Memorization can be one of the hardest things for some people, especially memorizing hand movements.
When I began learning to give facial massages, I thought, “Oh great. I’m only going to remember a few moves and forget the rest.” Thank goodness that our instructor allowed the video to run while we practiced the motions; it was a very soothing process. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, when she told us that she wasn’t showing the video anymore, that my heart stopped for a second. I thought, “Oh snap. I don’t know it!” I should have given myself more credit. To my surprise, I had remembered it. From that moment, I began to practice more. It shouldn’t just be in class; I highly recommend practicing at home.
I practice on my cat, Boo. Although it’s completely different, remembering the motions was the key to my success. Also, it was very amusing to watch my cat enjoy his personal massage while watching a movie.
Another form of practice is upon friends and family. If you have a very tight schedule, like I do, it can seem impossible to put the time aside to do this. I practice in the shower or on a small pillow. Making different fun learning environments can be better than always practicing on friends and family.
Working on learning through different avenues allows you a chance to become more adaptable and plays with your senses. It gives you a chance to become sensitive with your finger tips—playing with different textures and thus developing your senses. I find this beneficial because it allows me to become more detailed-orientated when I conduct skin analysis.