Start connecting with your partner. Put both hands on your partner, match the receiver’s breathing and take couple of breaths together. Giver, as you do this think of at least one thing you love or appreciate about the person you are touching. Touch is a very powerful communication tool. Your thoughts and feelings can transfer through touch. Always have happy thoughts about the person you are touching.

Let’s warm up the foot. Using the entire hands glide the top of the foot from the toes to the ankle. It’s like you are doing a mini breast stroke. Follow your hand with your torso to save your hands and fingers. Glide the sole down with your thumbs as the other fingers firmly glide the top of the foot. If your thumbs are weak you can put one thumb over the other to make them stronger.

You can also put one hand on the top of the foot, make a fist with the other hand and glide down the sole. When you massage you always want to press against something. When you press sideways like this, the hand on the top of the foot creates a wall to press against so the receiver doesn’t have to resist your pressure and completely relax. Make sure you are using your torso. Use your body weight transfer for pressure. It also helps you save your hands and fingers. The feet turn slightly inward so it’s easier to put your outer hand on the top and glide with the inner hand in fist.

You can combine the two. This gliding strokes are nice filler moves as you transition from one technique to another. Repeat at least three times.

Now knead the foot like you are squeezing a sponge. Go up and down the foot on three locations. Then stretch the top of the foot on three locations with the base of your thumbs, and stretch the bottom of the foot on three locations. Do not dig in your fingertips on the sole as it may be very ticklish to the receiver.

Put your thumbs on the arch and wring the foot by turning your hands. Do this on at least three locations up and down the arch.

Let’s warm up the toes. Grab the foot with one hand, put your fingers between the toes and circle at least three times in one direction and same number of times in the other direction. If your fingers are too big to fit between the toes, grab all the toes and circle. Then circle each toe by holding the base at least three times one way. And at least three times the other way. Repeat on all five toes.

Let’s repeat on the left foot. Glide over the foot. Combine with gliding down the sole with your thumbs. Put outer hand on the top and glide down the sole with the fist. Sponge the foot on three locations. Stand up if necessary rather than tweaking your hands and wrists. Stretch the top of the foot on three locations. Stretch the bottom of the foot on three locations. Wring the foot on three locations. Circle the foot three times each way by putting your fingers between the toes or by grabbing all the toes. Circle each toe from the base three times in each direction.

5. Connect and Warm Up