How to Give a Back Rub

Slow and deep is the secret, says Tim Smith, a certified massage therapist at Aspen Club and Spa.

• Using the heels of your hands, execute a long stroke, starting from the pelvis and going up both sides of the spine.
• When you get to the shoulders, swivel your hands so that your fingers reach out to the ribs, and stroke back down again.
• Work your thumbs in small, deep circles, starting in the interior part of the shoulder blades, moving up the spine into the base of the head and then down to the small of the back.
• At the base of the head, deeply press the tips of your forefinger and middle finger into the furrows. Alternate hands, overlapping your strokes as you glide down.