Why you might choose a Thai massage

POSTED BY ADMIN | massage | 14 Aug Everyone says that a Thai Massage has distinctive qualities, making it a different experience to any of the other well known massage therapies available around the world. If you have never had one either here in the UK or in Thailand itself, you could be left wondering what these fundamental differences are. Purist would say that a true Thai massage is a unique combination of techniques, philosophy, and cultural influences. While many forms of massage focus primarily on muscle relaxation and tension relief through kneading and stroking, Thai massage is both a bodywork and an art form, deeply rooted in ancient traditions and holistic health principles. Its evolution within the western world has distilled certain elements from the original massage to the Manchester Thai Massage available with us,that is still recognisable in its origins but has adapted to the needs of a 21^st century clientele.

Origins and Influences

The history of Thai massage can be traced back over 2,500 years, a blending over the centuries of different disciplines from China and India, together with the indigenous Thai healing practices. Its techniques have been passed down through generations, with practitioners traditionally learning in Buddhist temples across Thailand and used within the family home passing from generation to generation. One of the central figures in the development of Thai massage is Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, a physician to the Buddha, whose teachings are a combined knowledge of medicine, yoga, and Buddhist philosophy. This is why this treatment is still holistic in content, a tenet which remains central to the Thai massage experience today. Your Thai massage in Manchester at this Northern Quarter massage centre will draw on these principles, but just as one Thai family would introduce or adapt the movements, interpreting them in a slightly different way to another family, so does Thai massage continue to evolve today. In fact, this is not dissimilar to any massage practice: whether it may be the Swedish massage or Lymphatic drainage, whilst they all work on basic principles, all individual therapists adapt and amend as they work.

The differences and why

Be ready for a revelation when you book a Thai massage for the very first time as the techniques and methodology will be new in many ways with its full body approach. Your Thai massage therapist in Manchester may use their hands, elbows, knees, feet, and entire body to move you, the client, into a series of yoga-like stretches, this is why this therapy is sometimes called “assisted yoga”. This is in clear contrast to the localised muscle work of Swedish or deep tissue massage. Traditionally the massage takes place on a firm mat on the floor, not on a massage table, however today’s clients prefer the raised bed they are accustomed to in a Manchester massage salon. Because of this, Manchester Massage has hand built tables which enable the masseuse to use their body weight just as effectively and to move around the client easily, sometimes using their own whole body weight to achieve compression, stretching, and acupressure. The second difference which is immediately noticeable to the client is that as the recipient of a Thai massage they are more involved than in other types of massage. Rather than lying passively, they are guided through various postures and stretches, sometimes resembling a dynamic yoga session. This will include rhythmic compression, gentle rocking, and deep stretching. If you are considering a Thai massage, perhaps because it has been recommended to you by one of our existing clients or you have read or seen on social media reports of its benefits, you will discover it to be a different experience altogether. Here at Manchester Massage, we are fortunate enough to have several therapists who specialise in Thai massage, including one who has been traditionally trained, you will be in experienced hands.