Sunday, June 6, 2010

Introduction to Massage weekend

Much to my surprise (and that of Steve's) I made a reasonably substantial decision in the last month or so and decided to enrol in a Certificate IV course in massage practice through the Australian College of Massage. The course comprises 8 subjects - 4 'theory' based subjects that I do via distance learning (I've already completed Clinical Aromatherapy and am two thirds of the way through Human Biology). Anyways, this weekend was the first of the practical subjects, Intro to Massage, which was held in Brisbane.
There were 16 of us in the group, 5 guys, 11 women, I was probably the oldest, and they were a very nice group of strangers with whom to be learning how to massage. Lynda, our instructor was also very good and so we went though a series of instructions about draping before learning how to do back, back of legs, upper buttocks (who would have thought the proper name for bum-crack was 'gluteal fold'*), shoulders and arms and face massages. I go back for two more workshops in August and the final one is in September. Then, all going well I'll be a qualified massage therapist. Not planning on leaving work, but will be nice if I can build up a small clientele.
* My good friend, Louise, who is an Emergency Department physician at Orange Base Hospital pointed out politely that in fact, the bum crack is not the gluteal fold but is instead the natal cleft. Indeed, it is more a cleft than a fold, when you think more deeply about it. The gluteal fold, a term with which she in fact, was not familiar, is the crease at the base of the arse cheek and your leg. Thanks Dr Louise!

2 comments:

Louise said...

Psst Kevin, the gluteal fold is actually the crease between buttock and thigh, and thus at 90 degrees to the natal cleft (proper name for butt crack). Interestingly gluteal fold isn't a term that I'd come across before, we don't need to use it I guess. But hey, we all learnt something.

Mutterings from Maryville said...

thanks for that, Dr L...it makes more sense too, it's much more of a cleft than a fold.....