Hot Stone Massage – Update

I had originally planned to have my home study done by the end of July. However, life interrupted (as it tends to do!) and while I’d completed the reading and the test, I hadn’t completed any of the 5 required ‘practice massages’ until a few weeks ago.

Verdict? Learning this technique on your own is doable for sure, but I do agree that you need a bit of practice before unleashing your technique on the general public. I had no problems with the actual massage part, but I do have to practice getting the stones in and out of the heater quickly and efficiently, and also keeping it at a good temperature so the stones don’t cool off too much on you. Otherwise I’m having fun with the technique and would recommend learning it to others. It’s different than my usual massage style (if I can call it that), which is part of the reason I like it.

If you’re in Ontario, there are a few companies that offer home study Hot Stone Massage courses, including The Stone Massage Company (where I got my own course materials) and Stone Waters.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 8th, 2007 at 6:22 pm and is filed under Massage. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

8 Responses to “Hot Stone Massage – Update”

Rita Montgomery Says:

Hi Candice
I felt inspired to do a Google search about blogs this morning and your site was one of the first that came up. Good work, I like it. Your site also caught my eye because I am originally from Toronto. Currently I live on the Monterey-Carmel peninsula in the USA.
I have to admit that initially I rejected hot stone as just a fad, but now I think it’s great. It is so effective at melting very tight muscles to make my work easier. I’ve also found it is wonderful for sending stressed people off to another place. I often combine it with aromatherapy.
I agree that learning the technique on your own is possible but doing a session with someone who has done it for a while speeds up the learning curve.
To change the subject, I wonder if you could point me in the direction of learning more about blogs. I am also wondering how you got yours so well positioned. Perhaps this second part is a trade secret but if it isn’t, I would like to know. Thanks and Bye for now, Rita

August 31st, 2007 at 10:21 am

Candice Says:

Hi Rita,

I agree with you that it is best to have a session with someone who has been doing Hot Stone massage for a while when you are learning the technique yourself. I did, and it really helped.

As for your questions, there is a lot of information out there about blogs. What in particular are you interested in? How to start one? The history? Why people use them?

A decent article about the history of blogs and some general information about them is available in this wikipedia article.

As for how I got my own blog so well positioned, that’s mostly due to a lot of luck. There are various websites out there that explain how to get a better ‘google ranking’, but they tend to be fairly technical in their language. Most of my google ranking comes from other people having linked my blog from theirs, and the fact that I use the word ‘massage’ so much! As well, I’ve been writing here for over three years, which does help in increasing my rank a bit (more posts to archive means more chances someone will find the blog with a random search).

August 31st, 2007 at 4:46 pm

Upcoming CEU courses in Ottawa Says:

[...] Hot Stone Therapy – Offered through Jacqueline Davis, a local body worker, teacher and counselor. It was just offered this weekend, but she seems to teach it every few months, so keep checking her website. If you’d like other options, there are always home study courses, as I wrote about back in August. [...]

October 7th, 2007 at 8:40 pm

craig faucher lmt Says:

I added stones to my practice about three years ago based on a video I bought, an electric skillet, and a starter kit (just stones). Like any other technique, it was a little slow and awkward at first but I quickly developed my own style.

I started using using a thermometer and then just put a notch on the skillet thermostat when I found the right temp.

Now I keep two heavy “pillow” stones and two smaller, shaped working stones in my towel warmer so I can add something special into my regular sessions or melt into a particularly tight muscle.

Also I find having the hot stones in my hands to be very grounding when my mind is racing or I lack inspiration…or for that matter, if my hands get sore.

February 6th, 2008 at 10:26 am

shannah Says:

hi there

August 1st, 2008 at 3:02 pm

Manhattan Beach Day Spa Says:

Rita mentioned that she rejected hot stone massages, but she didn’t say if she had actually tried it or not. if she had, she would’ve known that a stone massage. If she had, she would know that the massage has everything to do with how the basalt stones are heated up, then used as a tool while performing swedish massage-like strokes along the areas of the back that are tight. The stones act as a catalyst of heat that when applied to the tight muscled areas would loosen up. After the initial massage, the massage therapist places each stone on different areas of the spine, between toes, and even gives you one to hold in each hand. This is done because it increases the flow of energy throughout the body. The stones are usually in a heated state, but when muscle injuries/inflammation are prevalent, they use the stones as is w/o the addition of heat.

So in essence, if one were to reject such a “fad,” one should have the proper knowledge as to what this massage is, then make an assessment that is viable for discussion. As for myself, I like the hot stone massage and the shiatzu massage the best. Although different in accordance to tools used and the amount of pressure being applied (more so on the shiatzu), they accomplish the same thing: Loosening of tight muscles and leaving the person these techniques are being applied to in a state of relaxation and stress-release. – Tamara

October 27th, 2008 at 10:45 am

jeffreyfrog Says:

Some massage therpaists combine traditional massage techniques with hot stone massage. They place a combination of hot and cold stones along your meridiens and down your spine. The different temperatures start releasing tensions in the muscles, then the therapist will actually use the stone to give you a massage which is ten times deeper than using hands alone. I had one last year and I felt amazing afterwards. I would definitely recommend it. The stones are not so hot that they are unbearable either. They should be heated using a professional water bath which the stones are placed in prior to treatment and the stones should be clean.

November 19th, 2008 at 8:31 am

Romanela Villegas Jimínez Says:

If I was not living so far away from you, I really would appreciate to be one of your test persons for the hot stone massage ;-). But anyway, some time is gone since your post and I am sure you have perfected your technique until now and don’t need any “test persons” anymore. I found your site while putting together a little website about with all the info I could find. Next step for me is to try this massage technique by myself and add a review about it. Nice flowers btw. Good luck! Romanela

February 12th, 2009 at 8:24 pm