Massage & Mindfulness
Whether you treat yourself or someone special to a Kneader, it’s the gift that will keep on giving!
I designed the Kneader body massage tool because I’m a massage therapist who wanted my clients to have something they could massage at home with, in between their treatments. It’s now an award-winning product that is sold internationally to both massage professionals and those who just need a good rub now and again.
My belief is that the trick to most success is ‘little and often’. With the Kneader, you can learn to do all the main massage moves easily so that you can self-massage (or do a massage swap with someone) to work those trouble spots for 5-10 minutes regularly, which can help both your body and mind relax and feel better.
Want to see how the Kneader works? Find how-to tips and videos of the Kneader in action on our Kneads Must YouTube channel
We spend an enormous amount of time sitting in the same position, either working long hours in the office or at home watching the telly. The physiological fact is we are not designed to sit for so long and it’s affecting both our short and long-term health. Scary research is surfacing on just how unhealthy a static lifestyle is, and it is now considered as bad as smoking. The good news is that it’s easily rectified. Getting up, stretching and/or moving about for a couple of minutes every hour will help melt away the ‘fuzz’* (see below) that is stiffening up our muscles and limiting our movement. Ever see a cat or dog get up after sleeping? They do a long body stretch (that main move in Yoga isn’t called ‘Downward Dog’ for nothing!) and we should be following that example.
Here are our quick and easy desk stretches that you can do in your office or at home. They feel great and help keep everything limber!
.* Here’s the (in)famous ‘fuzz’ video. It’s a 5-minute talk by an anatomist called Gil Hedley and really explains what the fuzz is and how detrimental it can be. Please note that the video does contain a dissected cadaver, so if you’re squeamish, you might want to give it a miss.
This is a great vlog that deals with ending suffering and stress by detaching from outcomes. It really resonated with me on several points. First, because it’s a really short, informal talk. Sam was on holiday when this came to him and I like the spontaneity of it. It’s as if I’m there in the room, and we’re having a very chilled chat about life. I therefore found myself listening better, because I felt a part of the conversation. Second, because I’m just as guilty as the next of pinning my happiness on the ‘outcome’ instead of making each moment the best it can be. Sam is always full of great mindful advice and I can’t recommend him enough!
Visit Sam’s site for further guidance and great vlogs!
SO very excited. The International Massage Association (IMA) has just put out their teaser video for the 2019 World Massage Championships on YouTube and the Kneader has been featured in it! It’s towards the end of this short clip and it’s the only tool featured, so it’s a big honour and I’m thrilled! If you’re a therapist and want to take part in an amazing competition, then the IMA World Massage Championship 2019 is for you. You’ll meet great therapists, see loads of new routines and techniques and have a fabulous time.
Kneads Must loves hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) but there are many more nuggets of Nordic sense and sensibility to help us enjoy the art of living in mindfulness. I especially love ‘fika paus’ – who doesn’t like a proper cuppa? Here’s a little taster collage I posted on our socials a couple of weeks back. It’s only a start but hopefully it will inspire people to delve deeper into the joys of living in and loving every moment possible, especially in the colder, darker months. The Little Book of Hygge is a great beginner’s read.