May 9th
Arianna Tanimura
To complete my 19th hour, I massaged Ari, senior class president and head of senior ball.
It was a couple of days before senior ball and I stopped by B-8 just to spend time with my friends there. I noticed that she was working and stressing out about the ball tables and layout so I took the importunity to massage her. I gave her a standard shoulder and arm massage.
After the massage, she said she felt a lot more relaxed and refreshed. I paused in the middle of the massage because something caught my attention but once I started again, she expressed great relief and gratitude.
Ari and I aren't very close on a personal level, but we do help each other in the classes we share. Even though we aren't really close, I felt comfortable massaging her because her situation is all too familiar to me. She was stressed, tense, and under pressure, but a massage can make time go by a little slower.
I find myself under a lot of stress more often than not but I know from experience that massages can really help me calm down. I just hope to continue helping people out as the year dwindles down to the final days of our high school career. And I do want to continue doing this after the Capstone.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Hour 19.5
May 6th 2013
Tim Husher
5'11
After being at poly fest all day and massaging my teammates, the stress really built up in my back. Some personal issues happened with me on Sunday and I also played in a 3 day tournament the previous weekend and I didin't get a massage so I was really aching for one. I asked one of my best friends, Timothy Husher, to massage me.
Since he didn't have any real experience with it, I coached him throughout the massage. Things like, rather than putting a lot of pressure on your fingers, focus more on the pads of your thumbs; vary the pressure according to what your massaging, like, concentrate more pressure at the tips of your fingers here, the pads of your thumbs here, the inside knuckle of your thumbs here; avoid pressing on the bone to prevent pain and potential injury; find the grooves of muscle between the bones and be sensitive of the ligaments and tendons; make sure each hand is mirroring the other because if your hands are in different places, the patient will notice and it won't reach the desired relief; and things like that.
I realized, that even though Mang Adring never told me any of these things, I learned these from experience. Just from people trying to give me a massage, me massaging other people, and the comments and feedback people give me. It really boosted my confidence because 1: it confirmed that I knew what I was doing and 2: I know it well enough to teach other people and to teach it to them right. Since Tim was doing it right, I realized that I know hilot well enough to teach even the most inexperienced person the positions and techniques hilot uses. I wasn't thinking about it at the time, but now I realize that I've learned so much just from practice and experience.
After my massage, I massaged him and went through the regular routine.
I think being an athlete definitely helped me in instructing Tim. I have been under a lot of volleyball coaches, been coached by paddling coaches and the more experienced paddlers, and just from Mang Adring. This helped me in getting familiar with people and improving my speech skills. The better I know something, I more confident I am about it and the better I am at it.
My coaching and massaging lasted 18.5 hours towards my 25 required hours.
Hour 18
May 4th, 2013
Chad Teruya
5'5'' toned
Chad is also one of my paddling teammates that I massaged last year. I gave him a back, shoulder, arm, and head massage.
He said that he was already looking forward to it based on the first massage I gave him, but he said that it was different this time. I was worried when he said that because different doesn't always mean good, but he assured me that it was a "good different." He said that my hands found the right spots faster than last time, and that it was the right amount of pressure: hard where it requires and soft at the sensitive areas. He was the first to really discuss it in full detail and I felt myself really engaged in the conversation.
When I asked him to describe how it was better, it took him a while to formulate the words because he expressed himself as speechless. I was flattered and embarrassed at the same time but it just confirms that I've been improving and that I just need to keep working forward.
Chad Teruya
5'5'' toned
Chad is also one of my paddling teammates that I massaged last year. I gave him a back, shoulder, arm, and head massage.
He said that he was already looking forward to it based on the first massage I gave him, but he said that it was different this time. I was worried when he said that because different doesn't always mean good, but he assured me that it was a "good different." He said that my hands found the right spots faster than last time, and that it was the right amount of pressure: hard where it requires and soft at the sensitive areas. He was the first to really discuss it in full detail and I felt myself really engaged in the conversation.
When I asked him to describe how it was better, it took him a while to formulate the words because he expressed himself as speechless. I was flattered and embarrassed at the same time but it just confirms that I've been improving and that I just need to keep working forward.
Hour 17
May 4th
Malia Muin
5'10'' athletic, muscular, toned
Malia is one of my closest friends/teammates. She was there at poly fest as a paddler and she's been my volleyball teammate for five to six years. She's gone through a lot of injuries over the years so I was particularly careful with her.
After poly fest, her and Maddie Chong came over and I gave Malia a massage.
When I gave her a massage last year, she said that it was "heavenly." But, now, after my training and practice, she said it was "out of this world." She said that I improved a lot. Even though this sort of comment would normally embarrass me, I was really happy and proud that she felt that way. I really trust her input too because she's doing chiropractoring for her project. I feel like that's the Western counterpart to hilot and she said that we do some of the same techniques and we talk about how others differ.
I'm normally really skeptical about things, but since I've been around hilot for most of my life, I really do trust it. There's not a lot of techinical or hard evidence as to why hilot works, but the thing is, it does. My massages for the past months aand Mang Adring's years of experience confirms that. We're getting to the final stretch and all I can do is power through.
Malia Muin
5'10'' athletic, muscular, toned
Malia is one of my closest friends/teammates. She was there at poly fest as a paddler and she's been my volleyball teammate for five to six years. She's gone through a lot of injuries over the years so I was particularly careful with her.
After poly fest, her and Maddie Chong came over and I gave Malia a massage.
When I gave her a massage last year, she said that it was "heavenly." But, now, after my training and practice, she said it was "out of this world." She said that I improved a lot. Even though this sort of comment would normally embarrass me, I was really happy and proud that she felt that way. I really trust her input too because she's doing chiropractoring for her project. I feel like that's the Western counterpart to hilot and she said that we do some of the same techniques and we talk about how others differ.
I'm normally really skeptical about things, but since I've been around hilot for most of my life, I really do trust it. There's not a lot of techinical or hard evidence as to why hilot works, but the thing is, it does. My massages for the past months aand Mang Adring's years of experience confirms that. We're getting to the final stretch and all I can do is power through.
Hour 16
May 4th
Mia Balandino
5'1'' small, skinny, toned
Another paddler, Mia, is really awesome and chill. She's also one of my closer friends on the club and she's a really carefree person. Shes a steersman, so she puts a lot of stress in her right shoulder and that was evident in the knots I found there.
I just did the regular back, shoulder, arm, and head massage, and she said it was "awesome."
It's getting really easy for me to massage people now. I know what to do when I find knots, or when they're tense, and I follow what I know accordingly.
Everyone so far has given me positive feedback and now I'm looking forward at how Mang Adring will evaluate me. I'm really excited but also a bit scared but I'll just keep it one massage at a time
Mia Balandino
5'1'' small, skinny, toned
Another paddler, Mia, is really awesome and chill. She's also one of my closer friends on the club and she's a really carefree person. Shes a steersman, so she puts a lot of stress in her right shoulder and that was evident in the knots I found there.
I just did the regular back, shoulder, arm, and head massage, and she said it was "awesome."
It's getting really easy for me to massage people now. I know what to do when I find knots, or when they're tense, and I follow what I know accordingly.
Everyone so far has given me positive feedback and now I'm looking forward at how Mang Adring will evaluate me. I'm really excited but also a bit scared but I'll just keep it one massage at a time
Hour 15
Date: May 4th
Patient: Nicholas Reyes
Nick is one of my closest friends on the club and ever since I massaged him for the first time last year, he always asks for a massage.
I massaged him after Auntie Nan so I did feel a bit tired, but I really didn't feel it while I was massaging him. He has a broad back so it took some time for me to go through the regular massage, but I got through it. He paddled that day too so I can feel how tense his back was. By the end of it, he said he felt really good and relaxed.
I don't normally massage boys but I found that a lot of my patients are similar. Since they're all under some sort of stress or they all are active in sports or excessive, everyone so far has knots in their back and fine great relief when I massage their upper arms and shoulders.
Its getting to the end of the year and everyone's stressing out so I just try to calm them down. I know that I'm in a desperate need for a massage because I haven't seen Mng Adring in weeks, but I'll be okay. I'm happy with massaging people and making them feel good for my hours. I do feel the soreness in my hands after but it just reminds me that I've been working and that I just need to keep going.
Patient: Nicholas Reyes
Nick is one of my closest friends on the club and ever since I massaged him for the first time last year, he always asks for a massage.
I massaged him after Auntie Nan so I did feel a bit tired, but I really didn't feel it while I was massaging him. He has a broad back so it took some time for me to go through the regular massage, but I got through it. He paddled that day too so I can feel how tense his back was. By the end of it, he said he felt really good and relaxed.
I don't normally massage boys but I found that a lot of my patients are similar. Since they're all under some sort of stress or they all are active in sports or excessive, everyone so far has knots in their back and fine great relief when I massage their upper arms and shoulders.
Its getting to the end of the year and everyone's stressing out so I just try to calm them down. I know that I'm in a desperate need for a massage because I haven't seen Mng Adring in weeks, but I'll be okay. I'm happy with massaging people and making them feel good for my hours. I do feel the soreness in my hands after but it just reminds me that I've been working and that I just need to keep going.
Hour 14
Date: May 4th, 2013
Patient: Nanene Kainoa Ching Garcia
Body Type: 5'8'' fit
It's been a long time since I've seen our paddling club and it was really great seeing everyone again. When everything was dwindling down, I gave my coach, Auntie Nan, a shoulder and back massage.
I've been massaging people who are close to my age, but this is my first time massaging an older adult. She's been paddling since she was in high school and she's in her forties now (she won't tell me exactly how old she is). She coaches my age group, 19 and under, as well as the adults. She looks over the entire club.
I was just relaxing with my teammates and I pretty much just start massaging people randomly. It's become a habit. At the end of the year party last year, all the girls slept over Auntie Nan's house and I just gave everyone massages. Again, this is before Capstone and before Mang Adring mentoring me. I just did it because I just wanted to help. I ended up massaging about 20 people. So everyone calls is "The Gaea Massage." So now the club knows me as the back rubber and massager.
Anyway, a couple of my teammates were surprised that Auntie Nan never received a "Gaea Massage" before so I gave her one right then and there. She was still wearing her jacket, so I wasn't accustomed to massage people through clothes, but I did my best.
Right when I started she was already impressed. She was impressed at how strong my hands were and she assumed it was because I played volleyball. I clarified and told her that I've been training and practicing hilot for my senior project. Then throughout the massage I explained what hilot was and why I chose to do it.
I found a knot above her right shoulder blade and she tensed up at first, but when I massaged it out, she relaxed. She was really happy that she finally got a "Gaea Massage." Pretty soon, I had a line forming behind her.
She was one of the only people that didn't have any previous experience to compare it to, but she said that it was great and she's looking forward to a full body one.
Even though she's an older adult, again, everyone has the same muscles and the same bones so I just stuck with what I knew and tried to help her out. I can feel my hands getting stronger and I'm getting more comfortable with the body and how to better relieve it.
Patient: Nanene Kainoa Ching Garcia
Body Type: 5'8'' fit
It's been a long time since I've seen our paddling club and it was really great seeing everyone again. When everything was dwindling down, I gave my coach, Auntie Nan, a shoulder and back massage.
I've been massaging people who are close to my age, but this is my first time massaging an older adult. She's been paddling since she was in high school and she's in her forties now (she won't tell me exactly how old she is). She coaches my age group, 19 and under, as well as the adults. She looks over the entire club.
I was just relaxing with my teammates and I pretty much just start massaging people randomly. It's become a habit. At the end of the year party last year, all the girls slept over Auntie Nan's house and I just gave everyone massages. Again, this is before Capstone and before Mang Adring mentoring me. I just did it because I just wanted to help. I ended up massaging about 20 people. So everyone calls is "The Gaea Massage." So now the club knows me as the back rubber and massager.
Anyway, a couple of my teammates were surprised that Auntie Nan never received a "Gaea Massage" before so I gave her one right then and there. She was still wearing her jacket, so I wasn't accustomed to massage people through clothes, but I did my best.
Right when I started she was already impressed. She was impressed at how strong my hands were and she assumed it was because I played volleyball. I clarified and told her that I've been training and practicing hilot for my senior project. Then throughout the massage I explained what hilot was and why I chose to do it.
I found a knot above her right shoulder blade and she tensed up at first, but when I massaged it out, she relaxed. She was really happy that she finally got a "Gaea Massage." Pretty soon, I had a line forming behind her.
She was one of the only people that didn't have any previous experience to compare it to, but she said that it was great and she's looking forward to a full body one.
Even though she's an older adult, again, everyone has the same muscles and the same bones so I just stuck with what I knew and tried to help her out. I can feel my hands getting stronger and I'm getting more comfortable with the body and how to better relieve it.
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