Aug 1, 2018 | The Rub Blog
I don’t know how many of you know what goes into hiring of a That’s the Rub massage therapist. It occurred to me that in case you were sitting on the fence about how to choose your massage therapist above and beyond our biographies that it might give you great confidence to know that I have pre-selected for you. What does this mean? This means that I have taken my years of expertise in hiring and training well over 300 massage therapists for many of the top resort spas in the country, and working with many of the best therapists in the field, to good use.
We don’t hire just anyone at The Rub. Each potential new hire goes through two interviews: first with Jim, other staff members, and even the occasional client who happen to be coming by (we hold these in the Relax Lounge, so if you ever see and interview going on, PLEASE feel free to join in), then with me. At which point they come back again for a technical (or practicum interview) to show me their skills and how they might fit into The Rub culture. No matter who they are or how much experience they have, if they don’t fit what we do to some benefit of themselves and The Rub, I don’t hire them. That means they will also provide the most benefit to YOU, the client. We have many different therapists that cover a spectacular range of specialties and what people need, because people’s needs are different. We customize the massage for you and what your body needs at the time. We don’t do cookie cutter massage, you deserve better than that. You deserve to have a therapist who will look at your body as being unique to only you and work with you towards your healthcare goals.
I once did a massage therapy practicum with an interview candidate which was the most unique version of massage I’ve ever had and nothing like I expected. When she first began I was wondering what she was doing (and I’ve been a therapist for 18 years). I tell you this because you need to know that all massages are NOT alike. For every person on the planet there is a different interpretation of how that massage therapist will treat your body. I always think about how we are going to market this massage, this therapist…but this one was so different, so strange. Adopting Steven Covey’s first seek to understand, I asked her what technique she was doing and she said “Trigger Point and Myofacial Release, done in a way that I’ve interpreted it.” Now I’ve NEVER had this interpretation before, but while I lay there trying to figure out how this would fit with The Rub paradigm I realized my back had released and no longer felt tense in areas that I had felt all day. As she was following the fascial lines I could feel little crackles of release and how they correlated to other areas of my body (it’s all connected) in twitches and sighs of letting go. She ended the massage with a little cranial sacral and I felt relaxed yet energized at the same time. After she left I had an epiphany of how she fit into The Rub, we are always about unique massage techniques that give way to results. More than relaxed, I slept deeper than I had in over week and I woke up ready to seize the day and another opportunity to bring something special to someone else. That’s what massage is, something special — not everyone can do it and it brings something to everyone who experiences it. Of course, I hired her immediately.
Every person’s massage is different based on the needs of the individual’s body, as well as the techniques and the skills of the individual therapist, but our message remains the same: The Rub continues to bring the best bodywork to Bloomington, one body at a time. Welcome to The Rub!
That’s the Rub,
Lisa
Jul 24, 2017 | Uncategorized
Massage Cupping
That’s the Rub is thrilled to offer our clients, athletes and non-athletes alike, Massage Cupping as both a stand alone therapy and an add-on to our other services. When combined with therapeutic massage, deep tissue, or sports massage, massage cupping exponentially increases the efficacy of your therapist to get deeper into the muscle, faster, easier, and less invasively. Book online or ask our receptionist to add it to your service!
Massage cupping is essentially the inverse of the typical massage therapy. Instead of exerting pressure on the different points of the body for healing, massage cupping uses suction to tug the skin, tissues, and muscles upwards. Massage cupping has been known to be used over the centuries by all cultures and the oldest records of traditional Chinese medicine talk about using the therapy to cure a range of ailments. In contemporary times, massage cupping is seen as an effective, non-invasive, inexpensive, and safe form of treatment that can be used by itself or in combination with other forms of therapeutic approaches. Because of its versatility, it is being used in physical therapy, chiropractics, and in spa treatments.
How it Works
When the therapist exerts suction on the different points on the body by way of massage suction, certain changes are brought about up to four inches inside the body. These changes stimulate the body to heal itself. Massage cupping results in:
- Promoting the flow of blood to the muscles and tissues, and removing stagnation
- Supplying oxygen and nutrients to the cells
- Softening the tightened muscles
- Loosening of adhesions and knots
- Lifting the connecting tissues
- Opening the blockages of the lymphatic nodes and easing the flow of lymph
- Releasing and draining of excess fluids and toxins like lactic acid from the tissues and cells
- Drawing inflammation from the deeper tissues to the surface of the skin so they can heal
- Stimulating and later, calming the peripheral nervous system
- Eliminating chronic congestion
Massage cupping can be used to treat ailments like stiff muscles, stress, migraines, fatigue and exhaustion, and back and neck pain. It can also be used in rheumatism, weight loss and cellulite reduction treatments. Muscles that have been injured, undergone trauma or exertion, accumulate lactic acid and other toxins. Massage cupping can be used to drain these toxins so the muscles can heal.
How it is Done
This form of therapy must always be taken from a trained and certified therapist.
- The first step is locating the points and sections of the body that need to be treated. Accordingly, the therapist uses the hands to palpate the muscles and joints, and thus, begins the relaxation process.
- A light oil such as sunflower, safflower or any other herbal oil is applied on the area where suction is to be created.
- The therapist uses medical grade silicone cups that are available in different sizes. The right-sized cup is selected depending on the area to be treated. Silicone cups are pliable so they are easy to move over the body and their transparency allows the therapist to monitor the condition of the skin. The skin color is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the treatment so the healer can make adjustments accordingly.
- The therapist then creates suction in the cup. This can be done in many ways. A burning object such as a cotton ball soaked in alcohol or paper can be inserted into the cup to heat it. Then, the object is removed and the cup is immediately inserted on the skin. It must be remembered that the skin is never burnt and the burning object is never allowed to come in contact with the skin.
- As the air inside the cup cools, a vacuum is created. Some therapists also choose to use cups on which a suction pump is attached. The pump creates the required vacuum in the cup and allows the therapist to create just the optimum amount of suction for the treatment to be effective.
- The therapist allows the cup to stay in place for a few minutes so that the muscles are loosened and relaxed. Then, the cup is gently moved over the skin in smooth motions so that the vacuum raises the skin and tissues.
- On certain sections where there is excessive stagnation or inflammation, the cups could drag a little or resist movement. This helps the therapist identify the areas that need special care.
Massage cupping can be used on upper arms and calves, thighs, abdomen, hips, sacral region, back, neck and shoulders. Areas such as the spine and scapula that are never treated in conventional massage therapy can be massaged using cupping, safely.
Schedule YOUR massage cupping appointment or add-on TODAY either online or ask our amazing front desk staff when you call 812-333-3393!
Mar 9, 2015 | News
Bloomington, Indiana’s very own That’s the Rub Massage Therapy Center turns 5 Years old this month! When we first opened The Center’s doors in 2010, we had one therapist (Lisa), one admin guy (Jim, a full-time Indiana University student at the time), three rooms, no desk (Lisa did her first client intakes sitting on a pink plastic filing box), no art, and no store. Things have changed just a bit as we’ve grown to six rooms, twelves therapists, The Body Boutique, and the BEST CLIENTS EVER!
To celebrate, we’re offering the Anniversary 3 Pack Series. This is a LIMITED OFFER (Available March 2015 ONLY!) of three (3!) massages for 15% off. You have 6 months to use them and you don’t have to schedule them now. The Anniversary 3 Pack is available in 2 flavors: 60 Minute Signature for $191.25 or 60 Minute Premium for $204.00. How about that, get three massages AND save money…now that’s something to celebrate! And before you ask, yes, you can buy more than one 3 Pack (buy 20 if you like), but they all have to be used in the next 6 months. Purchase yours online now, swing by the shop, or give us a call at 812-333-3393!
