Source: Deborah Jaffe / Getty Images-Deborah Jaffe
Ditch the old school hangups you’ve had in your head about men getting massages. A new wave of guy-friendly businesses are offering stress-busting, muscle-soothing treatments that cater to your unique needs. Navigating the various treatments and honing in on what will really do your body good can be half the battle. We turned to Tim Grae—massage therapist and founder of Grae Therapy, the first minority-owned mobile spa—to break down the 5 essential treatments that every man needs to try. Check out his recommendations below.
1. THAI MASSAGE
“Great for men that are new to massage therapy, Thai Massage helps reduce stress levels, improve overall circulation, level out blood pressure and enhance flexibility. The treatment allows for a greater range of motion through passive, slow, yoga-like stretching movements. Thai Massage can be provided with the recipient completely clothed.”
2. DEEP-TISSUE MASSAGE
“This massage gets to the deepest levels of muscle tissue that is usually prone to pain & rigidity. An excellent way for men to manage sports injuries, postural misalignment, spasms and muscle tension. Benefits include releasing specific chronic muscle tension, muscular knots and adhesions.”
3. SPORTS MASSAGE
“Geared toward athletes of every kind from world-class professionals to weekend warriors, this treatment can be used as a means to enhance, prevent, prepare and reduce recovery time for maximum performance. The technique can be tailored to the athlete’s sport of choice to focus on areas of the body that are overused and stressed from repetitive and often aggressive movements.”
4. CUPPING
“Cupping is another modality that is excellent for athletes of all levels. As featured in the 2016 Olympics with Michael Phelps, cupping helps to increase blood flow, aiding in the relief of muscle soreness, arthritis and blood disease. The suction in the cupping creates space for fluid to move and helps drain toxins and waste from the cells, removing that waste from the body. This is a great treatment for dense muscles.”
5. REFLEXOLOGY
“This is a therapeutic method of relieving pain by stimulating pressure points on the feet and hands capable of bringing calm to your entire body. Grae Therapy created a unique modality for this treatment named Heel My Pain.”
