8 Tips From Industry Insiders on How to Get the BEST Massage

Timing Matters: The most optimal time for each individual may be different, depending on your lifestyle, daily schedule, and the results you are looking to achieve from your massage. However, the majority of you are likely wanting to relax, and possibly reduce some aches and pains while you are at it. I highly recommend scheduling your appointment later in the day, so you can just go home and relax afterwards. You’ve paid good money to feel this way, so allow yourself to really enjoy it. I don’t suggest trying to squeeze an appointment into the middle of your day, and still run errands afterwards. Also, don’t wait until the last minute to head to your massage appointment. Most massage therapists have an intake form, so they can better address your specific needs. The last thing you want is to be rushing and anxious trying to get to your appointment on time, because you’ll likely spend half of your massage appointment simply trying to finally calm down enough to relax and let go. 

Ask about the massage therapist’s typical schedule. Ask how many appointments they typically see per day, and if it is over six, I suggest continuing your search. There may be a tiny percentage of therapists that can carry this high of an appointment load without it impacting the quality of their work, but I can promise you they are extremely rare. I try to stick to no more than four appointments a day, so I am confident I can give my all to every client I see. There is a popular assumption I’ve heard from several clients in the past that I feel is inaccurate. Some clients believe it is best to be the first massage of the day, because they think the therapist will have the most energy and strength. Now I obviously can’t speak for all massage therapists, but I can speak from my own experience and what I’ve heard from my fellow therapists over the years. The prime appointment time, in general, would be the second or third appointment of the day. That is when we have gotten into our groove practicing massage for the day but haven’t gotten fatigued. I realize that there always needs to be a first massage of the day, and a last massage of the day, but if you can decide where you land, why the heck not…??

Dress for Less Stress: When I go in for a massage, I wear a loose dress with nothing underneath. I throw a jacket over my top and slip on some flip flops. If weather permits, this is the best way to go. For those of you that aren’t the dress wearing type, just choosing something that is loose, comfortable, and easy to take on and off is what we are looking for here. This way you don’t have to feel tight, restrictive clothing after getting your body in that relaxed state. Also, if you are like many people, you may wonder what you should have on while you are getting a massage, and the answer is nothing. A professional massage therapist knows exactly how to properly drape your body to address all the areas that need attention, while still maintaining your privacy. If you feel too vulnerable or uncomfortable taking everything off, it’s common to leave underwear on if it makes you feel more relaxed. Just know that it may inhibit some of the areas the massage therapist is able to work and tends to impact the flow of a massage. 

Communication is a MUST: I know sometimes it can feel uncomfortable in the middle of someone working so hard to give you a good massage, to tell them it’s not quite working for ya, but the reality is everyone is different, and massage therapists aren’t mind readers. Some of us are a tad more intuitive than others, but when it comes down to it you must be willing to communicate what your preferences are when you receive massage. Some clients like a gentle, featherlike touch to help them just relax and melt, while others want an elbow as deep as humanly possible. Now I’m not going to go into what techniques and practices are optimal for your body and health (that’s an entirely different post that I see writing in the near future, but I’ll give you a hint and it’s not the make me hurt until I tap out type of massage), but it is up to you to tell your massage therapist what you like and don’t like. 

While it’s important to communicate if anything needs adjusted during your massage, it’s also beneficial to keep chatting to a minimum. Unless you are a person that absolutely needs to talk during a massage, or else you feel uncomfortable, you should try to limit conversation to feedback concerning your massage and comfort level. I can tell you that I do my best work when there is no talking during a treatment, and I am able to really get out of my head and into my hands. If I’m busy trying to listen and respond to a client, it is taking away from my ability to focus completely on the treatment.

You should also spend a little time prior to arriving to your appointment to do a little bodily awareness scan. Ask yourself… Where am I feeling the most tension? What areas have been bothering me when I try to fall asleep, or when I first wake up in the morning? What areas have been feeling good lately, and don’t need as much focus? Answering these questions ahead of time will prepare you for your intake conversation with your massage therapist. You can tell them exactly where you want the most time spent, and if there are other areas that they can spend less time to allow them the extra time needed for those other spots. This is your time, your massage, get what you want and need out of it. 

Do a Little Research: There is a shockingly HUGE range when it comes to natural talent, skills, education, background, massage modalities, etc. In fact, you may be shocked to learn that in some states, the education and licensing requirements vary from county to county. I once lived and practiced in a county in California that only required 100 hours of education completed, and an extremely basic in person exam to prove you knew the names of the major muscle groups and the basic massage strokes, such as effleurage and petrissage and tapotement. So, it’s a good idea to confirm first that the massage therapist is licensed (you can even look them up on the Massage Therapy State Board list just to be certain), and second what exactly the licensing requirements are for your area. This isn’t to say that there aren’t some extremely skilled professional massage therapists that are just getting started, or only completed the minimum requirement for your area, because I happened to be one of them 18 years ago (growing up with a mother who is a licensed massage therapist, and receiving massage regularly, gave me plenty of previous experience and natural talent prior to becoming officially licensed). Plus, there are some licensed professionals with plenty of education, but they just don’t have the natural touch and passion required to perform a truly exceptional massage experience. But these are at least helpful factors to consider when deciding who to book an appointment with for the first time.

Take a little time to investigate what specific types of massage you feel would best address your needs. Most people are absolutely satisfied, and experience wonderful results, from receiving a basic, relaxing Swedish Massage, or perhaps what many call in the industry a “Therapeutic Massage” (which usually means a blend of Swedish Massage and other Deeper Tissue and fascia addressing techniques). Perhaps you think cupping with your massage would be beneficial based on your symptoms, or you have circulatory/lymph issues and would benefit from lymphatic drainage, or you really love the heat from a Hot Stone Massage, then you will need to seek out professionals that offer those specific modalities. Call around and find out what therapists in your area offer the types of services you are looking for, how long they have been practicing, and what kind of reviews they have gotten in the past. Ask your friends if they have seen any exceptional massage therapists in the area. I can tell you, one of the worst massages I’ve ever received in my entire life (and I’ve received A LOT of massages over my lifetime) was done by a massage therapist working in a chiropractor’s office. I know many people assume that anyone working in a chiropractor’s office must be an exceptional therapist, and this is just not necessarily the case. I currently have an office space that I rent in a chiropractor’s office, so I’m definitely not trying to imply it’s a bad place to go. I’m just saying, don’t assume they are good just because of the location they happen to work in.  

I will also tell you a little secret… one of the least skilled therapists in my massage class got hired by a nationally known high-end destination retreat spa. So, I can’t stress enough to make sure to do just a little bit of research, check out reviews, and ask specific questions. Usually, if you ask enough questions when you are trying to schedule with a location with multiple therapists, you will quickly hear them pointing you in a specific direction. They tend to know who is known for giving the best of whatever specific type of massage you are looking to book. 

Leave Your Insecurities at the Door: Nothing can distract from an amazing massage experience more than the person receiving the massage feeling insecure in some way. Believe me when I say that most professional massage therapists have seen ALL kinds of different body types, skin types, hair in all sorts of places, moles, birthmarks, stretchmarks, that weird little bump on your skin that you still aren’t quite sure what the heck it is, and the list could go on. Human bodies are all extremely unique, and we all have little things about ourselves that we might feel a certain kind of way about, but don’t worry about what your therapist is seeing or thinking. We are not evaluating your body, at least not in the way you might be obsessing about in your head. We are paying attention to the muscles, the fascia, the range of motion, your eyes fluttering, and changes in your breath, we don’t care if you didn’t shave your legs. So leave any and all insecurities at the door, or even better yet kick them completely out of your hemisphere. We ain’t got time for that. 

Hygiene is a Good Thing: So now that I’ve told you to kick those insecurities to the curb, I’m going to tell you one thing that you should try your best to do, and that’s make sure you have your basic hygiene taken care of prior to your massage. Showering prior to your massage is beneficial for many reasons. It allows you to relax a bit prior to your massage, and if you can handle a bit hotter of a shower or bath, adding heat better prepares your body for your massage therapist. 

Also, try to avoid any strong perfume or cologne or other similar strong-smelling scents, because this can be distracting for your therapist and can even cause them to have a hard time avoiding coughing throughout your treatment. It is not fun being fully relaxed and spaced out, only to suddenly hear a loud coughing fit from your massage therapist. So, help them breathe easier, by limiting the strong smells. If you can’t come straight from a shower or bath, it’s helpful to bring one of those individually wrapped body wipes. You can use it to quickly address the main areas, and don’t forget hitting those feet last. Yes, I do realize that those neat little wipes might not be the most ecofriendly option, but sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. You could always bring a washcloth and a spray bottle filled with water and a couple drops of an organic essential oil in it to give your body a little more ecofriendly refresher, as well. 

And one more thing, don’t apply any thick lotion, or cream, or sunscreen prior to your appointment. It just ends up turning into these really unpleasant little balls of product rolling off your skin when they start massaging it. Picture a time when you have gotten a sunburn in the past, and you rub your skin up and down, and you start to feel those little clumps of skin ball up on your hand…. Yeah, that’s not pleasant. It won’t feel good to you if you are sensitive enough to notice it, and it most definitely isn’t pleasant for your massage therapist, so do you both a favor and skip the lotions and creams that day. 

Be Mindful About What You Put Into Your Body: It’s important what you put in your body leading up to receiving massage. You don’t want to go to your appointment feeling ravenous and feel and hear your tummy grumbling the entire time, only able to focus on how hungry you feel the entire time. However, you also don’t want to go in right after having a heavy meal and feel uncomfortably full the entire time or worried about passing gas while on the massage table (which is totally normal, and happens from time to time, so don’t feel too embarrassed if it does). Eating a light meal or snack an hour or two beforehand is optimal to fully enjoy your massage experience. 

Some people enjoy having a little cocktail, or three, prior to receiving their massage. Now one drink should be fine for most people, anything more than that is not a good idea. Massage increases circulation and tends to increase the intensity of alcohol. So, you may start the massage just feeling a slight buzz, only to end up feeling much more intoxicated afterwards. You want to be able to give accurate feedback to your therapist during your appointment and drinking alcohol can inhibit your ability to provide the information your massage therapist needs. 

Staying hydrated is important every day, but it’s especially important when receiving massage. Make sure you have had plenty of water prior to your appointment, and don’t forget to use the restroom right before you go in for your treatment, because it’s super not fun to have to stop your appointment to run to the bathroom. You also need to make sure to drink plenty of water following your appointment to hydrate and detox your body.

You should try to avoid taking any pain killers, or anything that inhibits your ability to fully perceive what is going on with your body. You certainly don’t want to go in to get a massage to reduce pain, only to end up in more pain because you were unable to tell your therapist the pressure was too deep or something they were doing was too much for your body. And always remember to tell your massage therapist prior to starting your appointment about any health issues, injuries, open wounds, skin conditions, medications you are taking, or areas they need to avoid during your treatment. 

FINALLY…Schedule MORE MASSAGES: I saved the most important part for last. Once you have found a massage therapist you feel comfortable with and seems to fit your needs, make sure to schedule more massages with them. I know that some people feel skeptical when massage therapists give their recommendations for frequency of massage appointments, but it’s not just some ploy to get you to spend your money, trust me. The industry standard response is every 4 to 6 weeks, but I’m going to tell you straight up that this is for maintenance massage on generally healthy people without chronic pain.

Shelley Leon, a licensed massage therapist working in the industry for over 40 years (who also happens to be my mother), offers this advice for getting the most out of receiving professional massage… “Massage and Bodywork is a brilliant investment in your health. Find a therapist you feel comfortable with and commit to a schedule. Remember, an occasional massage is lovely-but like the rest of your fitness routine- it is most effective, when scheduled consistently.”

If you are seeking massage because you have been struggling with ongoing back, or shoulder, or neck pain, or your calves are painfully knotted up, or your piriformis is so tight it is causing sciatica symptoms, or any of the endless possibilities of chronic pain, you most likely need to be seen multiple times and preferably time your appointments close together. Generally, I prefer to see clients in chronic pain weekly for at least the first 3 or 4 appointments, and hopefully by then there has been enough improvement that we can change their appointments to every 2 weeks. Eventually, the goal would be to get to a point that coming in once a month is enough for their maintenance needs. 

Your body didn’t get this way overnight, and it’s rare that one massage will completely fix it. You’ve got to give it time. Going in for one massage and declaring massage either did or didn’t work for your issue, is like going to the gym once and expecting to lose all the weight you want to lose, or gain all the strength you want to build, in just that first visit. We can wish for that to be possible all we want, but the reality is that it’s just not a reasonable expectation. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t hope to feel and experience noticeable improvements after just one professional massage, especially when it is given by someone with the skills and information needed to address your body’s unique needs.