Anyone who has ever received a high-quality massage will testify to the restorative power of a good massage.
Whether it be relaxation, pain relief, or high-performance athleticism, massages can be a great way to relax, recover, and find peace. And it also improves your quality of life!
When it comes to massage many people will only have heard of either therapeutic massage or sports massage.
But there are many other types of massage, such as Lomi Lomi massage, Vichy Shower Massage, and a Four Hand Massage.
What is a Four-Hand Massage? It’s a massage done by two massage therapists simultaneously — hence the name, four-hand!
We’ll discuss it below.
What Is a Four-Hand Massage?
A four-hand massage does exactly what it says on the tin! It gives you the same sensual experience of a massage while having four hands on your body.
This will need two massage therapists/masseuses to work with you simultaneously, and thus, comes with additional cost.
But the positives of such therapy are multi-faceted.
During a four-hand massage treatment, the therapists will work on two separate body areas in conjunction with one another, applying different pressures and movements.
This can enhance the massage experience, making the recipient feel even more more relaxed during the session than the level of relaxation achievable by only one therapist.
The inability to distinguish one pair of hands and a set of movements from another can keep the body guessing. Four-hand massage prevents the recipient from ‘second-guessing’ the next movement.
A four-hand massage is typically a sensual treatment aiming to deliver a more immersive massage experience.
It just amps everything up!
What Are The Benefits of a Four-Hand Massage?
Despite being more expensive than other options on the market, four-hand massage comes with key perks. These include:
1. Heightened sense of relaxation – when only one therapist is working with you, it can be easy to ‘second-guess’ the next move or stroke. You can perceive the area of the body the masseuse is working on.
During a four-hand massage, the different strokes of the two therapists can make it harder to know what will happen next. It allows you to reach more intense levels of relaxation.
2. Improved blood flow – Having a greater number of hands pushing on differing areas of the body can cause forced blood circulation in higher volumes. This can promote healing and pain relief at greater levels than other options available. Just note that you can also experience more swelling after a four-hand massage.
3. Different massage techniques – if you struggle to decide which massage technique you prefer, a four-hand massage may be for you.
Given that two therapists work with you, you can have two different massage techniques simultaneously. For example, having a Thai massage in conjunction with a Swedish massage for an immersive full-relaxation massage!
Why Get a Massage?
Massage can be for anyone! There are, however, a few groups who may find more benefit from massage. Some reasons you may wish to use your hard-earned money on a massage include:
1. Relaxation – after a long day at work or after looking after the kids, it can be a great way to relieve muscle tension and unwind.
Research studies have shown that massage can provide massive psychological and physical benefits. This has been linked to a greater quality of life.
2. Optimal Performance – many top-tier athletes opt to use a massage to improve their range of movement at joints. It gives them the edge over their competitors. A massage can give a short-term boost to sporting and athletic performance levels by alleviating tight muscules.
3. Pain Relief – Some individuals may suffer from painful joints and muscles or endure longer-term health conditions. Massage can be a fantastic method of reducing sensitivity to the body. It can give temporary or longer-lasting improvement to symptoms.
4. Post-operative – once a patient has had a severe injury, a massage can be useful to improve function. This is by aiding the reduction of swelling and breakdown of scar tissue in a joint/area of the body.
There are very few groups who would not benefit from massage (though sometimes it can have strange after-effects.
If in doubt if a massage is medically appropriate, you may speak to a trained medical professional before engaging in treatment.
What Types of Massage Are There?
Massages come in many different forms, aiming to deliver the above goals via several different methods. The most common forms of massage involve:
1. Sports massage – typically a forceful massage. Often involving the usage of firm thumbs or elbows to deliver a quick relaxation to muscles. It aids the reduction of post-exercise fatigue by flushing lactic acid from the affected regions.
2. Swedish massage – aimed at relaxing. a Swedish massage uses long calming strokes involving kneading and gliding motions. This is used to rejuvenate and restore.
3. Thai massage – a sensual experience aiming to use only a very light touch to heighten your sensations within the body and heighten the body’s mood.
4. Four-hand massage – this may not be a ‘common’ treatment method.
Outlined below is the description of this lesser-known massage mode. As well as why you may choose this over those previously mentioned options.
Conclusion
Massages are chosen by many as a go-to therapeutic experience with many benefits, both physical and spiritual.
Regardless of your goals as an individual or athlete, massage can benefit nearly anyone
And when one massage therapist is great, two can be truly amazing. You will reach heightened levels with a four-hand massage, it simply feels much more intense.
Despite the increased cost of having two therapists work with you simultaneously, there are many positives to this method. Why not give it a try!
