Which massage is best for you?

I grew up being taught that everyone is different. Which is good. That’s what makes the world go around. And the same is true when it comes to massage.

Hear me out. 

Now, if you’re like me, you may be thinking a massage is a massage… is a massage. What could be different?

Everyone can use the same “one-massage-fits-all” solution, right?

Well, the truth is… there are a ton of different massages. Over 200 to be exact. And each one can offer you unique health benefits… depending on your needs. 

I have to admit, when I started researching this I couldn’t believe just how many different types of massages there are. Some date way, way back. It’s pretty amazing. Guess folks figured out the health benefits of a good massage a long time ago.

So this begs the question…. What massage is best for you? Well, I completed a little list — so you can decide. 

Now of course this isn’t every massage ever recorded. But I think it will give you a good head start. So here we go:

Swedish massage

This is probably the most popular massage and the one that most of us know about. It uses a basic combo of kneading, rolling, friction and tapping. It’s best for folks looking to relax and looking to help relieve stress, cramping and release tension too. 

Shiatsu massage

In Japanese “shiatsu” means finger pressure. And that's exactly what this massage is all about. Using finger pressure on different pressure points to help relieve things like headaches, back pain and even support better energy. 

Deep Tissue

This one is rough. If you're looking to relax this probably isn't the massage for you. However, if you have an injury that requires some deep pressure to help promote healing, this might be best. Like the name says, this massage goes deep into your muscles and promotes strong blood flow. Most folks find it to be pretty painful. So this is one I would leave to the pros.

Trigger Point Massage

This is my favorite. These massages focus on specific areas on your body. For example, I always have sore hamstrings. So, I actually use a device that I strap around my legs. It targets my hamstrings directly & gives me a nice compression massage. It’s a huge relief. So if you're looking to relieve chronic muscle pain & tension — I recommend this one.

Sports massage

This massage combines the best of everything. And while it's usually reserved for athletes…  Everyone can benefit from these massage techniques. It’s really great for anybody who's physically active and wants to prevent injury while increasing circulation and relaxation. Which sounds like all of us. And I think it’s a great place to start if you want to experience different massages at once.

As you can see, you’ve got quite a few options when it comes to getting the massage you want. 

And this list is just a small fraction of the amount of massages there are. Like I said before, there’s hundreds of different types of massages that can help you treat all different types of needs. 

So hopefully this list can help get you started. And help you see some of the great health benefits like lower blood pressure, improved circulation, lowered stress and greater relaxation too.

Just don't blame me if you become your family’s “on-call masseuse.”