Fitness shaping massage

Alexander Ermolaev is a leading spa technologist in Latvia, an international massage master, a teacher of massage technologies, a member of the board of the Baltic Spa Association, a teacher at the TOP International Center (Latvia, Riga).

Strong muscular frame

When we frown, rejoice or talk, the muscles of our face are actively working. The facial muscles that form facial expressions are grouped mainly around the eyes, eyebrows, lips, nose, and forehead. The overall appearance of the face largely depends on its tone, strength and elasticity; contraction and relaxation of facial muscles creates a cheerful, carefree, sad or gloomy facial expression. Even in sleep, our face is not completely relaxed: the eyelids and eyeballs twitch, the muscles around the mouth contract. Over the years, muscles lose tone and seem to “deflate”, decreasing in volume. In addition, constant stress on the same muscles leads to overstrain of connective tissues and therefore - hello, wrinkles and a “floating” facial contour!

Using your own resources

Fitness-forming massage (FFM) is a serious scientific system for restorative training of the facial muscles. It is based on knowledge of dynamic human anatomy and physiology, the gradual development and “revitalization” of atrophied and dormant muscles of the face, neck, and chest. Muscles that people don't know about and therefore don't use. Muscles that we simply don’t know how to use. Muscles that many people probably don't even know they have. The live touch of a true professional and direct contact with the skin work wonders. The effect can be compared to light plastic surgery with only one difference: rejuvenation with the help of FFM is a natural process - the resources for regeneration are inherent in us.

Features of the technique

The facial FFM modeling technique has four levels of impact.

1. Acupressure. It is carried out at the anatomical points of fixation of the muscle to the periosteum, at the exit point of the artery of the same name, which supplies the muscle with blood.
2. Targeted myostimulation. It is carried out by manual local impact on the facial muscle with a load.
3. Local massage technique. The final part of the procedure involves facial lymphatic drainage.
4. Creation of automatic “facial posture”, facial autolifting technique. Allows the client to independently maintain the tone of the facial muscles in excellent condition, to competently exercise the facial muscles every day, teaches him control over muscle contraction and relaxation, and self-control of facial expressions.

The goal of a fitness-forming massage is to restore the architectonics of the face, return it to a “youthful” oval, and the object of influence is the deep layers of the skin that provide its turgor, subcutaneous tissue, lymphatic and blood vessels and, of course, muscles. To “get” to them, the massage therapist needs trained and sensitive hands. What also distinguishes this technique from other massage treatments is the active participation of the client himself in the procedure.

The essence of the technique is as follows. Before toning begins, the muscle is stretched, then a load is applied (vertical pressure with the fingers of the muscle), and according to the precise command of the master, the muscle is contracted. After this, the muscle group slowly relaxes. The oval of the face, chin, nasolabial triangle, cheeks, forehead, eyebrow muscles are worked with special pressing (with a force of 2-3 kg!) movements of the fingers at carefully adjusted points.

In addition, the massage includes the use of facial massagers, the author's technique of epidermal pinching on a statically tense muscle, and the technique of vibromassage with neurological tuning forks.

Benefits and results

The technique of fitness-forming massage has a low cost of procedure, which is especially important in the context of a crisis in the cosmetology industry. In addition, facial FFM has a number of advantages:

• is an effective way to counteract the gravitational factor of facial skin aging;
• provides the opportunity for non-surgical face lifting and is an alternative to mesotherapy;
• increases the tone of the muscles of the chin and neck, helps to “tighten” them;
• smoothes wrinkles, slows down the aging process, prevents the formation of early wrinkles;
• corrects and strengthens the oval of the face, removes a double chin;
• returns the face to its “youthful” shape and delays the onset of the aging process.

Possible applications

Due to the wide possibilities and versatility of the methodology, a specialist with the skills to conduct FFM of a person can expand the price list of the services provided. FFM approaches individually to solving client problems and allows you to create a wide range of options for the procedure. Therefore, the list of procedures includes:

• the facial FFM procedure itself (its duration is 50 minutes);
• procedure for modeling the shape of the bust and rejuvenating the décolleté (duration – 50 minutes);
• rejuvenating acupressure facial massage (duration – 25 minutes);
• use of the facial FFM technique to restore impaired tone of the facial muscles due to diseases and injuries of various etiologies, after plastic surgery on the face;
• application of the facial FFM technique to improve the functions of the organs of smell, touch, vision, hearing by increasing blood microcirculation in the muscles and skin;
• FFM of the face as a body-oriented therapy that is capable of solving problems of a psycho-emotional nature that are reflected on the face in the form of various types of disorders and asymmetries.

Thus, fitness-shaping massage is an impressive way to rejuvenate facial skin and achieve natural health.

First published : KOSMETIK international journal, No. 3(37), 2009, pp. 30-32