Why your massage can be different every time
At That’s the Rub in Bloomington, Indiana, a customized massage starts with what your body needs today. Sometimes, that conversation begins with four familiar words.
I once had a bi-weekly massage client who would come in and say, “Let’s do the usual.”
After a couple of sessions, I started wondering what exactly “the usual” meant to her.
One thing you may not know about massage therapists is that we want you to like our massage as much as we enjoy giving it. And as a recovering people pleaser, I had begun internalizing those four little words.
Was she expecting the same massage every time?
Because I’m not very good at that.
Eventually, I got out of my own way and asked.
“What does ‘the usual’ mean to you?”
Her answer was essentially: You know—the great, focused massage you always do.
Whew.
She didn’t mean repeating the same sequence. She meant figuring out what she needed that day, focusing our session on those needs, and checking in to make sure what I was doing was working for her.
That was the usual.
What a customized massage looks like
In recent articles, we’ve talked about the training, experience and critical thinking your massage therapist brings to the treatment room. This is where all of that becomes personal.
Your body has been living an entire life since your last appointment. You may have been working out differently, traveling, gardening, sitting more, sleeping differently, feeling stressed, feeling strong or simply living your everyday life.
You bring that information into the room with you.
We bring our training, anatomy knowledge, curiosity, critical thinking and massage nerdiness.
Together, we figure out what makes sense for you today.
A customized massage isn’t simply spending more time wherever you say it hurts. It’s paying attention to what’s present, asking questions, noticing how your body responds and adjusting as we go.
The care continues after your massage
Sometimes what we notice gives you something useful to explore afterward—an exercise, a different way to move, breathwork, meditation or another practice that supports what we’re doing together.
Because as valuable as massage is, what you do during all the hours you’re not on the table matters enormously.
The more attention you give your body between appointments, the more information we have when you return.
Care. Attention. Noticing. More care.
Every body deserves that.
Creating a little more space to care for yourself
As we move toward the holidays, we have a couple of opportunities at That’s the Rub to stay connected to yourself during a season that can easily become about rushing from one thing to the next.
Beginning Saturday, November 21 through December 19, from 2–3:30 PM, I’m bringing back Stretch & Relax.
I’ve missed this: relaxing music, bolsters, a yoga mat—and you.
We’ll spend 90 minutes with guided stretching, breathwork and mindfulness, with a little massage incorporated into some positions for those who want it.
Not another thing to accomplish.
Just time to be with your body and pay attention.
We’ll also be offering Sound Bath with Joy, with dates and times coming soon.
You can join the waitlist for Stretch & Relax and Sound Bath with Joy now. When registration opens, the people on the list will be the first to know.
Because maybe one of the nicest things we can give ourselves during the rush of the season is permission not to rush through it.
And the next time your massage therapist asks what you’d like to work on?
You don’t necessarily need to know.
You can even say, “Let’s do the usual.”
Just make sure the two of you know what “the usual” means. Grin.
That’s the Rub,
Lisa
Find your massage in Bloomington
Explore our massage options in Bloomington, Indiana, or schedule your next appointment at That’s the Rub. You’ll find us at 205 N. College Ave. in downtown Bloomington. Call 812-333-3393 if you’d like help choosing a session.
