Massages

[Skeever]

I've been thinking about going for a massage for my back and shoulder pain, but have no idea what to look for.
Anyone frequently get massages? What's your advice? I've never gotten one, and don't know anyone who goes regularly enough to give any sort of advice on what to look for. Are you supposed to tip, or does that have other connotations? And there seem to be a lot of add-ons as well, different treatments and so on, I really have no idea.


 

[lonestar]

I lived with/dated a massage therapist for about 5 years, and got used to regular massage service, and still go about once a month. In my work, it's great therapy for repetitive use injuries. A few things to know from my experience...

- definitely tip, it's a decent portion of their income. If the service is under a c-note/hr, a 20 is good. Anything over, tip appropriately more.
- Be specific about where your hurting, otherwise you'll just get a general massage without targeting your back/shoulders. Let them know if there's too much pressure. It will hurt, that's part of the process, but there's a fine line between therapy and injury, your body will tell you.
- Look for places that offer sports massage, spas attached to hotels, or chain spots (we got Massage Envy here, not sure how broad they are). Again, be specific that you want a therapeutic massage, rub and tug joints are very common. Check Yelp and other reviews, you should be able to get a quick idea of how legit a place is.
- Never refer to them as a masseuse, they are massage therapists. My old gf used to get fucking pissed when she was referred to as a masseuse, it has a negative connotation.

That's about all I got for now, feel free to ask any questions. If you find the right therapists, they can be a literal godsend.

[ReaperKK]

Lonestar hit all the points. I used to get a massage once a month and it was honestly one of the more relaxing things I would treat myself too, I'd easily give up a few nice dinners just to have one massage. As you go more often you'll begin to realize what areas/pressure/style of massage you want.

[Cool Chris]

My wife goes all the time. I went to one a few times years ago. I didn't have any specific areas that were sore or painful. And I didn't do any shopping around. I think I had a Groupon. She asked me what areas I wanted her to focus on, I told her to just do whatever she normally does. She could tell I was new at this. I did tell her to turn off the new age music because it was actually more relaxing having no sound. My wife says her masseuse always talks to her the whole time. I would think that would be a total drag. Not sure the proper way to tell them to be quiet. I gave my gal a tip, didn't feel weird about it.

If all else fails, ask for Raymond.

[KevShmev]

I get a full body massage every month and it is always very relaxing and enjoyable. 

Finding a good massage therapist is like finding a good barber or mechanic. Once you find a good one, you stick with her (or him, if that is your preference).  The lady I have been going to for a while is outstanding. 

And, yeah, definitely tip. I am a notorious over tipper, so I usually give $25 for an hour massage, but I would think $20 works fine as well.

[TAC]

I get a full body massage every month and it is always very relaxing and enjoyable. 

Finding a good massage therapist is like finding a good barber or mechanic. Once you find a good one, you stick with her (or him, if that is your preference).  The lady I have been doing to for a while is outstanding. 

And, yeah, definitely tip. I am a notorious over tipper, so I usually give $25 for an hour massage, but I would think $20 works fine as well.

 

[jingle.boy]

I think tipping is fine for the therapists that are working for someone/some company.  Those (reputable) that work out of their own home and are their own boss, tipping is redundant (imo).

I used to go regularly - company benefit plans usually covered $500 or so a year.  But havent gone since pre-COVID.  Really should see if my spot is still in business.

[wolfking]

I get a full body massage every month and it is always very relaxing and enjoyable. 

Finding a good massage therapist is like finding a good barber or mechanic. Once you find a good one, you stick with her (or him, if that is your preference).  The lady I have been doing to for a while is outstanding. 

And, yeah, definitely tip. I am a notorious over tipper, so I usually give $25 for an hour massage, but I would think $20 works fine as well.

 

[Zydar]

[KevShmev]

That might be my best unintentional typo ever. 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I went for a classic swedish massage once with a big male masseuse and that was an experience, he found muscles on me I didn't knew existed. I felt that days after... Never really had that experience with female masseuse, most of them are to soft. 

[Stadler]

I've only been once or twice, and only for sports massages, but it's my understanding if you slip $60 into the waistband of your towel, when you roll over, it's the signal for "off the menu" services.  It's crass (and possibly a felony) to just pull the towel off without some tacit understanding.

I'm kidding; one of my best friends' wife is a massage therapist. From her point of view, Kev and RJ have it right.  Do your homework, and approach it like a barber or any other personal care service provider.  Tips are an integral part of the process, especially if you're going to a franchise-type place like Massage Envy.

[lonestar]

I went for a classic swedish massage once with a big male masseuse and that was an experience, he found muscles on me I didn't knew existed. I felt that days after... Never really had that experience with female masseuse, most of them are to soft. 

My ex was barely 5' tall, a tiny lady, and could make anyone tap out. She often worked on NFL players at the hotel we worked at, and even they were surprised she could be as effective as she was. It's not all about strength, it's about technique.

[Skeever]

- Look for places that offer sports massage, spas attached to hotels, or chain spots (we got Massage Envy here, not sure how broad they are). Again, be specific that you want a therapeutic massage, rub and tug joints are very common. Check Yelp and other reviews, you should be able to get a quick idea of how legit a place is.

Glad you brought this up as it's one of the things I've been apprehensive about since watching "The Deuce". I kinda thought that it was just an outdated stereotype, but once I started looking, it became very apparently that these types of joints were kind of common. I hate to be stereotypical, but would you say that Asian Massage Parlours are basically just codes for this (or even just places were you go to get lame backrubs?)

[lonestar]

- Look for places that offer sports massage, spas attached to hotels, or chain spots (we got Massage Envy here, not sure how broad they are). Again, be specific that you want a therapeutic massage, rub and tug joints are very common. Check Yelp and other reviews, you should be able to get a quick idea of how legit a place is.

Glad you brought this up as it's one of the things I've been apprehensive about since watching "The Deuce". I kinda thought that it was just an outdated stereotype, but once I started looking, it became very apparently that these types of joints were kind of common. I hate to be stereotypical, but would you say that Asian Massage Parlours are basically just codes for this (or even just places were you go to get lame backrubs?)

I'd guess it's a mixed bag... Some legit, some not. I never went to a ton, since I already had connections to good therapists via my ex. There's plenty of options outside the strip mall Asian massage shop to where you probably don't need to chance it (unless you want a handy, then rock on man) . If Massage Envy is a thing where you live, start there I'd say.

[Harmony]

I met my current LMT at a Massage Envy and one of my kids worked there as a receptionist before heading off to college.

Both my kid and my LMT have a lot to say about Massage Envy and none of it is good.  They are franchises so you get the good with the bad.  This particular one was the bad.  But lucky for me, I found my LMT there and moved with her when she opened her own shop.

My advice to those looking to try massage out, is to ask around to your friends/family and get a referral.  ME pays their employees SHIT and treats their employees like SHIT (their customers too at times.)

I also disagree with the stereotype that women LMTs are too soft.  That has never been my experience. 

[lonestar]

Didn't know that about ME, thanks for the heads up. I got a regular therapist I see now, so I'll never have to patronize them.

A reference is a good idea, even though we're not together anymore, I'd definitely recommend my ex to people, her work is outstanding.

[Skeever]

I met my current LMT at a Massage Envy and one of my kids worked there as a receptionist before heading off to college.

Both my kid and my LMT have a lot to say about Massage Envy and none of it is good.  They are franchises so you get the good with the bad.  This particular one was the bad.  But lucky for me, I found my LMT there and moved with her when she opened her own shop.

My advice to those looking to try massage out, is to ask around to your friends/family and get a referral.  ME pays their employees SHIT and treats their employees like SHIT (their customers too at times.)

I also disagree with the stereotype that women LMTs are too soft.  That has never been my experience.

Yelp for the place seems to be focused on a lot of unhappiness with people who've signed multi-month projects and then dealt with a lot of inflexibility and stubbornness regarding cancellations and/or reschedules.

[Stadler]

I met my current LMT at a Massage Envy and one of my kids worked there as a receptionist before heading off to college.

Both my kid and my LMT have a lot to say about Massage Envy and none of it is good.  They are franchises so you get the good with the bad.  This particular one was the bad.  But lucky for me, I found my LMT there and moved with her when she opened her own shop.

My advice to those looking to try massage out, is to ask around to your friends/family and get a referral.  ME pays their employees SHIT and treats their employees like SHIT (their customers too at times.)

I also disagree with the stereotype that women LMTs are too soft.  That has never been my experience.

Yelp for the place seems to be focused on a lot of unhappiness with people who've signed multi-month projects and then dealt with a lot of inflexibility and stubbornness regarding cancellations and/or reschedules.

Again, not an expert, but I think there's a difference between those places that allow you to come in and get a massage - like walking in to get a haircut - and those that require you to sign up for a monthly program like a gym membership.  You do you, but I can't see how a monthly membership is in your favor in this context, unless you are getting massages at the rate of several per week.

[TAC]

The only way I'm getting a massage is through a physical therapy program and it'll happen at a doctor's office.

[KevShmev]

Yeah, the sucky thing about Massage Envy (where I go ) is if you get behind on massages, you cannot put your membership on hold and still use the ones you have in the bank, which seems like a scam to me. It's like, I technically already paid for them, so why can't I use them?  At one point, I was like 5 or 6 behind - I had fallen out of the habit during the pandemic, and once they opened back up, I slacked off on getting back up to speed with them -  so I just did 2 a month for a while until I was caught up.

[MetalJunkie]

Just make sure to go to one in a sketchy area where all the windows are covered.

[soupytwist]

I've had a few deep tissue massages because of shoulder issues - you walk out of the parlour feeling like you are walking on air......1 hour later you can barely move and you feel sick to the stomach!    It is good though you just have to accept you'll have a rough period of a couple of hours, then once that's gone it's all good!

[Skeever]

Still on the hunt. I checked out the chains but, something like $130 for a massage? Crikey. Do any of them take insurance?

[Implode]

A fortuitous thread. I was just considering getting a massage too because my neck and right shoulder have been killing me for the past day after sleeping wrong. Looks like that's a good place to start.

[Skeever]

Was getting Sushi in a strip mall joint the other day and came across this place:
https://www.mingsoceanspa.com/

The building looked really nice. Nice sign out front, didn't look shady at all. Offered $50 for an hour. I almost did it.
Then I checked out that website and, uh, what???

I did a bit more googling, and saw a LOT of reviews from people looking for "extras" that were unhappy because they didn't get any?

So what's with the f%$@&'n costumes?
I almost stopped in - my wife was cool with it, too. But after thinking about it more, I decided against it. Seems like their costumes are just weird marketing, but still, something was not right about that. Have no idea how a business like that can survive above board and in such a nice strip mall area of town without raising a few red flags.

[El Barto]

There's a reason why "Asian Massage Parlour" carries a completely different connotation. 

[Skeever]

There's a reason why "Asian Massage Parlour" carries a completely different connotation. 

I try to be open minded. But I do actually want a good massage, and not huge on the idea of supporting human trafficking if I don't have to. lol.

[cramx3]

This:

Just make sure to go to one in a sketchy area where all the windows are covered.

and this:

it's my understanding if you slip $60 into the waistband of your towel, when you roll over, it's the signal for "off the menu" services.  It's crass (and possibly a felony) to just pull the towel off without some tacit understanding.

 

[jingle.boy]

it's my understanding if you slip $60 into the waistband of your towel, when you roll over, it's the signal for "off the menu" services.  It's crass (and possibly a felony) to just pull the towel off without some tacit understanding.

 

Which begs the question ... where does one obtain a $60 bill??

[gmillerdrake]

Alrighty....this will be a bit of a post but I'd like to share my only massage experience with the group.

Two years ago my wife bought us a couples massage for our 15 year anniversary. I'd never had a massage so she decided this would be as good as time as any. She found a 'Groupon' for this parlor near a restaurant we liked so we went to dinner and then headed to get our massages. The first hour of the massage was a lower body massage which was perfect timing because I had run a half marathon that morning. We were sitting next to each other and man, the massage felt great!

After the lower body portion was completed, they asked us to stand up and they directed us to separate rooms for the second hour of this deal my wife had bought.  Once I was in my room the massage therapist looked at me and told me (in very stereotypical broken english...she was Asian) to take my clothes off, lay on the table and place the towel over my lower half. So, having never done any of this...I did...and a few minutes later she was in the room and began to give me a massage.

I started face down and for the first 10-15 minutes I guess you could say things were 'normal'. Suddenly....this lady jumps up on the table and straddles me (I'm still face down) and continues to work/massage my upper back. Then, I feel someone start to massage my calves and lower legs and just as I'm thinking to myself "someone else is in here" my mind figures it all out and it's this lady using her feet and oddly satisfying prehensile toes to work that area of my body 

After another 5-10 minutes of that she dismounts like she was exiting a pommel horse and tells me to roll over. So now I'm face up and she starts in first on my upper body/neck....and eventually she's down at my legs but she's lifting and positioning me in ways that rendered the half sized white towel I was 'wearing' pretty much useless. There wasn't a part of my body that she didn't see or touch....no lie. It was WEIRD.

Now, I never achieved full blown arousal but it was strange because the massage felt really good but then entire time I'm in my head thinking "there's no way what is going on is a legit massage experience". And, it's not like she was performing sex acts or anything like that....it was all a massage but there was a very liberal boundary in her head of where she was 'working' where there was brief brushing and rubbing of the nether region.

In the final few minutes of the hour she stops and backs off a few feet from the table....looks at me and says "We done?"  Not...."I'm done."  She had an inquisitive look and asked me if we were finished or not. It was a VERY clear line in the sand of the whole 'happy ending'......is it happening or not?

I told her 'yep'.....we're done....thank you....and she left and I threw my clothes on and headed out to the waiting room. My wife was there already and she asked me how everything was and I just said 'fine'.....we walked out to the car and she asked me "what's wrong" as I really hadn't said much.

I told her that all I knew was that she and whoever the 'F' that woman was were the only two women that knew me on an intimate level    She was like 'what?' and so I recited the entire experience to her. She was laughing and then added that when she went to pay that the lady at the counter asked for cash only....and she said in the 15 minutes that she was sitting there waiting for me that multiple vehicles pulled up.....all men that came in and disappeared into a side wing of the building. She thought it was strange being that it was already close to 10:00pm that they'd still be open.

My youngest brother is a massage therapist for Massage Envy and I called and told him about what had went down. He was just laughing and saying how that was completely NOT how massages go and that I'd definitely experienced something that wasn't on the up and up. And...sure as shit the following week it was revealed on the news that establishment was raided and shut down for prostitution   

[cramx3]

That's fantastic Gary 

[El Barto]

Alrighty....this will be a bit of a post but I'd like to share my only massage experience with the group.

Two years ago my wife bought us a couples massage for our 15 year anniversary. I'd never had a massage so she decided this would be as good as time as any. She found a 'Groupon' for this parlor near a restaurant we liked so we went to dinner and then headed to get our massages. The first hour of the massage was a lower body massage which was perfect timing because I had run a half marathon that morning. We were sitting next to each other and man, the massage felt great!

After the lower body portion was completed, they asked us to stand up and they directed us to separate rooms for the second hour of this deal my wife had bought.  Once I was in my room the massage therapist looked at me and told me (in very stereotypical broken english...she was Asian) to take my clothes off, lay on the table and place the towel over my lower half. So, having never done any of this...I did...and a few minutes later she was in the room and began to give me a massage.

I started face down and for the first 10-15 minutes I guess you could say things were 'normal'. Suddenly....this lady jumps up on the table and straddles me (I'm still face down) and continues to work/massage my upper back. Then, I feel someone start to massage my calves and lower legs and just as I'm thinking to myself "someone else is in here" my mind figures it all out and it's this lady using her feet and oddly satisfying prehensile toes to work that area of my body 

After another 5-10 minutes of that she dismounts like she was exiting a pommel horse and tells me to roll over. So now I'm face up and she starts in first on my upper body/neck....and eventually she's down at my legs but she's lifting and positioning me in ways that rendered the half sized white towel I was 'wearing' pretty much useless. There wasn't a part of my body that she didn't see or touch....no lie. It was WEIRD.

Now, I never achieved full blown arousal but it was strange because the massage felt really good but then entire time I'm in my head thinking "there's no way what is going on is a legit massage experience". And, it's not like she was performing sex acts or anything like that....it was all a massage but there was a very liberal boundary in her head of where she was 'working' where there was brief brushing and rubbing of the nether region.

In the final few minutes of the hour she stops and backs off a few feet from the table....looks at me and says "We done?"  Not...."I'm done."  She had an inquisitive look and asked me if we were finished or not. It was a VERY clear line in the sand of the whole 'happy ending'......is it happening or not?

I told her 'yep'.....we're done....thank you....and she left and I threw my clothes on and headed out to the waiting room. My wife was there already and she asked me how everything was and I just said 'fine'.....we walked out to the car and she asked me "what's wrong" as I really hadn't said much.

I told her that all I knew was that she and whoever the 'F' that woman was were the only two women that knew me on an intimate level    She was like 'what?' and so I recited the entire experience to her. She was laughing and then added that when she went to pay that the lady at the counter asked for cash only....and she said in the 15 minutes that she was sitting there waiting for me that multiple vehicles pulled up.....all men that came in and disappeared into a side wing of the building. She thought it was strange being that it was already close to 10:00pm that they'd still be open.

My youngest brother is a massage therapist for Massage Envy and I called and told him about what had went down. He was just laughing and saying how that was completely NOT how massages go and that I'd definitely experienced something that wasn't on the up and up. And...sure as shit the following week it was revealed on the news that establishment was raided and shut down for prostitution 

I think the important distinction here is between "brushing up against" and "handling." 

Brushing up against isn't a problem. The only professional massage I've gotten was from a big, burly Kraut in Baden-Baden, and there was certainly some brushing up going on, and never seemed anything but legit. If he'd tried to grab anything it probably would have quickly escalated to something resulting in my appearance on the NBC Nightly News. 

[gmillerdrake]

 

There wasn’t full on manipulation going on but man……there was a LOT of territory dispute going on. It wasn’t an ‘ooops’ or ‘my bad’……it was a testing of the waters.

[lonestar]

'Territory dispute'