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What is a Thai Table massage?
Thai Table massage is a relatively new phenomenon. Historically, Thai massage practitioners performed Traditional Thai Massage on a floor mat. Thailand had no massage tables until recent decades. However, even today, most traditional Thai massage practitioners in Thailand still perform the massage on a mat.
Traditional Thai and Table Thai massage both utilize stretching techniques applied slowly in patterns of gentle rocking and rhythmic muscle compressions, joint mobilization, and acupressure points. Unlike Traditional Thai massage, Table Thai massage uses a standard massage table instead of a mat on the floor. However, like Traditional modalities, both the client and practitioner are dressed in comfortable clothing, allowing for ease of movement and flexibility.
Thai Table massage has become popular because it complements Western massage modalities well. Functionally, a therapist can perform many basic Thai massage techniques on a table, similar to a floor mat, allowing for a more controlled environment. This massage is ideal for Registered Massage Therapists and Practitioners who already work on a table.
Floor Vs Table
The primary benefit of working on the floor is that practitioners can utilize their body weight, momentum, and gravity, rather than relying solely on muscular strength. This advantage allows a small practitioner to apply substantial leverage and locks using their body weight. While the average career span of a massage therapist is typically between five and seven years due to joint injuries and burnout, Thai techniques enable therapists of any size to perform effective, deep-tissue massage without the risk of injury or exhaustion. And Thai techniques preserve the health of therapists’ wrists and thumbs.
More importantly, a hard mattress on the floor provides practitioners with stability for stretching movements, allowing them to move smoothly, much like dancing.
Many Northern-style Thai Massage stretching techniques are challenging enough to practice on the floor and require the utmost equilibrium of the practitioner. Although practitioners can jump on a massage table to attempt these stretches, most tables are too narrow and have soft surfaces to be secure enough for advanced stretches. These techniques may pose a high risk of injury to both the receiver and the giver.
The final advantage of working on the floor is that it feels very different for the client. Traditional Thai massage feels deeply grounded. There is something natural about being on the floor rather than a table. Being on a mat provides an intimate and pleasant connection to the ground.
One downside of working on the floor is that a mat requires more room than a table. Many treatment rooms at clinics or spas require larger spaces to accommodate both a massage mat and a table. Alternatively, if the room is large enough, the business may require more time to transition the room from one style to another.
A second potential problem with working on a mat is that Traditional Thai massage requires the practitioner to have mobility and flexibility. Standing at a table requires less mobility from the practitioner. Working on the floor can be more challenging for practitioners’ knees and backs if they are not accustomed to kneeling or sitting on their heels.
Ultimately, the choice to work on the table or the floor is up to the practitioner. The core traditional Thai massage work, including Jap Sen, Tok Sen and Herbal Compress work well on the table. However, practitioners lose the efficiency of certain Thai massage techniques, especially those that require strength or stability, when they transition to a table. And some Thai massage techniques are outright dangerous if performed on a table.
Tools for Table Thai Massage
Thai Table massage requires many of the same supplies as regular massage, including:
- Fitted sheets
- Chair
- Bolster(s)
- At least one pillow
- Blanket
- Massage clothing
The most essential tool is a proper massage table. Thai Table massage requires a sturdy massage table. In Thailand, some practitioners use sturdy massage beds built specifically for Traditional Thai massage. Unlike Western massage tables, these Thai massage beds are more like a platform than a table. The beds are very low, about 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) high, for easy access. They are usually built with sturdy wooden legs or made as a platform. And most importantly, they are extra wide, measuring approximately 110 to 120 cm (43 to 48 in).
Western massage tables come in a variety of sizes. First, you need to decide whether you want a portable or fixed massage table. Thai Table massage has very different requirements than regular massage and generally requires a wider, sturdier table that a practitioner can adjust to suit their height. A portable massage bed can be folded and carried from one location to another, and it usually weighs significantly less. But this convenience comes at the cost of being less sturdy and adjustable than a fixed table.
The working weight of a massage table refers to the maximum amount of weight the table can support. It is essential to note that this refers to the weight distributed throughout the entire length of the table, rather than any specific section. You calculate the working weight by combining the practitioner’s weight and the client’s weight. While the maximum working weight of a lightweight, portable table may be only 200 kg (400 lbs), heavier tables can support 350 kg (750 lbs) or more. Thai table massage requires a practitioner to place more weight on the table than during most ordinary massages; therefore, a heavier table is preferable to a lightweight one.
Not only must your massage table be wide and long enough for recipients to lie comfortably on it, but it must also accommodate Thai massage techniques requiring more space. The standard size of a massage table is typically 75 cm (30 in) wide by 180 cm (72 in) long; however, massage table widths can vary from 65 to 90 cm (25 to 36 in) wide, and lengths can range from 180 to 210 cm (72 to 84 in). And as Thai massage techniques often involve the client’s arms and legs being outstretched for acupressure application, a larger table is more suitable than a smaller one.
Equally essential is that the massage table has an adjustable height. Most massage table heights are adjustable, ranging from 55 to 95 cm (22 to 38 inches) high. Ideally, a practitioner should set the massage table to its lowest height, as Thai massage involves a fair amount of stretching. However, practitioners with limited mobility must adjust the table height according to their ability to perform the techniques comfortably.
The final factor in deciding what massage table is best for you is deciding what padding will keep your clients the most comfortable while accommodating Thai massage techniques. The thickness of massage table padding ranges from 2 to 5 inches (5 to 12 cm). As a practitioner requires stability to do more advanced stretches on a table, more firm padding is preferable to the thickness needed for Western massage. If you choose soft padding, avoid attempting any Thai massage techniques that require balance.
The angle of the headrest should allow for a straight neck and spine. The recipient’s head should not hang forward, as this can cause it to be pulled or compressed. For most tables, a practitioner is best positioned forward at a slightly more than 180-degree angle. But a practitioner must always ask the recipient if they are comfortable before working in the prone position.
At Sirius Health
We have designed our treatment rooms at Sirius Thai Massage Clinic to accommodate traditional Thai massage on the floor, and our staff possess the knowledge and skills necessary to maximize the benefits of this approach. We offer Table Thai massage courses for RMTS in our school, but most of our certification, advanced and standalone Thai massage courses honour the original practice of Thai massage on the floor.
Member of
Thai Healing Alliance International
