FLOW

The Art of the First Touch: Face Up or Face Down? Why How You Start Matters

Every massage has a beginning — that first moment when a client exhales, surrenders to the table, and begins to trust your hands to guide them toward release and renewal.

As therapists, we often focus on technique, the depth of pressure, the flow and the breath, but the way we start a session sets the entire tone. And one of the most overlooked decisions in bodywork is this simple, powerful choice:

• Do we begin with the client face up… or face down?

The Classic Start: Face Down for Deep Release

For many practitioners, starting a massage in the prone position (face down) is second nature — and for good reason. Most of the body’s accumulated tension lives in the back, neck, and shoulders.

Beginning here allows the therapist to:

• Warm up the posterior chain — where stress hides.

• Ease clients into the session with broad, grounding strokes.

• Build momentum for deeper, more focused work.

This approach is particularly effective in therapeutic, Swedish, sports recovery, and deep tissue sessions. For clients who live in their heads, starting prone helps them drop in and let go.

But prone isn’t perfect for everyone. Sinus pressure, breathing discomfort, pregnancy, or anxiety can make this position less ideal. This is where a seasoned therapist learns to pivot.

The Gentle Invitation: Starting Face Up

Beginning in the supine position (face up) changes everything. It’s softer, more personal, and often deeply grounding.

This approach is powerful when:

• Working with new or anxious clients who need a sense of safety.

• Focusing on the chest, diaphragm, neck, shoulders, head, arms, or feet.

• Intentionally activating the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s natural “rest and recover” mode.

Starting face up also allows for direct communication and eye contact, which can be invaluable for building trust. A gentle neck stretch, cranial base hold, or diaphragmatic release at the start can set the tone for a truly integrative session.

Blending Both: A Flow That Builds Trust and Effectiveness

The beauty of massage is that it’s not a script, it’s a conversation between therapist and body. Some of the most effective sessions start supine with calming, centering work, then flow into prone for the heavier lifting.

A simple grounding sequence at the beginning, like foot compressions, a gentle scalp massage, or slow neck release, can ease a client’s nervous system into deeper states of relaxation. Once they’re there, flipping to prone feels natural, effortless, and safe.

The Real Secret: Intention > Routine

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best therapists don’t follow a script — they follow the client.

That starts with:

• Asking about comfort preferences.

• Reading breath patterns, posture, and energy.

• Honoring the power of the first touch.

Whether face up or face down, what matters most is intention, presence, and connection.

A Closing Thought

Every session is a chance to meet someone where they are. Starting prone may help unravel tension; starting supine may create safety and softness. Either way, when the hands meet the body with presence, healing begins.

My approach blends structure with intuition — always meeting the moment, not the method.