The massage is performed over a sheet or over the clothing rather than directly on the skin, in keeping with the tradition of Japanese massage. In contrast to other, more general techniques, Amma does not use massage oil and practitioners do not use long effleurage strokes. Amma techniques include various manipulations, movements and sophisticated percussion techniques, which take a long time to master. In Amma massage, the practitioner applies direct pressure to different tsubos and acupuncture points on the body. As a result, the urban Japanese population is no longer familiar with Amma massage.Īmma massage is based on the principles of Chinese medicine, which seek to balance yin and yang as well as the energy channels within the body. Shiatsu became the traditional Japanese approach, while its true ancestor, Amma, faded into the shadows. After the Second World War, shiatsu increased in popularity thanks to effective marketing. In the mid-18 th century, Amma was established as a profession for the blind, with nearly all practitioners who graduated from massage schools being visually impaired. It was subsequently adopted by the Japanese and pronounced AMMA. The word massage, represented by the Chinese characters AN and MO, means to soothe through touch. Traditional Chinese healing arts such as herbology, acupuncture and massage were introduced to Japan approximately 1,500 years ago. Amma does not treat illness by providing a specific diagnosis, but instead aims to soothe through touch. Originally from Japan, it has remained separate from Western massage and medicine and has preserved Japanese traditions. I've also started learning about Amma Massage myself.Amma massage is performed using pressure that is similar to acupuncture, shiatsu and various forms of acupressure massage. What is the difference between amma massage and shiatsu massage? So really they're not two types of massage per se - they're more of complimentary aspects of a massage. During an amma shiatsu massage, a therapist will use amma diagnostics to figure out where to massage, then massage those pressure points or points in need of balance with a shiatsu technique. However, many practitioners offer amma shiatsu massages in which a person uses amma techniques during a shiatsu massage. September 17, - Technically, amma is the push pull technique, whereas shiatsu is "finger massage", that is, a massage that involves only the palms, fingers, and thumbs. Has anybody reading this had an amma massage? Has anyone ever had an amma massage? I am really curious about how it actually works, or if it actually works, because it sounds fantastic, but I'd like to hear from some people who have had one before I go to get one myself. the points covered are the same points that acupuncturists follow.
AMMA MASSAGE THERAPY HOW TO
chinese doctors, before they learned to learn about applying acupuncture needles would learn how to do amma. in order to continue practicing Amma, (at that particular time most of these practitioners were blind) practitioners incorporated some western massage techniques and began to call what they did shiatsu which became more well known from then on.Īmma has its roots in 5000 years of japanese (and chinese of course) medicine. Traditional japanese healing (and other) arts were made illegal after mccarthy came in at the end of WW II. many people claim that they feel the affects of an amma session for weeks after. if you can find a practitioner that still gives a traditional Amma massage i highly recommend giving it a try.
Learning and practicing amma changed my life for the better. I have never experienced a more thorough massage and have had clients cry, get angry- feel various things during and after the massage. there are more general pressures applied at first to "open" an area up, (also a way of announcing an intention to begin to work in that area of the body, etc.) it is a comprehensive, invigorating massage that covers the whole body except the genitals and is traditionally done through a sheet.
Much of the technique is a method in which the thumb is applied to the point in a four count rhythm, each successive press going a bit deeper. the hour version covers 140 tsubos,(points) along the chi meridians with 25 hand techniques. amma massage follows a strict kata, (form). I studied and graduated from the Amma Institute in san francisco back in the early nineties. AMMA is uniquely only Mrs Sohns and is getting twisted all over the internet now since she passed away and many who lost permission to teach do not have to answer to her anymore. You will not find AM MA in chinese - Anmo and Anma yes. It is not related to the Japanese ANMA (n not m) and the term AM-MA was coined by Dr Robert Sohn referencing very ancient Chinese wording no longer in use. The description above of Amma Massage is a twisted form of explanation of AMMA Therapy® which is a registered trademark style founded by Great Grandmaster Tina Sohn.