There are three major decisions that need to be made when you are going for a massage. In case you are new to massage therapy, let me walk you through these decisions.
Some are easy to make...
Male or female therapist?
Some are down right personal...
Undies or no-undies?
And some decisions, you won't know until you experience...
like choosing between Swedish or Deep Tissue Massage?
Here's a little background to give you a better idea of which to pick.
Swedish Massage:
- Uses firm but gentle pressure to improve circulation, ease muscle aches and tension, improve flexibility, and create relaxation
- Employs five different movements: long gliding strokes, kneading of individual muscles, friction, hacking or tapping, and vibration
- Swedish massage was the foundation for other types of Western Massage, including Deep Tissue Massage
Deep Tissue Massage:
- Type of massage aimed at the deeper tissue structures of the muscle and fascia, called connective tissue
- Uses many of the same movements and techniques as Swedish, but the pressure will generally be more intense
- It also is a more focused type of massage, as the therapist works to release chronic muscle tension and knots
For a first time massage client, I would recommend doing a Swedish Massage. You can always ask your massage therapist to use more pressure and focus on muscles or areas that are tight and tense.
