Massages are known to be relaxing and feel great. One thing that may be stopping many from getting a professional massage is that they do not understand the process and may feel uncomfortable with the unknown.

If you have never had a massage you should know that it is not a difficult or scary process. Your masseuse will lead you through each step in a professional and relaxing manner.

Spa massages are supposed to be luxurious, relaxing and a fantastic way to pamper yourself from the stress of the daily grind. Because of this the atmosphere of a spa is designed around the thought of giving the clients the attention that they usually neglect to give themselves.

Even though each spa may vary slightly, there are basic procedures that you can expect when getting a massage.

When you arrive for your spa massage, you check in at the front desk. The secretary there will ensure the time and type of massage you have requested.

After checking in, you will be led into a locker room reserved for your gender. It is only a locker room in the sense that there are lockers for you to put your belongings in.

The room will be outfitted with comfortable chairs and tables that are filled with various snacks and beverages. After getting into the locker room, you will be given a plush robe to change into.

When changing into your robe, how much clothing you remove is up to your discretion. Even if you strip naked, the massage therapist will keep your private parts covered with a sheet.

Feel free to leave on undergarments if nudity makes you uncomfortable. You want to be as relaxed as possible when receiving your massage, so do whatever makes you feel most comfortable.

When your massage therapist is ready for you, they will let you know by either coming into the locker room, if they are your same gender. If they are of the opposite gender, they will typically send someone else in to tell you they are ready.

After introductions, the massage therapist will lead you back to the room where your spa massage will take place. The room will have dim lighting and soft music. A massage table will be in the center of the room.

Before starting the massage, the massage therapist will speak with you for a few moments about what you are looking for in the session. If you have any injuries or areas you would like them to focus on, now is the time to say it.


Also mention if there’s a possibility of you being allergic to the massage oils they use. After this, the therapist will leave you alone in the room to disrobe and cover yourself with the sheet.

You may start on your back or stomach according to preference. You will be asked to flip over at some point in the massage so that other areas of the body can be worked on.

The massage therapist will knock before they enter to make sure you’re in place and feeling comfortable. Once inside, they will begin the spa massage.

Relax as much as possible to enhance the massage. It is likely the massage therapist will use a massage oil to help them manipulate the skin.

There are a variety of touch techniques that the therapist might use including long firm strokes, fast taps and kneading of muscles. If anything hurts, let them know. Often when muscles are sore they will hurt more when they are worked on.

For some, muscles may feel sore even after the massage is over. This is a common experience especially for first time recipients.

The therapist will move the sheet off of the areas they are working on. After they are done working on that area they will replace the sheet and move onto the next area.

A massage therapist will never lift the sheet past certain areas when giving a massage. When they have finished working on the first side, you will be asked to roll over slowly while holding the sheet around you.

Once the spa massage is complete, the therapist will advise you to lie quietly for a few minutes to let the relaxation set in. They’ll advise you to rise slowly when you go to put the robe back on and leave the room before you do so.

The therapist will meet you in the hallway with a glass of water and possibly a small snack. They will likely advise you to take it easy for a few minutes.

This is because massage causes some to feel a bit lightheaded, so it is best to take it easy for ten to fifteen minutes.

After you finish relaxing, you will return to the locker room. After getting dressed, you can check out at the front desk.

Hopefully your massage left you feeling much more relaxed and pampered than you felt going in at the beginning.

Jack R. Landry has worked at a day spa for the last 9 years and written hundreds of articles about day spas. He recommends (http://www.SolaseYou.com) for massages.

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!