After a long day of tension and stress, we all deserve a good massage! With so many different types to choose from, deciding which massage suits your body’s needs seems impossible. So for all of those beginners, we have outlined the most popular types of massages alongside the techniques and benefits to help you determine which is right for your well-being!
Tantric Massage
A tantric massage benefits your mental, physical and sensual well-being, focusing on arousal and relaxation. Body To Body London describes the process of a tantric massage that “begins with exotic, skin-nourishing oils and a thorough, full-body rub down”. The skill is in the masseuse anticipating the needs and desires of their clients through using “centuries-old techniques” guiding clients to the “‘happy ending” of their session.
Aside from these sensual benefits, the physical gains include easing muscle pain and relaxing tension in the body. These naturally lend themselves to improved mental health, controlling breathing and reducing anxiety symptoms. Whether you want to visit a massage agency such as Body to Body or try a tantric massage with your partner, this type of massage is for those looking to enhance their sensuality and raise their sexual self-esteem.
Swedish Massage
If you are struggling with muscle tension, a Swedish massage may be for you! This type targets the upper layer of muscles to relieve the pressure through long, kneading strokes and movement of the joints. It is also beneficial to your heart, the strokes improving blood circulation.
As a beginner, we suggest pinpointing the pain you want to relieve and asking the masseuse to focus on the techniques that aid this. For example, the vibration technique works best if you want to soothe the nerves in an area with scars or knots. If you want to learn more about Swedish massages, we recommend medically reviewed articles like the one on Web MD.
Deep Tissue Massage
As the name suggests, a deep tissue massage targets those inner muscles below the surface. Commonly used for strains or sports injuries, sustained pressure is applied using slow intense strokes that help break up scar tissue and reduce muscle tension. Unlike a more gentle Swedish massage, this technique uses increased pressure and goes deeper than the superficial layers of muscle.
Healthline advises that if you suffer from blood clots, have a clotting disorder, are taking blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder or are receiving cancer treatment; you should consult a doctor before receiving this massage. The therapist can target a specific area or your whole body, and it is up to you to decide which will benefit you the most.
Sports Massage
Rather than healing a sports injury, this type of massage benefits those who regularly exercise. A sports massage targets areas that become tight or stressed from the repetitive movements triggered by exercise. The massage relieves tight muscles through techniques such as kneading, hacking, trigger pointing, effleurage and wringing.
Whilst these terms sound intimidating, they are extremely helpful in improving your flexibility and preventing future injuries. How often you should get this massage depends on how much you exercise, the number increases the more you exercise. Reset Sports Massage advises you to have your massage around less intense training days to optimize muscle recovery.