If you want to make sure you get a good massage and don’t waste your time and money, the important thing is to ask the right questions.
A few questions can mean the difference between bitter disappointment and massage heaven.
If you have goals for treatment, make them known. Make sure your massage therapist can accommodate your goals. If, for example, you like a firmer massage and you book an appointment with someone whose typical massage is light Swedish, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment.
The more a massage therapist practices with a modality, the more they will pull it out of their bag of tricks. If a therapist is good at therapeutic techniques and deep tissue, they will usually tell you that their massages are deeper or firmer. Someone who generally does lighter work will tell you that their massage is more oriented towards relaxation, or that he instead does a Swedish massage which is described as a long, relaxing (and usually lighter) massage.
A voucher advice is to talk to your therapist about their massage. You can ask them.
How would you describe your typical massage? Is it a firmer touch or a lighter massage?
You might think that asking someone how long they’ve been doing massage therapy is a good measure of talent, and it can be, but not always. I have had many massages from massage therapists who had been practicing for a long time and whose massage lacked talent and/or effort. People burn out with all kinds of jobs. Massage therapists are no different. The catch is, you don’t want to end up on their table if you can help it.
A massage therapist once told me she refused to lift limbs. She said it was too much effort. She was a woman who had been doing massage therapy for over 10 years. Seriously ? Who wants to pay someone good money if they can’t even be bothered to raise their arm?
Clearly, talent is about more than how long a massage therapist has been practicing, it’s much more about wanting to do your best and loving what you do. I had very good massages from new graduates with very good attitudes.
Talk to your massage therapist to find out how long they’ve been doing massage therapy, if they still enjoy it, and why. See if you can sense joy and enthusiasm when they talk about their work.
A good massage therapist will make it a point to not only give good massages, but also get good massages.
At first you may wonder what this has to do with them giving you a good massage, but it has a lot to do with it. If your massage therapist makes it a point to find out who else is really good then go out there and find out why, chances are you have found a good massage therapist.
Talented massage therapists learn to give really good massages from really good massages. Many of them.
Ask your massage therapist if they receive massages regularly.
If you go to a resort, hotel, or massage clinic, you may not be able to speak directly to your therapist when you make an appointment. It’s a shame, but there’s nothing we can do about it. However, most of the time, the person scheduling an appointment will need to know the different modalities the therapist is qualified for in order to know what appointments they can make.
A talented therapist will make it a point to regularly continue their training and learn new modalities. If the therapist knows a lot of modalities, you can probably assume that he or she believes your experience is important enough to spend time and money learning skills and talent to enhance your experience.
When you make an appointment through a scheduler, ask them if they can tell you what modalities your therapist offers or is familiar with.
High-end resort spas have several highly trained therapists. Typically, they have strict minimum requirements for therapists, usually starting with several years of experience and certification in several different modalities. High-end resorts very often encourage their therapists to improve their skills by paying for continuing education and regularly bringing in trainers to teach employees specialized and signature treatments. This makes your chances of getting a best massage therapist better trained than going to the local massage clinic where this kind of training is the exception.
Treating yourself to a massage at a high-end spa can truly be a wonderful experience~ it’s all about pampering yourself. The facilities are generally nothing short of surprising, and in addition to being able to choose from different types of massages, you can get waxed and rubbed and wrapped and soaked and get just about anything you can dream of. Everyone should treat themselves to the experience of a Five Star Spa.
If you visit one of these spas, I suggest planning a day. Complementary to your treatment you will find many luxurious activities and amenities~ steaming, soaking, yoga class, meditation class, organic snacks and herbal teas, swimming pool….you float all day in your dress as if you were in heaven. The only thing you might need is a good book to enjoy the pool. I suggest you take advantage of all of this, because you will pay for it.
If you’re paying this much, you want it to be BIG, right? It’s true. Ask questions about your therapist. Tell them what your goals are. If there is a question about the massage therapist that they don’t know the answer to, ask them if they can find out and call you back. Or ask if the massage therapist can call you back.
Another way to find a great massage therapist is to find someone who has been in private practice or in business for themselves. If an independent massage therapist has built up a clientele and has a private practice, chances are there is a good reason. A good massage brings returning clients. Usually you can find a very good therapist in business for themselves for less than half of what you pay at a resort.
There are many benefits to getting a good massage. Physical benefits include decreased pain, greater flexibility, improved immune function, faster healing, increased endorphins, decreased depression and anxiety, and lower blood pressure due to to happy relaxation….
And nothing is more heavenly and can make you as happy as a really good massage….
Originally posted 2019-08-27 14:26:13 .