How to Get a Great Massage

Have you ever had a massage where you walked away from feeling like the therapist just didn't know how to give a good massage?

We all know the feel of this experience and the worst part is that you have only had a small experience, so you want another massage once you walk out the door.

The important thing is to understand this situation from the therapist's perspective. Each client has very different needs, and therapists must guess which areas of the body need attention and what type of massage they want.

This may seem obvious to you because you are undergoing a massage so you are judging the massage in real-time, but the therapist will not know how well you do it until you tell them. Most people do not understand people's tastes when it comes to massage.

Some people like having the therapist's elbow press on their back with full force, while others like a gentle massage so much that it tickles. Some clients fall asleep almost immediately once you start massaging their scalp, while others hate touching their heads. The therapist has no way of knowing what type of client he is dealing with until the middle of a massage.

Usually, when the massage begins, the therapist asks what type of massage the client wants and what pressure feels best. While saying you want a "medium pressure Swedish massage" is a good start, it falls short of telling the therapist what to do. Many clients feel that they have told the therapist what they want and then look forward to whatever message is given.

Unfortunately, with this limited amount of information, a therapist will likely continue to guess the exact type of massage and the areas of the body that you like best.

Simple Breathing

During the massage, be sure to breathe deeply when you feel comfortable. You can exaggerate your breathing to communicate when a therapist is okay. Many clients do this very naturally and tend to get great results. They always leave with great joy with their experience.

The best way to do this is to adjust your breathing to the rhythm of the massage. Make sure your breathing is audible to the therapist. This may seem uncomfortable for many people, but I assure you that therapists experience it all the time. In fact, therapists really appreciate the feedback.

By using strong breathing, you can provide the therapist with a real-time metric of the quality of their work. This will only help them give you a good massage. Clients must accept this for their own benefit.

All of this may seem like an extremely uncomfortable situation. It may sound strange for a stranger to massage you while you exhale forcefully. But, if you can accept this as a form of communication, it really is not uncomfortable at all.

In fact, the most uncomfortable situation is probably that you don't give any feedback while your therapist massages your scalp when you don't like it. It is also inconvenient for the therapist.

About This Author

spa and massage Joined: September 4th, 2020