What Should you do During the Massage?

[coraspa]

We could call this massage etiquette as a proper description of the right way to behave
the first time you go to a massage therapy session. These are not definite rules as you
will see, but are tips to enjoy your experience at a maximum level.

We will review the dos and don´ts and give you some cool tips. Read on and find out
everything you always wanted to know about massage etiquette and never dare to ask.

Different Types of Massage
There are many different types of massage that have different types of etiquette. Each of
them requires the patient to perform diverse actions. For example, Thai massage is a
technique that requires the patient to be fully dressed and allow the masseuse to put him
or her into different positions by moving his or her body around. The patient is not
expected to do anything, just relax like any other massage therapy session, but is
required to be fully dressed in comfortable clothes and ready to be moved and stretched.
The rules of etiquette or series of best practices covered in this article are related to the
traditional massage, also known as Swedish massage.

#1 Undress to your Comfort
This is rule number one of a massage session: you need to be completely relaxed and
not to worry about anything at all. This is why you should only undress to the point you
feel comfortable. In 99 out of 100 cases you will be covered with a towel on your
intimate parts, so you should not feel intimidated by the level of “nakedness” you are
showing to your masseuse.

Besides the towel-factor, you should bear in mind:

• Masseuses work with people all day long – This is a fact, they are very used to
  seeing torsos and necks, backs, legs and all the rest that they don´t have anything
  special with your body. Besides, they are professionals and all they see are sore
  muscle tissues and knots.
• You are expected to undress – In this kind of situation, it is awkward to do the
  opposite: not to undress, so do it confidently.
• Wear your towel at all times – If you wear your towel at all times, you should not
  be exposing any parts you don´t want to your massage therapist. Just make sure you
  don´t drop it while you move.
  
  Cool tip: Wear the underwear you feel the most comfortable with and think looks the best in you, so you won´t be embarrassed to be dressed only in it.

#2 Turn Off your Phone
This is an absolute must for relax and also to make the world of the massage therapist a
lot easier. Imagine trying to relieve the stress off your shoulders after a long and hard
office week when your phone is ringing non-stop… it will make him or her even more
nervous and stressed than you!

No, don´t put it on vibrate, just turn it off. Even the slightest of vibrations can be heard
really loudly in a very quiet room such as a massage one; it will take you out of focus
and break the magic of the distractions-free environment created specifically for you.
It will even be good for the apparatus if it has been going on for six months straight.
Sometimes even technology needs a break from technology.

One thing you might notice after the phone has been off for about 90 minutes is that it is
not the end of the world as we know it and that you can definitely live without it for
about an hour and a half and nothing (bad) will happen to you.

Cool Tip: Tell all important people who might be calling you like employers, mother,
wife, children that you will be out for ninety minutes to avoid misunderstandings and
make that relax feeling last so much longer.

#3 Be Communicative to your Masseuse
Being communicative with your massage therapist is a great way of making a good
experience a much better one. for example, there is certain kind of people who don´t
feel comfortable with massage therapy sessions involving their feet. Some don´t like
feet and others feel like they are ticklish and get them out of the relaxation mood.

There is another very important piece of information you have to definitely
communicate that is the amount of pressure you like. It is very common that some
massage therapists ask this before the session starts. If it is your first time, you won´t
likely know, so it is okay to communicate that you are feeling pain or discomfort. It is
an old myth that is not at all true the fact that a massage session needs to hurt in order to
be effective. A massage session should be just as relaxing as you want it to be. Some
people enjoy deep-tissue massage and a lot of pressure and some don´t. This indication
is only valid for relaxation massage and not if you are having a massage because of a
condition or illness.

Some common questions are:

• Can I have a conversation? – Well, it is not recommended to enhance your

relaxation experience, but there are no rules against it. You should just use the
communication channels as described above, and not to tell him or her about
your week, that is what psychologists are for. Besides, for a fully relaxed
experience just listen to the music and let go.

• Can I fall asleep? – Yes, it´s totally fine and very common, your masseuse

won´t be offended at all.

Cool tip: The good thing about going to the same masseuse time and again when you
find one that suits you is that in the growing confidence and knowledge your relaxation
experience will grow too.