Draping a client is a lot less challenging than you may think. It is easy to get worked up over its perceived complexity. The trick to draping effectively is to relax and take your time. The first few hundred times you drape someone it feels pretty weird, and that makes sense. Think about it, how many times have you used a sheet to wrap a stranger in a sheet burrito? The answer for most is hopefully never.
Unfortunately many massage students graduate with little confidence in their draping skills. This often leads to the dissolution of their confidence in the middle of a massage and may reduce the quality of the massage. When I graduated massage school I felt undertrained in many ways, and when I entered the workforce I often felt lost when it came time to drape my client. Uncertainty fills our veins and it leads us to lose focus as we start to question our abilities.
Early in your massage career this will happen all the time, it is easy to slip into doubt when we lack experience. When you find yourself in this place take a breath and settle your spirit, regain your footing, and continue. Beating yourself up encourages the negative energy wheel, avoid this terrible spiral by reminding yourself that you’re learning and one day you will master the art of draping.
If you want to be better at draping set aside some time to practice with a partner. Performing the same movements a few hundred times will program your muscles until the movements become rote.
What draping techniques are the best? There are two central rules when it comes to the best draping method. The first one is to use whatever works best for you, make sure you aren’t hurting yourself in the process. The second rule is to use a method that provides the greatest protection for your client’s modesty, safety, and comfort.
If any of your techniques ever feel uncomfortable, don’t do it. Our body hurts when it wants to warn us, listen to it, and take care of yourself.
