| Purpose |
|
|---|---|
| Pressure | 2–5 / 10 · pressure scale |
| Rhythm | Quick and even, the hands alternating several times a second. |
| Hands | Cupped palms, fingers and thumb held together and slightly bent to make a dome |
| Cautions |
|
Step by step
- 01 / 06
Form the cup
Hold the fingers and thumb together and bend the knuckles slightly, so the palm makes a hollow dome. Only the rim of the hand should touch a flat surface.
- 02 / 06
Loosen the wrists
Keep your wrists and forearms relaxed. The movement comes from a quick flick of the wrist.
- 03 / 06
Strike alternately
Bring the cupped hands down one after the other so the rim of each cup meets the skin and traps air underneath. You should hear a hollow, clopping sound.
- 04 / 06
Keep a steady rhythm
Keep the tempo quick and even, bouncing off the tissue. Pressure comes from the speed of the flick, not from force.
- 05 / 06
Travel over large muscles
Move up and down the fleshy muscles either side of the spine or along the back of the thigh. Stay off the spine.
- 06 / 06
Settle the area
Finish with a few effleurage strokes.
Common mistakes
- Flat hands that slap and sting instead of a hollow cup.
- Stiff wrists that make the stroke heavy.
- Working over the spine or the kidney area.
- Letting the hands drift apart so the rhythm falls out of time.
How it should feel
- Giver: a hollow clopping sound and loose, bouncing wrists.
- Receiver: a light, drumming vibration with no sting.
Self-check
Drills
Cupping is a tapotement stroke, like Hacking and Pounding. The trapped air softens each strike, so a well-formed cup feels lighter than it sounds.
It is most often used on the back, over the Erector spinae and Latissimus dorsi, and along the Hamstrings. Follow it with calming Effleurage in a relaxation massage.