Different ways of using a Cup.
The cup usage is a gentle way to dissolve body tensions, and as already mentioned in the previous post cupping is a fabulous way of working on the body.
Indeed, let’s not forget, that when I talk about cupping on this blog, I don’t refer to any practice that involves blood extraction or skin cuts.
The usage of cupping for me, starts and stop to do work on the skin and fascia.
Cups can be made of plastic, glass or bamboo.
Depending on the type of cup in use differents are the methodology used to create the suctions.
When glass cups are in use, in order to create a vacuum, heat is applied to the cup.
In fact, the heat will burn out the oxygen in the cup, creating the vacuum effect.
On the other hand, when the cup is made of plastic, fire is not in use.
To create the vacuum with the plastic one is used a pump.
So, when plastic ones are in use, the cup gets placed on the body of the receiver and with the pump, the air is pulled out.
As per result, the therapist is to be aware of the type of skin she/he is dealing with.
Paler skin is keener to bruise.
Furthermore, the skin of an older client may be keener to break.
So again, when a manual massage is given, not all the clients can receive the same type of treatment.
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Moving forward, once the cup is applied to the skin, and the vacuum is created, the cup can be moved.
This type of cupping is called dynamic cupping.
Moving the cups around allows the skin to be pulled, and can create a change in a full fascia area.
Furthermore, is by observing the client’s skin elasticity that the therapist can decide in which direction to apply the cupping.
In fact, the aim would be to drug the cup in a direction in which the skin doesn’t move so easily.
Said so, not let’s forget that, before applying the cup, on the client’s body will be applied cream or oil.
This will allow reducing the frictions between the cups and the skin.
In conclusion, to make the cupping even more effective, when the cup gets drugged around, the client can also move the joints which are in control of that skin section.
For example, if we are doing cupping on the quods, we can ask the client to flex the knee. That would create extra skin pulling.
Giovanni La Rocca
Giovanni moved to Melbourne, Australia, from Italy in 2008 and became a citizen in 2017. He started studying massage therapy in 2016, then completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Myotherapy in August 2024. During those years, he also specialised in Thai Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage for presentations like Lipedema and Lymphoedema. Nowadays, he runs his clinic in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, where he integrates movement therapy into his practice to enhance overall well-being. He also values meditation, having completed several Vipassana courses. Committed to continuous learning, he aims to share his expertise in integrated therapies to help others achieve balance and resilience.