Hartford Massage Info Blog

Thanks for checking out my blog. This will be updated regularly. The Hartford Massage info blog is all about keeping Hartford and surrounding areas informed of the great benefits of Therapeutic Massage. An RSS feed is the new way to go on the 'net to keep your email adress completely secure. You get all the info you need, but it won't crowd your email inbox!

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Jan 2, 2008, massage oil

massage oil: what are the types?

Dec 25, 2007, Massage Therapy facts

Massage Therapy facts: what are they statistics?

Dec 24, 2007, What exactly is Swedish massage?

Need to relax? Swedish massage is the time honored technique

Dec 24, 2007, Best massage chair?

get a chair massage with Robert Graves LMT. I use the best massage chair on the market

Dec 24, 2007, massage tips

Massage tips: tips for getting the most out of your session

Dec 24, 2007, videos

well today I added some videos to the site, after some initial glitches. This only took, oh, six hours to figure out... There is a lot of junk on You Tube, but I found some good videos from expertvillage.com and another site.

Taking a bit of a winter break here, no new clients for now. I'll be doing lots more chair massage come spring, though.

Have a great Holidays!

Dec 15, 2007, Folk remedies

I've been reading a lot lately about an old folk remedy, Apple cider vinegar. I was on a flyfishing web forum last week, and a gentleman said he had bad arthritis in his casting arm and shoulder, especially his rotator cuff.

He said by taking a teaspoon a day, he was cured and pain free in two weeks. He gave some to his dog in his water bowl, said the dog was cured of his dragging leg in about the same time. He said "get the organic, unfiltered type". So I got some.

For years, I've had shoulder and neck pain from casting, (especially the big heavy salt water rods) and computer work, not to mention fly-tying! I've been on this for two days, the bottle was only $2.49. We'll see what happens.

I know guitar players (which I also am) have sworn about this for years for finger-joint issues. Pls. check with your doctor, they say to take it with food. If you add it to water, add some honey to sweeten, I guess.

This is pretty interesting stuff. I've been researching this on various sites, one said it helps you retain water, as statistically, 80% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Esp. if you drink coffee, which also depletes your body of calcium and other minerals...

Dec 9, 2007, more on water

Last summer, I wrote a simple blog about water, and its importance. Lately, I've found a new way to find really good sites and articles on the web. Check out this article: Water as a cure: Why conventional medicine won't tell you what water can do

Dec 8, 2007, Self massage! Do your own massage in the tub with soap!

self massage, AKA

Nov 3, 2007, asking for what you need in massage

When booking a session with any practitioner, be sure to give them feedback on what you need. We really appreciate it! In school, we were trained on how to do this, but you don't have to just say "fine".

Every client is different, some have different preferences on room temp, oils, lotions, sheets, blankets, music, etc.

If you need an additional pillow, bolster, just ask! I have one client who always needs a folded towel under her left hip when lying prone, another one always needs rolled towels under her shoulders, a gentleman regular needs a "body pillow" for side lying, he hates face cradles, stuffs up his sinuses. Just a few examples from my notes, and initial intakes.

Also, skin allergies, contact lenses, physical injuries are most important. This is also why we take a health intake form, so we can do our job right, customized just for you.

If you need to move slightly on the table, adjust, no problem. bathroom breaks are permitted, as well as hydration breaks. Don't like the music? Tell us! Bring your own CD if you want too! Always open to new music here.

Need more or less pressure, or the same area worked twice? No problem. This is all your time. We owe you this attention, it's your body after all, and we are always grateful that there's only one like you :)

Peace out,

Rob

Oct 28, 2007, Massage Therapy for Anxiety

feeling nervous? Out of balance? Try Massage Therapy for anxiety relief

Sep 30, 2007, Muscle pain and definitions

This blog may help with some FAQ's I often get on muscle imbalances/issues:

Spasm: Usually comes and goes in waves, may refer pain or move to another muscle. Pain tends to be localized, may be body's response to further protect an injured area.

Strain: This is when the muscle is actually torn. Very painful. Massage is contraindicated in initial stages. See your doctor. Best to keep it immobilized. Massage is ok later on after full recovery.

Soreness/post exercise "Lactic acid buildup". Is caused by anaerobic activity, after muscle glycogen supply is depleted. Fatigue, pain, usually lasts a short time. (hours, days). Also involves micro-tears in muscle fibers. The pain will subside with an adequate recovery period, hot baths, light recovery massage is beneficial.

Cramp: Usually involves an entire muscle. Often caused by fatigue, metabolic electrolyte imbalance, Tonic water or quinine most effective.

Postural pain: Often times, the muscle will actually increase its tone to maintain an abnormal posture. The muscle becomes fixed in this position and has less range of motion because of this repetititve pattern. This is very common in office workers, those who carry a lot of stress, and Fibromyalgia sufferers.

In general, massage can be a great benefit to these different problems!

Sep 12, 2007, How to budget for a wellness program and get the results you need

"How much massage do I need, and how frequently?" is a "FAQ" I often get.

Set realistic goals for yourself. Often, it took years to get those muscles into that state, and while getting one massage will help greatly, the true benefits are usually realized after about four sessions. You may, for example, notice a change in your posture and range of motion almost immediately. But give yourself a couple days to really note your improvement.

However, to get the best benefit from massage, whether deep tissue or "wellness" work, You should think ahead, and advance book a session BEFORE the pain starts again, instead of waiting until it begins again.

If your body is playing catch- up with itself on a continuing basis, the benefits of the massage are reduced greatly. When you book ahead with any massage therapist, you also get the time and day you want, and if the therapist knows you're on the preventative maintenance schedule, They can help you better, because they will be more in tune with your body's processes, progess levels, emotions, and chronic areas of tension.

We call this "muscle memory". For us, knowing exactly how much pressure to apply and what technique works best is dependent on our intuition as well as mechanical skill and schooling experience.

We simply have to "get to know" your body.

Another analogy: when you embark on a yoga practice, it eventually does not feel awkward to take a stretch, right to "the edge", and even slightly "beyond the edge", where the muscle will then become more flexible in a small increment.

The first class is often a bit intimidating, as you don't have the confidence in your body yet. Can this instructor really help you? Massage is exactly the same.

If your schedule changes that week, it's no big deal. Life happens. Just give your therapist some notice, at least 24 hours, and they will happily make an adjustment for you to a different day or time.

That way, you are still in the "wellness window", and not losing time and benefits of the work you've already invested in. We LMT's do understand that massage is a great investment, and we truly want your session to work out. If it doesn't, we'll refund your session fee!

For us, however, the greatest reward comes down the road when we hear things like: "you know, I've been sleeping better, I'm more focused, centered, and I played the best game of (----- ) ever in ten years! I won the tournament! I can't believe it!"

This is precisely why we do this work. It's not magic, just common sense. So consider a proactive maintenance schedule instead of a reactive one if you are "on a mission" to get better.

With each session, the benefits get even greater as they build exponentially when we work you in a "tuned in" fashion!

Thanks again!

Rob

Aug 27, 2007, Sunday Blues: On honoring your current state

Tonight, I am feeling a bit "under the weather" I think it's the sudden change in barometer, there is another cool, wet front moving in, after two days of heat. Before that, it felt like late October! What is going on?

Personally, I cannot stand really hot weather, and I will never move to Florida. Did I say that once before? But so far, I've made it through the summer without once turning on my AC. The rates are so high now! So I've used the old fashioned methods; wet towels, wet t-shirts, house fans, and ice cubes rolled up in bandanas, etc.

But There's a huge hamper full of sheets to be washed, folded, and ironed in the corner. This will definitely wait until morning.

I picked up my guitar. I couldn't find the slide. I think it may have rolled under the cabinets. I didn't want to crawl for it.

The old Fender was out of tune. I put it down immediately without bothering.

I wanted to go out and practice some golf, but I spent the whole day inside, writing and reflecting. I did, however, listen to some old CD's I haven't heard in a while, and adjusted the amazing 24" speakers I bought at Salvation Army for only $25.00. This was a nurturing moment indeed.

Right now. there's a PGA tournament on TV, so I'm learning by watching. I have not watched TV much for a month.

I'm sitting in my barco-lounger with the vibrating massage pad (with heat!) on full blast.

I am covered with my favorite blanket, an old Hudson Bay, the one with the four inch hole burned from a camp fire cinder. it still smells faintly of Catskill wood smoke. Man, what a trip that was. We really caught some big rainbows...

The house is a mess, I don't care. I worked hard yesterday doing massage, then worked on one of my bikes, the one with the motor, and repaired a leak in the fuel tank. This took lots of concentration, and 4 hours. But no more leak. I saved 30.00. I had time to ride, too. Wind therapy, someone recommended recently. Easy, too!

I took two hot baths today, and did some gentle yoga and self massage. I fell asleep in the bath tub the second time. It feels great when you have the water right at body temp!

I remember two simple words someone gave me long ago when I was feeling the effects of a phase I was going through; "Embrace yourself".

So now, my viewpoint has changed. It's perfectly ok to feel this way sometimes! When I was young, always on the go, this was always a bad thing. So we'd just fire up the coffepot.

But your body is telling you something. So just honor it, and it soon shall pass.

Peace out, Rob

Jul 25, 2007, Ahimsa: the art of non-violence, healing prayers

Tonight I am sorting through many different emotions about some people who I have crossed paths with as of late.

About an hour ago I saw a documentary on the widows of Sept. 11, but also, brilliantly, I thought, on the widows in Iraq and Afghanistan. Such beautiful, strong faces, covered in their tattered shawls, staring hauntingly into the lens, like that famous green eyed girl in Time magazine a few years ago.

America's next immigrant wave, mark my words.

The narrator concluded with: "without fear, there is no courage". And they showed how many more widows are over there now, vs. here. That hit home for me, not politically, but on a humanitarian standpoint. I will leave all politics out of this. You just had to see them all standing there.

The final media- kicker tonight was the dissheveled picture of Lindsay Lohan on MSNBC news. Arrested for drunken road rage and cocaine posession. Apparently, she was chasing someone in her car. Confused, tortured, but still hauntingly beautiful, and I don't mean that like I am attracted to her. She looks a lot more mature now. I don't have a clue how old she is, but it doesn't matter. I only saw one clip of her from a movie but thought she was a pretty decent actress. Again, this stuff is nothing new. America will blog on her fate and probably condemmn her like Paris Hilton. We all love the tragic, sensational crucifiction, as it sells lots of toothpaste. "What does all this have to do with Hartford Massage Therapy?", I am sure you ask.

One thing I learned in Yoga was the concept of Ahimsa, which means "non violence" in Sanskrit, not only in action but in communication. I am not always perfect at this, and I doubt anyone really is, despite their claims.

People push our buttons, It's even worse when you see them coming, with a smirk on their face. It's tough. People can be demanding, hostile, threatening, toxic, they can sap your strength. Sometimes you cannot escape their energy drain. I have been zapped a few times myself.

We may be judgmental of Paris and Lindsay, but secretly wonder how we would handle all that constant attention and scrutiny. Would we be secure and grounded with our own success, or will we sabotage it all, feeling unworthy/untrustworthy in the end? Who really is a friend, and who is just there for the ride, gone instantly when the coke runs out, or when we simply hit the guard rail?

Simply put, in your meditation, you try to say a "healing prayer" for them, and have it come from a place of love in your heart, even though you are not even friends. It just helps you cope. Peace out Rob

Jul 10, 2007, Why is water so important in massage?

I am grateful that we had a little bit of indoctrination to this heat wave this year. I am not a fan of very hot weather. I will never move to florida. I need mountains, cold trout streams with mist on the freezing cold lake in the early morning.

Just a few tips on water. make sure you get a head start on hydrating first thing in the morning, especially if you are a coffee drinker, (which I am). You are probably aware that coffee is a diuretic, so it's even more important to get a "base" of water BEFORE the coffee. Give your kidneys a break in this heat!

If your urine is yellow and concentrated, you are dehydrated. You do not have to be thirsty to be dehydrated. Thirst is actually the body's last alarm clock.

Urine should be clear, and you should be "going" frequently, maybe once an hour or so. Also, proper hydration will alleviate those computer-headaches and "crunchy" noises you may hear in your neck. People always ask me "what is that? What's the matter with me?" That's the muscle fascia, which is a cartilaginous sheath surrounding the muscles. It becomes sticky and brittle without enough cerebrospinal fluid, which is dependent on water. The neck area, particularly the occipital region, just behind the back of your skull, is interlaced with fascia. So hydrate frequently, and you'll hear less of that. Don't worry, it's pretty common. Feeling stressed at work? People just getting under your skin? Drink a large glass of ice water. The colder the better. This will calm your nerves. Chill out.

I still have to get one of those handy pump-type water purifiers for hiking. The better ones are about $50.00. I am still a bit "old school". I still use the iodine tabs, a bottle is only five bucks at Wal-Mart. The new tabs come with a second tab that takes out all the nasty iodine taste, and the water is clear again, and tastes great. Those are great for emergencies also. The only down side is it takes about half an hour for it all to work.

Lately, I have taken some interest about ozone purified water that has the PH balanced. taking some of the acidity out of your body's mix may help with arthritic conditions and muscle pain. I've read that eating oatmeal helps with that as well. You can find this water at Wild Oats in West Hartford. It's not hyper-expensive, either. And oh yes, do they have the oatmeal.

If you lift weights, being dehydrated will sap your strength immensely. for those fellow road bikers out there, try strapping a chunk of ice to the back of your neck with a bandana when you ride, and wet the bandana frequently. (I just hope we get a massive thunderstorm tonight to break this all up. stay cool! Rob

Jul 4, 2007, What About breathing?

Today I was remembering a yoga class I had years ago. I think it was the cool weather that brought it on, for some reason, coupled with the full moon and clear night skies. We were lying in a position called "leg down spinal twist" . At that time I was new to yoga, and was simply amazed at how much better I began to feel. However, my injured shoulder and neck were still in excruciating pain, and as I lay there, it was all I could think about, I couldn't focus. The instructor said in a very gentle voice; "send the breath into that spot, like white light, washing it all away". I will never forget those words. Later, she ended the class with a salutation to the rising moon as it came over the mountain out the window. A refreshing cool breeze blew through the windows, and the drapes danced a bit. We stood there in "mountain" posture. Then we did a bend to the left, as it was a crescent moon. I thought to myself, "this is just too cool!"

When you breathe deeply, more oxygen gets to the muscles, and if they are being stretched or massaged, this helps the healing process. But most of us breathe shallowly during our stressful days at the office, or wherever we may be.

Breathing from down lower in your stomach and diaphragm helps the process a lot as well. Just watch your stomach rise and fall as you breathe deeply and rhythmically.

And instead of judging yourself when you are in lots of pain, just honor it, it's a lot easier, because you get to play with it a little, and maybe find its "edge", just like when you do a stretch, and go gently to that place where it starts to hurt a little, but then you back off from it just a bit, and breathe through it. Suddenly you discover that you may be able to take it just a tiny bit further...

It's just amazing what discoveries you can make when you open your mind a little. Have a great July fourth! prayers to those in combat peace out Rob

Jun 23, 2007, New developments: New Space at Hartford Family Institute, And Wild Oats Chair Massage on monday nights.

Just a couple quick notes: I am transitioning to a new space at Hartford Family Institute on 17 South Highland Street. Hours by advance appointment only. The room is a bit larger than my current space, and it's a really nice location also. More to come on this, Pics of the space, facility, etc. I also do chair massage at Wild Oats Market on Bishop's corner every monday night 6 to 8. I may stay later if necessary. This is such a fun place to work, I've been there 3 years and love it! Stop by, even if you just say hi. I set up right in front by the windows.