Have you ever gotten really excited to see a new client walk into your massage office because they’re so big that they are going to be an AWESOME barefoot massage client? But then you have a moment of dismay because they are so big that you don’t have room for your feet on the table?

I’ve tried hanging on for dear life with little space for my toes. Why not do this?

1. Because my gastrocs were screaming at me

2. my feet were more prone to cramping (try working out a cramp with one foot while massaging with the other. I don’t recommend it.)

3. and my hands, forearms, shoulders said an unpleasant hello to me the following day.

Today, we’re going to show you a super quick fix for how to make more room for your feet during barefoot massage when your client takes up most of the table.

Best of all, you already have the equipment you need: your short stool.

Your table is usually around 23″-24″ high, and your short stool is 24″. This is a perfect height to shimmy right up flush to your massage table.

I like to place it somewhere around my client’s hip / waist area so that I can easily access the legs, hips, and torso. Sometimes it takes a little finagling to figure out what’s the best place.

Do NOT compromise your body mechanics! If something feels “off” then change positions.

Because your pressure will be shifted into your client, your stool should be stable and not be wobbly at all.

Make sure you put your strap behind your back for safety, and if your stool feels unstable, get down and put it in a more stable position.

Remember that safety and good body mechanics are priorities.

Once you finish working on one side, simply step down, pick up your stool and replace it on the other side to rinse and repeat.

Sliding your feet into flip flops or stepping on a clean towel / yoga mat will keep your feet clean and free of debris so you don’t have to reclean them.

While all this rigamarole may feel like a huge gap in your massage, remember that your client hasn’t any other ashiatsu experience from you, so it will seem completely normal. And it really only takes a few moments to move you and your stool from one side of the table to the other.

Just make sure you smoothly get up and down off the stool and don’t jostle it about or, heaven forbid, whack him on the body with it. 😉

Let us know if you have any other scenarios you need help with by leaving a comment below!

And if you know of someone who could use this tip, make sure you pass it along.

Until next time, keep those toenails short and your feet nice and soft. 😀
And as usual, our class schedule can be found here.