Guest Blog Post: How to Get a Great Massage. Optimize your massage experience.

by Michele Cook, Body Ache Escape Massage Center, massage in Columbus, Ohio

How to Get a Great Massage Tip #1

Get to your massage early!
If you are a repeat customer, get to your massage about 5 minutes early. That will give you enough time to go to the bathroom and get ready in the room. If you happen to get here much earlier, turn on your favorite music in your car and take a few cleansing breaths to help get you in the relaxation zone.

 Get a Great Massage Tip #2

Breathe DeepWhen you first get onto the table until your therapist comes back into the room, take deep cleansing breaths. Inhale the breath into the stomach, lungs, all the way under the collarbone. When you exhale, relax...sinking into the table more each time. Think only about the breath, trying to clear your mind.

 
How to Get a Great Massage Tip #3

Keep open communication with us.Need an extra pillow....tell us . Too hot or too cold....tell us. Want more pressure?...tell us. Don't like the music....tell us.  Want the face rest adjusted...let us know!
We are sometimes psychic, but not always! Let us know what you need so your massage can be excellent!

 
Tip #4 on How to Get a Great Massage

To Talk or Not to Talk...that is the question.Some people feel like talking will help them relax. If thats you, talk away. If you don't want to talk, thats ok too. Some cues we take that you don't want to talk are..."Don't be surprised if I fall asleep" or "I'm so tired today".

 Tip #5 on how to get a great massage

Try not to help us.Sometimes people think that lifting the body part we're working on will help us. Well sometimes it does, but it makes your massage not as good. More often it makes it harder for us to do what we want to do. So if we're moving your neck or leg or arm to do stretches, just relax and let us do it. The only time you should move your own body is if we
ask you too.

Tip #6 on How to Get a Great Massage

When we stop and push on a sore spot or "knot", relax! I know, I know...its hard to relax when we're pushing on a spot that hurts, but if you relax more with every breath that soreness will go away.
Another tip is to relax your body all around the spot and eventually that spot will relax too.
A muscle is made up of a bunch of fibers. The knot that you feel is some of those fibers that have stayed contracted. Pushing on the knot helps it to stretch out so that it relaxes back with the rest of the muscle.

 How to Get a Great Massage Tip #7


Get Regular Massage is a form of detoxifying the body. When the muscles tense up,
they draw toxins to it (lactic acid, uric acid, etc.). Massage helps
get rid of these toxins, however this process can create whats called
a healing crisis. This is when the body is so full of toxins that it
creates side effects the next day or two days. The side effects can
range from nausea to diarrhea, having a headache or fatigue. These
will be temporary.

The side effects will not continue once you get on a regular massage
schedule.
Once a month is a good schedule to prevent the toxins from building up
to such an extreme level. I personally try to get a massage every 2-3
weeks.

How to Get a Great Massage Tip #8-

Stay Hydrated!I talked in a previous tip on how massage releases toxins. Making sure you drink the proper amount of water helps flush all those toxins out of the body to prevent the healing crisis.