The art of massage

I was lucky enough recently to enjoy a spa day with my darling husband. As part of the day, I had booked a full body massage for both of us. He came out of his fulfilled but I didn’t (we had different therapists).

It’s not easy being on the receiving end of a massage when you’re a qualified therapist yourself. You’re so much more aware of what is right and wrong and you tend to know exactly what you want and how you want it. On this occasion, my massage wasn’t bad, she didn’t do anything particularly wrong, but she didn’t do anything particularly right either! And it’s left me wondering if, like some say, an “ok” massage is really much better than no massage at all.

I’ll be the first to admit that massage is a matter of personal taste, one therapist might be good for someone and not for someone else, in the same way that not all types of massage are suited to everyone. But with training and experience, I have come to realise that not everybody, no matter how much learning and practicing they have done, will make a good massage therapist.

Massage is a science but also an art. First you have to be able to communicate with your patient, massage is a two-way relationship. My therapist in this case asked me no questions just instructed me on how to get on the table. Not only did she nip our “relationship” in the bud by doing so, but I’m pretty sure this was unethical if only because I’m a woman of child-bearing age and she should at the very least have asked about me being potentially pregnant!

Then you have to learn to get the pressure right, and trust me, it’s not as easy as it sounds! You have to develop some muscles you didn’t know existed, learn how to balance your body weight and most important of all, you have to learn to be firm, not strong. Learning to differentiate the two is crucial if you want your patient to enjoy their massage but also to preserve your own hands and wrists!

Thirdly, you have to listen. Listen to what your patient is telling you, obviously, but also to what their body is telling you, which may sometimes be very different things. This is where a degree of intuitiveness is required and no amount of learning and training can teach you that. I think this is the skill my massage therapist lacked the most on this occasion. She seemed to be doing all the right movements but never once did she hit the right spot. Never once did she find  and address a knot or sore point and there were many, I can tell you that! This to me says that she’s learnt her routine well but she has absolutely no idea what the routine is meant to achieve. And it’s left me incredibly frustrated and desperately wanting more!

It’s not easy finding good massage therapists, in London or anywhere, but here are a few of my recommendations:

- If you think the problem is structural, go to the British School of Osteopathy in Borough (near London Bridge). They have outstanding levels of care at the most decent price you could possibly get.
- For the best shiatsu therapist in town go see my friend Jim at Hands-On. Shiatsu is not a gentle massage like aromatherapy, so think about what it is you want or need before you go! But Jim does an amazing job, he gets my vote (and my husband’s) any day!
- For a great value spa day and spa treatments, go to Aqua Sana in Elveden Forest. It’s not that far from London and it’s unbeatable for the price.  BTW, the spa day mentioned in this post was not at Aqua Sana, I have only compliments for them!

I will add to this post whenever I come across very good massage therapists and spa treatments.