| Swedish Massage
If massages were ice cream, then this one would definitely be flavored
vanilla! A Swedish massage is your basic massage and consists of
five different long, flowing strokes. This massage is great if you’re
looking to relax, relieve stress, reduce pain or alleviate joint
stiffness. This is usually the standard massage on most spa menus,
and almost every therapist trained in the United States has learned
this technique.
Deep Tissue Massage
While similar to Swedish massage in style, a deep tissue massage
is much firmer and the pressure of each stroke is greater. This
is because a deep tissue massage is focused on penetrating through
to the deeper structures of the muscle, known as connective tissue.
This method of massage is frequently used to treat chronic pain,
osteoarthritis, muscle tension or spasms and problems related to
posture. If you decide this is the massage for you, be aware that
there are times during the massage where you may experience pain
or discomfort. It is important that you work with your therapist
to make sure he or she knows when you are in pain so the right pressure
can be used.
Thai Massage
Depending on where you go, you may come across this new-age form
of massage that has taken the relaxation world by storm. Many people
compare a Thai massage to a form of yoga where you don’t have
to do any of the hard work to maintain the postures. During this
massage, your therapist will use his or her arms, legs, hands, feet
and knees to move you into various stretching positions. One of
the pluses to this type of massage is that you don’t have
to undress and there is no oil involved! Just wear comfortable clothes
and be ready to relax! This form of massage is great for relaxation,
improving circulation or increasing flexibility or range of motion.
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| Relax for Less
With the recent economic downturn, a massage retreat can
seem unattainably expensive. Here are a few options that won’t
leave your pocketbook empty!
1) Partners can take turns giving each other a massage. Pick
up a book in the library and practice on each other. To make
the experience feel like a real spa, use aromatherapy oils,
dim the lights, add some soft music and light a few candles!
2) Look into massage schools in your area.
Some have clinics attached to them where their students have
the opportunity to practice before they graduate. The prices
usually range from $20 to $35 for a one-hour Swedish massage.
What a treat!
3) Instead of opting for a full hour or hour and a half of
massage time, check with your spa to see if they offer half
hour sessions. Many do, and while the massage won’t
be as comprehensive, thirty minutes is a good amount of time
for a therapist to be able to focus on a problem area like
the neck, shoulders or lower back.
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