Are you going for your first Thai massage? In order to feel good during and after, you should prepare yourself in advance and avoid certain things. Preparation is very important, so here are some useful tips to make your treatment go smoothly.
Bet on loose and comfortable clothes
As traditional Thai massage is performed over clothes and not naked with oils as in Western types of massage, you should choose loose-fitting clothes made of comfortable material. Here at Lilawadi you will be given this clothing directly before the massage, so you can arrive in anything.
During the massage, you will be lying on a mat on the ground and the masseuse will perform various movements. Tight clothing made of synthetic and impermeable materials, could cause you considerable discomfort and would prevent the masseur from performing various movement techniques. You can expect a perfect stretching of the whole body from a Thai massage.
Eat at least one hour before the massage
You should not eat any heavy, spicy or fried foods before the Thai massage, which may make you feel sick to your stomach. It is also not advisable to arrive with an empty stomach, ideally you should eat no more than an hour before the treatment and have a nutritious meal of vegetable salad, fruit or light soup. Both hunger and satiety are extremes to be avoided.
Make sure you don’t have any injuries
Thai massage is dynamic and is characterized by a high level of activity that could aggravate serious injuries or chronic illnesses. If you have recently gone through a more serious illness, injury or are bothered by an old injury, talk to your doctor and massage therapist about this type of massage first.
Follow a drinking regime and limit alcohol and caffeine
You should drink enough at all times, but especially before a Thai massage. A few days before and on the day of the massage, do not drink alcohol and coffee, which dehydrate you and make you emotionally and physically exhausted. Fruit teas or plain water with lemon juice and mint leaves are the best choice. Such a drink will pleasantly refresh and energise you.
Treat yourself to stretching
As you probably already know, Thai massage has a lot in common with yoga, which is characterized by various postures (asanas) to improve flexibility. If you have knotted tendons, stiff muscles and generally neglect regular movement and stretching of the body, a few days before the massage, treat yourself to a relaxing stretching session that will prepare you nicely for the massage and will not make you feel like “wood”. With regular stretching, your mobility will improve and you won’t feel too much pressure or pain during exercise and massage.
