The Hot Tub or Spa is the perfect place for a soothing massage, after all, hydrotherapy is a form of massage. In the warm waters of your hot tub, tired muscles relax and yield to the softest touch.

It’s a great way for couples to help each other enjoy their time in the hot tub more, and become closer to each other in the process.

Since long soaks of 30 minutes or more may not be recommended, here’s some ways to provide quick relief – in just 5 minutes!

Spa Massage Tips

There are some areas of the body that are not conveniently positioned for the spa jet massage, such as the thighs, lower back and pelvis areas. Other parts of the body can be comfortably reached by your spa massage partner, without climbing into some impossible position.

Spa Massage starts with a deal, an accord or pact between two aching bodies. “I’ll do you – if you do me?” is the usual agreement. Although foot massage can both be given at the same time, it’s best to trade off, to allow your helping hands to be most appreciated. Here’s some tips on bringing loving relief in the form of massage – while soaking in your hot tub!

Foot Massage:

This is a good place to start the massage. Seated across from your partner, raise their ankle up onto your knee, and begin by slowly rotating the ankle in both directions. Then twist the entire foot, side to side – slowly. After this overall foot greeting, we can get specific. Extend the toes back and forward, and then stretch each toe, one by one, by gently twisting and then pulling or extending each little piggy.

Moving from the toes, massage the ball of the foot with circular motions, before running your thumb the length of the foot, from toe to heel. Finish the foot by massaging the heel area, squeezing it like a large lemon, as you move your hand around the heel. Switch to the other foot.

Hand Massage:

A hand massage is so appreciated, with the amount of dexterous tasks we are all doing each day on our computer and portable devices. A hand massage doesn’t differ very much from the foot massage, except that it’s best to be seated next to the person, on the side opposite the hand you are working on.

Begin with wrist rotation, a few times in each direction. Then fold the wrist to as far forward as is comfortable, pointing the fingers at the elbows. Reverse direction so the palm is open and facing up. Now, “squeeze the lemon” by squeezing the hand, as you slide it through yours, from wrist to finger tips. Now, work on each individual finger, with a stroking squeeze of each digit from base to tip. Twist each finger from side to side, and then extend each finger through it’s full range. Finish with some thumb strokes on an open palm, while squeezing the hand edge, opposite the thumb. Switch to the other hand.

Back Massage:

If you have a large enough bench seat, your partner can sit in front of you, or, you can bring in a clean 5 gallon bucket as a seat in the center of the spa. For portable spas, standing outside of the spa can be most comfortable for the one giving the massage, and also allows you more leverage to bear down into tired trapezoids.

Start at the base of the neck, and work your way along the top of the shoulders. Dig your thumbs deep into the shoulder grooves (as deep as is comfortable for your partner). Then, follow down the spinal cord, as far as you can comfortably reach. Repeat the stroke, widening your stroke on each pass, until your  hands end up on your partner’s sides. Finish by pulling, hand over hand, strokes from the outside – in, or from the side of the body, toward the spine, repeating the stroke on the opposite side.

Neck and Scalp Massage:

This one can be performed with the person seated on the floor in front of you, if your spa is not too deep, or you can stand outside the spa, just behind your partner. Hair can be wet or dry, but wet hair is easier to get your hands through.

Again, start at the base of the neck, but this time work your thumbs upward, and as you reach the scalp, run your thumbs along the base of the scalp, towards the ears. Run your fingers up the neck, and into the hairline, continuing the stroke all the way to the front (remove any rings and necklaces first). Spend time behind each ear, and massage the entire perimeter of each ear, pulling, twisting and folding your partner’s ear.

Keep the massage oils inside the house – your spa filter will do better without having to filter excess oil, and besides the water is a good lubricant anyway.

If you have any of your own spa or hot tub massage techniques to share, post a comment below – if not, give this 5 minute spa massage a try on your hot tub partner!

XOXO;

Gina Galvin
Hot Tub Works

A Hot Tub is a paradise – soothing, relaxing and as social as you want it to be. If you want your spa to ROCK, however, jazz it up by adding some tunes to your spa experience, or go all out and set up an outdoor TV or monitor!

Newer spas can come equipped with stereos and built in speakers, like the one shown left, with an option to add a pop-up television. Manufacturer options strike me as expensive however.

You can assemble your own hot tub audio and video equipment for much less expense. Here’s how.

ADDING AUDIO TO YOUR SPA

The Integrated Spa Side Stereo is an outdoor, waterproof receiver that’s used on spas, boats and golf carts. These are typically mounted to the spa skirt, on the outside of the spa. You’ll also need an Antenna if you plan on using AM/FM, and a 12V power supply, to connect to your spa pack.

Spa stereos can be purchased as AM/FM only, or with a CD port, Ipod/Iphone dock or USB port, or even with Bluetooth wireless connectivity to your mp3 player. When shopping for a spa mounted stereo, look for Marine stereos, those meant for outdoor use in boats.

The Ipod/Iphone docking stereo is another option. If you have a dry area near the tub, with a 110V outlet, plug in any Ipod player and dock your device. For something fully waterproof, look at the Eco Terra Waterproof Boom Box. Slip your mp3 player inside and let the music play! This item has the advantage of portability, so you can also use it on a boat, by the pool or at the beach.

Your Home Stereo system can be your third option. If you have a Home Stereo, wired or wireless, a set of outdoor speakers can be attached. This is how we rock my hot tub. I have a SONOS wireless home music system, with an Amplifier in the garage, connected with speaker wire to 2 outdoor, wall mounted speakers. I can control the music selection with my Iphone (being careful not to drop it in the spa!).

Spa Speakers

1. Spa Cabinet Installed. Newer spas will always have the option for an integrated stereo and speakers. If you purchased this upgrade, speakers would be mounted into the top of the spa, either round 6″ speakers, or pop-up cylinder speakers. Most spas have room on the spa shell or cabinet to retrofit such speakers. Pop-up spa speakers have some advantage in design; besides looking ultra cool, they shed water from the speaker cone.
2. Floating Speakers. Fully waterproof, of course, floating speakers connect wirelessly to your mp3 player via Bluetooth. Most of these available have poor reviews of low volume, short range and fast battery usage. There is one however, with better reviews, the ECOXGEAR. At only $90, this could be all you need to play music from any Bluetooth enabled device.
3. Free Standing Speakers. Outdoor speakers can be wall mounted (like mine), or can be set onto stands, or placed near the spa. With the blower running and your spa pump on high, you may want your speakers close to the spa. You don’t want to wake the neighbors! There are dozens of options in outdoor speakers, wired or wireless, although wireless speakers require a power source, using either 110V or batteries.

ADDING VIDEO TO YOUR SPA

An integrated Spa mounted television is a high-end upgrade for today’s modern spas. These wireless monitors receive a signal from a small server that you plug into your cable box. A waterproof remote control allows you to change channels and volume. The SpaVue television is one that is used by many spa manufacturers, who build the monitor into a recessed cavity, which rises up slowly when you click the waterproof remote.

You can retrofit an existing spa with the same idea, or surface mount the SpaVue, or similar outdoor television onto the edge of your spa. Wirelessly connect to your home media, or connect with cabling of your choice.

Wall mounted outdoor televisions are another option. You can mount directly to the wall, of the house or your hot tub gazebo. With this option, you can go as big as you want, and mount a full home theater style screen. However, I don’t think that I could watch an entire movie in the spa. Or at least a long movie; I tend to use the spa for less than 30 minutes at a time. For hot tub parties, as Gina blogged about earlier this week – a big screen experience could really add something.

As I stated at the outset, a Hot Tub is a paradise, all by itself. You don’t need to add music and video – you could just light a candle and use your spa to escape technology, which come to think of it – is how I enjoy my spa best.

Happy Hot Tubbin’!

Daniel Lara
Hottubworks.com