book replaced one that I loaned to someone and never got back.I used the original for years to develop my touch therapy treatment techniques with great success since I had many now pain free recipients.I would thoroughly recommend this book (second edition only has a few additions as far as I can see on first viewing) it is very well written with very clear illustrations and would enable anyone to practice massage techniques within the family or on clients under a regulated system.

This book cover massage, reflexology and also Shiatsu massage. IT's really helpful if you are looking at different techniques to adopt when giving massage therapy.

Product exactly as described.

Having had some experience with massage, mainly Oriental, I decided to find out more about Western techniques. I found this book a great help.

Probably the best all-around book on massage ever written. Especially useful for beginners and those who seek general knowledge rather than detailed arrays of specialized information. But the best quality lies really well drawn illustrations which are in computerized times a rare thing to see.

Bit dated but ok for what I need.

Very informative and helpful when training.

Excellent book for massage beginners . Gives clear step by step instructions illustrated by plenty of pictures so there's no confusion. Thoroughly recommend.

Perfect condition.

Great instructions just need to try them out

Good as publicised

As a fibromyalgia patient, I've found massage to be a great help in managing my disease. When my husband indicated he'd like to learn how to help me through painful moments, I began looking for a book to help teach him the basics. The combination of clear instructions, multiple suggestions for customizing massage experiences, and fantastic illustrations made this a winner (and I checked out about twenty or so different books). For someone who started with movements similar to what you'd use to pet a cat, the techniques absorbed from this book greatly increased not only his skills but his creativity in working knots out of sore muscles. I also found myself suddenly figuring out exactly how mysterious moves (from the client's perspective) were pulled off, such as using forearms or elbows instead of just palms or fingers. A few combinations of area-specific instructions intrigued me, and once suggested to a massage therapist, ended up being just the ticket for sore shoulders.Althought you can learn incredible things from this book, it's not a substitute for actual training. Even my middle-ground position as having learned from several talented massage therapists and being able to replicate their results on friends and family members do not make me nearly as adept or knowledgeable as the professionals. It's a resource and perhaps a "Layman's Guide," but not nearly enough to open a business on or to claim expert status. It's not at all comprehensive of all the techniques out there, but it's a great place to start.Although some of the illustrations are not youth-appropriate (I would not give this to a teen curious about massage), they are still handled tastefully and within context most of the time, especially considering when this was published. While my experiences in massage have always included being covered or semi-clothed, I can understand some of the rationale behind the body-baring photographs. Another note is that this book also features aromatherapy and cultural ideas of healing/massage, especially Eastern techniques. The authors don't seem to claim that these beliefs are absolute/completely necessary for massage, they do take them seriously and present them as concepts to consider and potentially include in a massage experience (personally, I don't buy into them).Overall, if you're wanting a clear, concise guide that goes in-depth on massage techniques without being too complicated for beginners, I highly suggest getting this book.

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