What makes Thai massage unique?
Here are ten ways that Thai massage is unique from Western massage styles.
Thai massage is bodywork, but the purpose is to balance the elements.
The purpose of a Thai massage is to restore the flow of Lom (wind) in the body and remove any imbalance between the four core elements.
Thai massage is holistic.
A practitioner does not treat symptomatic spots during a Thai massage but looks at the body as an integrated energy system. For this reason, a traditional Thai massage is almost always full-body.
Thai massage uses body weight for acupressure.
Rather than use muscles to apply pressure, practitioners position their knee or elbow and lean in with body weight.
Thai massage is strenuous but much easier for a practitioner.
During a Thai massage, practitioners use forearms, elbows, knees, and feet and do not have to rely on their thumbs as much as in other types of massage. Using other body parts takes the stress off their hands.
Thai massage, especially the northern style, involves much stretching.
Stretches Northern Folk Thai Massage add benefits such as increased ROM and create a different experience than other massages.
Thai massage does not require a table.
Practitioners position themselves above their clients to use their body weight for acupressure, which is much simpler to perform when a client is lying on a mat. And they require much space to do the Thai massage stretches correctly.
Thai massage recipients are fully clothed.
Practitioners do not need to worry about draping clients since they wear loose-fitting clothing during a Thai massage. Wearing clothes puts clients at ease, which is especially important for a male practitioner working with female clients.
Thai massage can be done everywhere, even in public.
Since a recipient wears clothes during a Thai massage, a practitioner can give a Thai massage in public spaces such as parks or a market. The client can be out of a clinic.
Thai massage does not need oil.
Since the recipient wears clothes, the practitioner does not use massage oil during a Thai massage. The advantage is that the recipient does not need to shower after a Thai massage.
Thai massage uses breath to synchronize movement.
Synchronized breathing establishes a deeper connection between the practitioner and the client.