I admit it. I was a junkie. I started treating myself in my early 20's after I landed my first job. It was infrequent at first, but I soon took it upon myself to schedule regular appointments. I always found a place in every city I traveled. My favorite had to be one by a very large, Jamaican woman who used the leverage of her robust body to deliver what I needed. I was hooked...on deep tissue massages.
I was entranced by the pre-massage rituals - the candles, the clinky-clanky music and the ultra luxe bedding. I loved the masseuse's soothing voice and how she responded to my cues. I relished the post-massage soreness. In line with my endorphin-fueled workout mentality, I believed the "sorer the better". There was even a sense of self-congratulations that I could afford such a luxury.
Cut to leaner times. My freelance gigs dried up, and I moved from Atlanta to LA where the cost of living was considerably higher. Though I lived in a studio apartment, had boxes as furniture and drove a run-down vehicle, I still managed to satisfy my massage cravings. As the jobs became fewer and farther between, I reached a point where I had to scale back quite a bit. It was only then that I took massages off of my "essentials" list.
Years passed. I got married. I changed jobs...and changed jobs...and changed jobs. I discovered Pilates. It was an instant love affair. After about a year as a client, I joined the training program to become an instructor. During my education, I realized how fortunate I was to have shed my former addiction.
I am not saying that deep tissue massage is bad or that it is wrong for everyone. I am a firm believer that there are no absolutes when it comes to benefits and detriments to the body. Just as each cell is different, the body that is comprised of those cells is even more different. I have come to the conclusion that deep tissue massage is not for me.
The owners of the school where I got my diploma also offered "neuromuscular therapy," a technique based on the teachings of Thomas Griner. (Check out his book, What's Really Wrong with You.) It basically asserts that pressing on or overstretching the muscles can cause lasting damage. The "relief" that one feels following a manipulation such as deep tissue massage, acupuncture or chiropracting is basically the result of endorphin release. In the meantime, nothing has been done to stop the "hypertonic muscle spasm" so the condition remains the same despite the pain level.
Just because I was exposed to this theory, didn't mean that I subscribed to it. I kept it in the back of my mind as I studied, built my practice and continued to learn my trade. I learned how to guide people through pain and into release. As I experienced repeated success in pain abatement, I was able to understand firsthand how manual manipulation wasn't nearly as affective as using one's mind to re-pattern the body. Sure it takes more mind-body sessions to realign the body than it would to have someone put it into place, but the effects are more long lasting and there's a sense of achievement and progress.
Years after I became certified, I decided to revisit my old friend deep tissue massage. As soon as I smelled the candles and heard the new age music, I was transported back to my single carefree days. This was going to be good. It was rough going at first. I told myself it must be stress. The roughness wasn't improving. I told myself it was just from having been out of the saddle for so long. By the end, I was sweaty and felt bruised. Is this really what I had been addicted to? The next day, the soreness that set in made me feel like I was walking through mud. Every muscle in my body felt beaten up and every move I made an effort.
Believe it or not, I tried it again a few months later. I wanted to be fair in my assessment. I couldn't just write massage off because of one bad experience. Sure enough, the results were the same if not worse. And that was it. That was the end of my relationship with deep tissue massage. I didn't need a third session to know it isn't right for me.
Today, I have sworn off deep tissue massages. Forget the super soft bedding and the intoxicating aroma of scented oils, I'll take my cadillac and spine corrector any day of the week.
Years passed. I got married. I changed jobs...and changed jobs...and changed jobs. I discovered Pilates. It was an instant love affair. After about a year as a client, I joined the training program to become an instructor. During my education, I realized how fortunate I was to have shed my former addiction.
I am not saying that deep tissue massage is bad or that it is wrong for everyone. I am a firm believer that there are no absolutes when it comes to benefits and detriments to the body. Just as each cell is different, the body that is comprised of those cells is even more different. I have come to the conclusion that deep tissue massage is not for me.
The owners of the school where I got my diploma also offered "neuromuscular therapy," a technique based on the teachings of Thomas Griner. (Check out his book, What's Really Wrong with You.) It basically asserts that pressing on or overstretching the muscles can cause lasting damage. The "relief" that one feels following a manipulation such as deep tissue massage, acupuncture or chiropracting is basically the result of endorphin release. In the meantime, nothing has been done to stop the "hypertonic muscle spasm" so the condition remains the same despite the pain level.
Just because I was exposed to this theory, didn't mean that I subscribed to it. I kept it in the back of my mind as I studied, built my practice and continued to learn my trade. I learned how to guide people through pain and into release. As I experienced repeated success in pain abatement, I was able to understand firsthand how manual manipulation wasn't nearly as affective as using one's mind to re-pattern the body. Sure it takes more mind-body sessions to realign the body than it would to have someone put it into place, but the effects are more long lasting and there's a sense of achievement and progress.
Years after I became certified, I decided to revisit my old friend deep tissue massage. As soon as I smelled the candles and heard the new age music, I was transported back to my single carefree days. This was going to be good. It was rough going at first. I told myself it must be stress. The roughness wasn't improving. I told myself it was just from having been out of the saddle for so long. By the end, I was sweaty and felt bruised. Is this really what I had been addicted to? The next day, the soreness that set in made me feel like I was walking through mud. Every muscle in my body felt beaten up and every move I made an effort.
Believe it or not, I tried it again a few months later. I wanted to be fair in my assessment. I couldn't just write massage off because of one bad experience. Sure enough, the results were the same if not worse. And that was it. That was the end of my relationship with deep tissue massage. I didn't need a third session to know it isn't right for me.
Today, I have sworn off deep tissue massages. Forget the super soft bedding and the intoxicating aroma of scented oils, I'll take my cadillac and spine corrector any day of the week.
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