ACUPRESSURE CHINESE MASSAGE (TUI NA) With ROB LONG, MA, Lic Ac, MBAcC, DipItec, DipBHtec

Acupressure Chinese Massage can give powerful and practical assistance with a wide variety of ailments, and is not solely for helping ease aches, pains, stiffness and injuries.

Called in Chinese Tui Na, (pronounced ‘twee nah’), it is said to be the oldest massage system in the world, and is becoming increasingly well-known in the UK. In China Tui Na is generally practised in large hospital units by white-coated doctors, and is regarded there in much the same way Westerners view Physiotherapy. However, the experience of having Tui Na is very, very different.

Rob Long, (already by this time an experienced Acupuncturist), trained in Tui Na at the BodyHarmonics Institute in Cheltenham in 2002, and has been honing his skills ever since.

Rob finds that Tui Na is unique in many ways. For instance it is done with the client fully-clothed, with no use of oils. Tui Na also uses all the diagnostic skills and complex theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is sometimes described as ‘Acupuncture without the needles’. It also possesses many techniques that simply don’t exist in any other massage system, as well as making great use of Acupressure.

As it is practised in China today, Tui Na could be described as a ‘strong, vigorous, deep-tissue massage’. However Rob Long has spent a great deal of time studying the more ancient, Daoist roots of the system and has found that Tui Na can also be a gentle, feather-light relaxation massage for those who wish to explore the spiritual side of life, or even just want to be pampered! It can even be performed as a soothing head, neck and shoulders massage. It all depends on what you need, and what you want.

Rob uses Tui Na in two specific ways
1): As a very helpful addition to Acupuncture, often performed during an Acupuncture session, and
2): as a stand-alone full-body massage in its own right.
This often appeals to those who just want a great massage or, who’d like the benefits of the Traditional Chinese approach, but are not fond of needles!

FEATURES OF TUI NA ACUPRESSURE CHINESE MASSAGE:

• SAME APPROACH AS ACUPUNCTURE, BUT NO NEEDLES

• DEEP-TISSUE MASSAGE: CAN BE VIGOROUS AND STRONG, OR FEATHER-LIGHT AND RELAXING

• DONE THROUGH THE CLOTHING, WITHOUT OILS