Let’s get into the subject of tapping technique for the body massage. Tapping is one the easiest massage you can perform and give to a person. Like how its name suggests, simply tap your way! It is very effective to remove stiffness and promote blood circulation. Anyone can perform the tapping massage because of the low level learning curve. But there is one important idea you must know before you proceed.

The key is pounding the body using your fingers. The best kept secret when you are tapping is the rhythm! Do you know that there are 3 types of tapping you can do?

Fingertip tapping

Form your hands like how you would when you clap your hands. Think karate hands. Then, using your finger tips, tap the respective body parts with a consistent rhythm. It will feel like you are poking somebody this way. But this is how it works.

Karate hacking

The hand position is the same with the previous tapping. But, this time, you use the side of your palm to do the tapping. Again, you can think of the karate movement when fighters love to chop the board. But you should never “hack” directly on a bone. At the same time, you wrist must be loose and not tense. You are applying much more force than you think. Therefore, keep it light and never use force.

You can tap continuously at the calf muscle (lower leg), moving up and down, covering the entire calf area. This is rather a rapid succession of motion. The rate of tapping can be anywhere between 5 to 10 taps.

Fist pounding

Form your hands as if you want to punch someone. Then pretend you are pounding or banging a door. This is how you should perform the fist pounding. Likewise, don’t grip your fist too tightly. Be careful not to punch too hard! In fact, the way you tap is very different from punching too. Pound lightly with the side of the palms repeatedly.

When should you use these 3 techniques? The rule of thumb is use the fingertips for bony areas, where minimal pressure is needed. For more pressure, you can progress into karate hacking or fist pounding.

Beware of the kidney and spine areas too. Instead, tap away at the bottom of the feet, buttocks and thighs. These are some of the best places on the body to tap.