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What is Swedish Massage?
What exactly is Swedish Massage? I get this inquiry a lot from folks who have never had a massage before. First of all, as I mentioned on another page, Swedish work does not really involve deep, specific work, as in Triggerpoint or deep tissue work. It consists mainly of long, gliding strokes, but it can be integrated to a certain extent with some deep tissue work, depending on the clients' needs and timeframe allotment of the session. Some of the techniques go a bit deeper into the musculature, but again, certainly not as deep as Triggerpoint or deep tissue. It is wonderful for general relaxation, however, as the work has a type of flow and rhythym. It is wonderful for stress, and for helping the immune system.
The term "Swedish massage" is confusing, because it did not originate in Sweden, nor was the originator a Swede! Nor is there Swedish Massage in Sweden!
In Europe, the technique is called "Classic Massage". In America, this term is used infrequently, or is called "Classic Swedish".
And to add to the confusion, some of the techniques have French names! In all, this art form is considered the most basic of all massage types, and that's why it's used so frequently in spas and resorts. To many of us LMT's, it is an integral part of our practices, because it is so useful for "greeting" areas of the body, and acclimating ourselves to that area.
Here's a brief history of Modern Swedish Massage: First of all, (and I may be criticized for saying this) Peter Henry Ling (1776-1837) was NOT the father of Swedish Massage. It was not part of his gymnastic program at the Central Gymnastic institute in 1813. Johan Mezger (1838-1909) was the real father, and started using French terminology to describe the techniques. Ling's Techniques were more based on Kinesiology, the study of movement.
Eventually, the medical community picked up on all this, and in the 1890's, a man named John Harvey Kellog, M.D., began popularizing this at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, and at other locations worldwide. The term "spa" was not popular back then. This was NOT a mental institution, just a place to unwind! Kellog had the full spectrum of therapies, however, including Hydrotherapy, light (solar) therapy, exercise and weight loss programs, nutrition, and many others.
In a nutshell, the origins of Modern Swedish Massage actually came from the an involvement with the gymnastic community, (which was much more popular than it is today), the advent of the early spas, and Swedish Massage has been expanded upon ever since. These days, you will see spin-offs of Classic Swedish, such as the beautiful California based "Esalen Massage", which adds a much greater emphasis to "flow", it is like a dance form almost! So if you're ever in Big Sur, they'll massage you on a porch overlooking the cliffs and waves. You can't beat that! Some Swedish Massage terms and techniques, and again, the French terms are used here: Effleurage: Long gliding strokes; great for "opening and adressing" the area, such as the upper back, shoulders, neck. A good effleurage does NOT use too much oil or lotion! Ideally, there should be just a little bit of friction so the area is adressed properly. A lot of LMT's make this mistake. Petrissage: Picture youself "kneading" bread dough. It's that simple. Petrissage does go a bit deeper, but is still "general" compared to "deep tissue" work, which is more specific, and targeted. This technique helps unwind the superficial layers of muscle fascia, a cartilagineous sheath that surrounds all muscle, and can be found just under the first layer of skin. Tapotement: Tapping, drumming motions, with various names like "cupping", "slapping" (gently!) "quacking" or "clacking", where the hands are brought together in a "prayer postition" and drummed on the client, making a strange sound. You will also see this in old movies, it's fun to watch, but personally, I don't do it unless the client has requested it. I like my sessions a bit more peaceful. Occiptal Supine work: This is usually done at the end of the session,to adress the last bit of tension at the head and neck area. Beleive it or not, a lot of shoulder tension and even mid back tension begins at the tiny occipital muscles at the base of the skull! Here's a great video from a guy in CA, the style is very close to Swedish. Some of our strokes and flow are quite similar. If you're ever out that way, look him up. His number's at the end.
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