It might seem like a dream come true for women of a certain age, but City Sport’s Becky is off on tour with Take That! – as their personal Deep Tissue and Remedial Sports Massage Therapist! Becky will be taking care of the lad’s aches and pains as they perform on a three month tour across Europe.

You can see occasional updates from Becky via our CSM Twitter.

But don’t worry, Becky’s Thursdays will be covered by Senior Therapist Fuchsia, so you will have an uninterrupted, fine-quality service!

Becky will be back performing massage in London at our Islington location in August…

Becky will be massaging Take That on their current 2011 European Tour. Although this picture is a few years old now, we are assured they are in just as fine a form.

However, relief for our busy team is here, and we are delighted to announce we have finally managed to find a brand new, up-and-coming star of the massage world!

Claire Lydon-Strutt – available Saturdays at London Bridge too!

Deep Tissue and Remedial Sports Massage therapist Claire will be working on Mondays and Fridays in Holborn, Saturdays at London Bridge, and Sundays in Highbury and Islington. Click on Claire‘s picture to view her profile!

City Sports Massage Therapist Claire

What sort of massage am I looking for?
In the UK there are two terms – deep tissue and sports massage. A sports massage qualification requires more hours of study and practice than a deep tissue qualification, and the BTEC diploma is currently the highest level of sports massage certification in the UK.

So you really dont need to have a ‘sports injury’? In fact the majority of our clients work in an office and many suffer from stress, tension, anxiety, and all the things that are normal in a modern-day, city-based lifestyle.

At City Sports Massage we have developed a way of working that includes ALL of the factors in your lifestyle. This is largely centred on our ability to encourage COMMUNICATION. There is no reason you can’t find that elsewhere, but you might need to look hard! This article is designed to help you in that search.

Where do I start?
Your first port of call should be your social network-friends, colleagues, loved ones. Have they had a successful treatment locally? If not, then try asking at ballet academies, football and rugby clubs.

There are various sports massage and complementary health associations, and although membership will guarantee a certain minimum level of good quality training, what you are really looking for in a therapist is not just training, but also equal measures of dexterity, communication, empathy, confidence and willingness to listen. Unfortunately there is no existing ‘directory’ that guarantees all these qualities.

Online searches
Search online – ‘sports massage (your area)’, ‘deep tissue massage (your area)’. In the UK you could look at Level 4 or 5 BTEC qualified massage therapists on www.thesma.org and try cross referencing their name to see if you can find any reviews or testimonials online. Check out running and cycling forums where people are often sharing recommendations.

So you’ve found a potential therapist?
So you’ve found a potential therapist. Do they have any customer testimonials or references? A successful therapist should have no end of willing clients pleased to put in a good word. But maybe they’ve just qualified? Don’t be put off by that, they might be naturally fantastic and as-yet-undiscovered. Many newly qualified therapists are happy to offer introductory discounts as they build up their confidence and client base. Why not book in for a short introductory session to see if it feels ‘right’? But do bear in mind that, depending on your temperament, it might take you a little time to relax into the session, so don’t expect any ‘miracles’ from a short session.

Communication is the key
A successful treatment is dependent on your relationship with your therapist. You should try to be direct and straightforward with your requests. A good therapist will be sensitive, but none are ‘mind readers’ – so be prepared to clearly communicate your desired outcome.

Try to go into the session with an open, relaxed state of mind. Remember that the vast majority of working therapists are kind, caring sensitive people who genuinely want to help you. The more relaxed you are the more a therapist can ‘work their magic’ – because your tissues are softer and more pliable.

So to summarise;

Do your research – ask friends, colleagues, family, local sports clubs or dance companies.

Search online – ‘sports massage (your area)’, ‘deep tissue massage (your area)’.

Ask for testimonials/references if you find someone you think might be suitable.

Communicate your wishes – both before the treatment and during. Remember a treatment is a relationship, and trust and communication is the lifeblood of any relationship.

© Jon Gee 2011

Jon Gee is the founder of City Sports Massage, a team of massage therapists in London who combine deep-tissue massage therapy with stress-reduction and body-awareness techniques.

At it’s most fundamental, massage therapy (and for that matter most bodywork) is about *manipulation* of the muscoskeletal system.

So far, so simple.

But historically, business people have tried to name, and define their brand. By naming their product, they are able to to market it – to sell it, and in the case of massage therapy, to teach it.

So every massage therapy has a different name, and, when you consider that every massage therapist has had a different a different training, and has different personal skill sets, it’s easy to see why you can find yourself both confused and disappointed when you go for a treatment.

It is worth noting that an experienced, developed, able therapist will allow these imaginary divisions to blur – as each person who requests a treatment has their own unique requirements. We at City Sports Massage constantly challenge our therapists during their in-house training, with perceptions of what constitutes ‘sports massage’.

To give you an idea of ‘definitions’, you can read an outline of our massage treatments here.

But please remember; what is essential to you receiving a good treatment, is that your therapist is *listening* to you, and has the skills and experience to communicate with your body.

It’s not really about the definition of the treatment, it’s about the definition of the relationship.