TufMuff'n said:Ok I received a gift certificate for a free massage and I've been putting it off until now - and
I'm doing it now because there's an expiry date on the gift certificate. I'm very nervous and don't
know what to expect.
Because I waited so long, I am only able to receive a massage from a male - which makes me more
uncomfortable.
Since it's not clear from your email address or signature if you yourself are male or female, there
are two possibilities:
1. You're male and the idea of another male seeing you undressed and/or touching you is
worrisome, or
2. You're female and the notion of a guy who you don't know seeing you undressed and/or touching you
bothers you.
The thing to remember is that a therapeutic massage has nothing to do
Presuming your therapist is competent, gender shouldn't matter any more than the gender of, say,
your bank teller.
Quoted message said:I'm mainly freaking out because of my body image issues - I'm overweight and afraid that the person
massaging me will be grossed out, repulsed, etc.
I'd like to ask any massage therapists here if body size/fitness matters to you. Is there anything
I can do to make the experience less unpleasant for the MT?
Unless you have some horrible skin disease it probably won't matter. I've worked on men women and
children, fat, thin, muscular, flabby and anything in between. Once you're on the table, you're just
another set of muscles to soothe and knots to work out.
Quoted message said:Also, what is an acceptable tip for a one-hour massage?
What's normal protocol for massages? Is there something specific I should wear? Anything I
should bring?
This may cover some things you already know, but I figure it's better to cover some things twice
than leave you ignorant and confused.
Typically things will start with you filling out some paperwork about your general health and any
areas that are particularly troublesome, or that should be avoided ("contraindications" is the
technical term.) The massage session will be in a private room, or at least curtained off, so you've
got some privacy. The therapist should show you in to the room, then leave so you can get undressed.
You'll need to take off everything except maybe your shorts/panties. (If you leave the underwear on,
that tells the therapist you don't want your gluteal muscles worked on; if you take them off, then
the therapist will massage them too. The choice is entirely up to you.) There should be a sheet on
the massage table, lie down with your face in the facerest and put the sheet over you.
The therapist will come back in once you're ready, and fold the sheet down to your waist and start
working on your back, then on your neck and arms. Once he's done with the top half of your body,
he'll re-cover it with the sheet and uncover one of your legs, work on it, then the other leg. Once
the legs are done, the therapist will cover them again, raise the sheet so it forms a sort of tent
over your body and ask you to roll over (done properly you stay completely under the sheet while
rolling over) he'll then drape the sheet back over your torso and go work on the fronts of your
legs. Once the legs are done he'll move up and fold the sheet down slightly so he can work on your
pectoral muscles and shoulders, then work on your neck and possibly your scalp and face.
Once the session is over, he'll leave the room so you can get dressed.
Possible problems:
It's common for your sinuses to drain down into your face while you're lying on the table. If you
have sinus problems you might want to bring a handkerchief or some kleenex. Once you roll over,
things will go back where they belong.
The room is too warm or cold. Ask the therapist if he can do something about it. (Depending on the
office setup he may not be able to, but he might be able to provide a blanket if it's too cold.)
The therapist is applying too much pressure, or not enough pressure. He *should* be asking "how's
that pressure on your back?" but if he's not, go ahead and ask him to adjust the pressure so you're
comfortable. A massage shouldn't hurt, except in the "it hurts so good" sense.
In the unlikely event that you just feel too uncomfortable to continue, it is acceptable to ask to
stop the massage. You can even complain to your state's Board of Health, or whoever licenses massage
therapists in your area, if it's really bad. (Presuming you're dealing with a reputable therapist,
the chances of this happening are pretty remote, but there *are* some horror stories out there.)
-Chris Zakes LDP Massage Texas
I came up here for a party, and what happens? Nothing! Not even ice cream. The gods looked down and
laughed. This would be a better world for children if the parents had to eat the spinach.
-Groucho Marx, "Animal Crackers"
