Understanding the basics of massage therapy can prevent many unwanted consequences of performing massage incorrectly or with the wrong equipment. The primary equipment, such as the table and lubricants, were discussed along with selection criteria for both. Client positioning and draping were reviewed to ensure the most effective and comfortable treatment possible. The fundamental principles of body mechanics and how they relate to the use of the two primary stances in massage therapy were addressed so that the therapist does not incur any detrimental effects of performing therapy. The last section of this chapter explained the basic Swedish massage strokes used in the profession and discussed the elements of their application as well as the benefits of using each. A therapist must have a strong understanding of the basic principles of massage therapy in order to be able to effectively apply the advanced techniques covered later in this text.