What A Swedish Massage Feels Like
Swedish massage is the most commonly offered and best-known type of massage. If it's your first time, Swedish massage is the perfect place to start.

What Happens During Swedish Massage?
Generally during a Swedish massage you're nude underneath a towel or sheet. The massage therapist uncovers only the part of the body he/she is working on, a technique called draping. You can keep your underwear on during Swedish massage, and many newcomers do.

During Swedish massage, the therapist uses massage oils to facilitate smooth, gliding strokes called effleurage. Other classic Swedish massage moves

• Wringing and Cupping
• Kneading
• Tapping or 'Pounding'
• Vibration

Swedish massage promotes relaxation, eases muscle tension and creates other health benefits. It can be slow and gentle or vigorous and bracing, depending on what the therapist wants to achieve.

Feel free to state your preference for pressure during Swedish massage. It can range from light to firm. Swedish massage usually includes some deeper work on areas of specific muscle tension.

Why Is It Called Swedish Massage?
Swedish massage was pioneered by a Swedish physiologist, Henri Peter Ling, at the University of Stockholm in 1812. Swedish massage is the foundation for other types of Western massage, including sports massage, deep tissue massage and aromatherapy massage.