Swedish Massage is the most common and best-known type of
massage in the West. If it's your first time at the spa or you don't get
massage very often, Swedish massage is the perfect place to start.
If you want deeper work and can tolerate more pressure, even some momentary discomfort to get relief from muscle stiffness and pain, it's better to book a deep tissue massage, which is another form of Swedish massage.
Swedish massage (and other types of therapeutic massage are performed by trained, licensed massage therapists. It can be slow and gentle, or vigorous and bracing, depending on the therapist's personal style and what he or she wants to achieve.
What Happens During A Swedish Massage
In all Swedish massage, the therapist lubricates the skin with massage oil and performs various strokes that warm up and work the muscle tissue, releasing tension and breaking up muscle "knots" or adhered tissues, called adhesions. Swedish massage promotes relaxation, eases muscle tension and creates other health benefits.
Before the massage, the therapist should ask you about any injuries or other conditions that he or she should know about. Things you would want tell a therapist include areas of tightness or pain, allergies, and conditions like pregnancy. You can also tell them up front if you have a preference for light or firm pressure. It's best not to get a massage if you are ill.
After the consultation, the therapist instructs you how to lie on the table -- face up or face down, and underneath the sheet or towel -- and then leaves the room. He or she will knock or ask if you are ready before entering.
Swedish massage is based on the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology, as opposed to energy work on "meridiens" or sen lines in Asian massage systems. Most people get a 50 or 60-minute Swedish or deep tissue massage, but 75 or 90-minutes gives the therapist more time to work the muscle tissue and achieve result.
(http://spas.about.com/od/swedishmassage/a/Swedish.htm)
If you want deeper work and can tolerate more pressure, even some momentary discomfort to get relief from muscle stiffness and pain, it's better to book a deep tissue massage, which is another form of Swedish massage.
Swedish massage (and other types of therapeutic massage are performed by trained, licensed massage therapists. It can be slow and gentle, or vigorous and bracing, depending on the therapist's personal style and what he or she wants to achieve.
What Happens During A Swedish Massage
In all Swedish massage, the therapist lubricates the skin with massage oil and performs various strokes that warm up and work the muscle tissue, releasing tension and breaking up muscle "knots" or adhered tissues, called adhesions. Swedish massage promotes relaxation, eases muscle tension and creates other health benefits.
Before the massage, the therapist should ask you about any injuries or other conditions that he or she should know about. Things you would want tell a therapist include areas of tightness or pain, allergies, and conditions like pregnancy. You can also tell them up front if you have a preference for light or firm pressure. It's best not to get a massage if you are ill.
After the consultation, the therapist instructs you how to lie on the table -- face up or face down, and underneath the sheet or towel -- and then leaves the room. He or she will knock or ask if you are ready before entering.
Swedish massage is based on the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology, as opposed to energy work on "meridiens" or sen lines in Asian massage systems. Most people get a 50 or 60-minute Swedish or deep tissue massage, but 75 or 90-minutes gives the therapist more time to work the muscle tissue and achieve result.
(http://spas.about.com/od/swedishmassage/a/Swedish.htm)
