At ikatan Spa we find most people don’t really understand or realise what type of massage is best for their needs and that’s ok as we do understand what people need.
Our reception staff are trained to ask the right questions and it often surprises our guest that a ‘massage is not just a massage.
There are hundreds of styles of massage and each has its unique way of helping a person with what they need from a massage.
Some people need a massage for stress, others have been physically active and need a firmer massage to release their muscle tension and more than ever people are having a regular massage to maintain their overall health and wellness.
We see more people now, seeking massage for anxiety issues which is better helped with a nurturing style of massage with a focus on helping the mind as well as the physical body to relax.
It’s also the reason we do not offer deep tissue, remedial, shiatsu, Thai or every other style of massage at ikatan Spa, because each is specialised and requires dedicated training.
At ikatan we specialise in massage to help with relaxation of the body, mind, and emotions and other massage businesses and therapists are skilled in their massage modalities. Seeking the right massage modality and therapists is just the same as you would not go to a Dr of Dentistry to seek help with a broken arm.
Massage works on three aspects of the body at the same time and each plays its part in helping the other two areas to totally relax.
Massage Therapists work on the physical body but the mind is reading the sensation, touch, calming of the nervous system or the pain from a deep massage.
The mind sends our messages in relation to what it is receiving and translates the sensory touch it feels to our emotions. Does this sensory feel relaxing, calming, ticklish, painful, soothing, nurturing or a number of feelings and this, in turn, relates the emotional feelings back to the physical body to help it relax or it may be feeling tension while it tries to avoid pain from deeper muscle work.
Other times a person may feel strongly emotional and by calming emotions, through a massage, (preferably with aromatherapy) where the therapist does a slow, rhythmical, gentle massage it can help relax the body and mind. A deep tissue, Thai, or remedial massage is not the right choice if you feel emotional as your body does not need physical pain or discomfort, this style of massage is known for.
Reception staff and massage therapists can’t read your mind, we can however read your body but often guest expect us to know what they want without telling us.
There are many guests who like a light massage and others who like a firmer pressure massage but we need to know this at the time of booking so that the appropriate spa Therapist is booked for you.
If you don’t understand the massage styles offered at a day spa or you have not read the spa menu, tell reception staff the reason you need a massage, when you’re booking and they can help you chose the best massage for your needs.
A lot of people think they need a firm pressure massage, or it is a waste of time, the no pain no gain type of thinking. In actual fact, it really depends, on what you are having a massage for, as to the style and pressure you should have to achieve results.
Firm massage is best suited to athletes or those that suffer from tight areas that cause postural imbalances. It’s really important to understand that when you require a firm massage like Remedial or Deep Tissue seeing a qualified practitioner who will work with your body over a period of time (6 to 12 weeks with a massage once a week) is what will achieve results.
Did you know that having a medium to lighter pressure massage is far more beneficial for stress, fluid retention, anxiety, lack of energy, feeling tired, run-down or overworked? If you want a massage because you are anxious, suffering from insomnia or exhaustion, you need a flowing medium to light pressure massage. If you have a firm massage your body may read this as more stress because if it feels uncomfortable or sore and your mind will interpret this as another thing to deal with, then the emotions are triggered to create tension because your body is hurting.
Next time you book a massage, don’t be afraid to say why you need the massage. If you don’t tell us how you feel we can’t make you feel better.
We need a starting point to apply our expertise and knowledge to help you.
I hope this helps you understand that not all massages are the same, the advantages of different massages to help with stress.
Communication is key to getting what your body needs.
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