MASSAGE
Massage can assist with healing injuries and managing pain. It can relax and restore, soothe and support, reduce anxiety and help alleviate depression. Massage is essential for any active individual…or for any individual who wants to keep active! Ideally, it should be a regular part of your life, but it can also be beneficial as an every-so-often treat.
Massage can assist in healing injuries. It can lessen pain, reduce anxiety, soothe and support, and help alleviate depression.
People at any age or fitness level can enjoy the benefits of regular massage, either on its own or as a key component in TAKE SHAPE’s movement and coaching programs. Regular massage can reduce the chance of injury, improve your flexibility and range of motion, shorten recovery time between workouts, and maximize the supply of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.
At TAKE SHAPE, we offer a variety of massage modalities. Each type has a slightly different goal, but all of them will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated—and with your body and mind more fully in tune. You can have your massage in our chill, comfortable studio in Darien, or if you prefer, one of our licensed and experienced therapists can come to your home.
Swedish Massage
When most people say, “I need a massage,” they’re thinking about Swedish massage. This type of massage uses a variety of strokes (long and sweeping, strong and deep, tapping, friction, and vibration) to release tension from your muscles, as well as improving circulation, flushing toxins from your system and promoting a sense of well-being.
Deep-Tissue Massage
Deep-tissue massage is similar to Swedish massage but is usually slower and deeper. Your massage therapist will work on chronic knots and tension held deep within your musculature, kneading and working those areas of adhesion until they release, allowing your body to realign itself. While it includes an element of relaxation, deep-tissue massage tends to focus on specific issues: recurrent pain or deeply held tension; injury, especially repetitive-strain injuries such as carpal tunnel; fibromyalgia; osteoarthritis; or postural problems.
Myofascial-Release Therapy
Our muscles, bones, and organs are surrounded by layers of connective tissue called fascia. As a result of injury, stress, or inflammation, these layers can stick to one another, bunching up in tight, knotted snarls that inhibit movement patterns and cause pain. With myofascial-release therapy, your therapist will use gentle, sustained pressure to release these adhesions, allowing the fascia to move freely, relieving pain and tension. This modality can form your entire session, or it can be incorporated into a more traditional massage.
Stretching
I think we all know that stretching in beneficial. We got away with skipping that daily self-care when we were younger. But it is an essential component of keeping the body in optimal condition for exercise, movement, and life! Let our trained, skilled therapists give you a safe and effective stretch session. Combine it with a massage for an excellent, well-rounded treatment!
Cupping
Cupping is an ancient technique that has recently become popular again and is an effective way to get the blood flowing to a particularly tight muscle or restricted area. Sometimes cups are left in place but often they are moved slowly and gently across an area of particular tightness to help release the tissue and allow for more comfortable deep massage work.
Pregnancy Massage
Nurture the nurturer! Growing a baby takes a tremendous amount of energy — and causes many physiological changes to a woman’s skeletal and muscular systems. Pregnancy massage is designed especially to support and relieve the aches and pains of pregnancy, to reduce swelling and improve circulation, to promote relaxation (which can lead to an easier and more productive labor), and to ease the stress on weight-bearing joints. Most importantly, it is completely safe—and feels wonderful.
Shiatsu Massage
Shiatsu massage is the ancient Japanese bodywork form which uses acupressure on specific points along the meridians or channels which run up and down the body in order to balance the body’s energy (ki/Qi). In this session, the client is fully clothed and a traditional massage mat is used. This massage modality is great for relieving stress and alleviating aches and pains in a gentle but effective manner. This option can also be adapted for the table if preferable.
Thai Massage
Thai Yoga massage is an Asian modality of body work which consists of compression and stretching of the entire body in a rhythmic way. It incorporates assisted yoga poses to increase fluidity and flexibility of movement in the body. The client is fully clothed and the session is performed on a Thai massage mat on the floor. These movements and stretches can be incorporated into a traditional massage on the table as well.
Yoga Stretching
Individualized Yoga Instruction is a great way to increase strength, balance and flexibility. The focus will be on specific alignment of your body when doing yoga poses while learning to use breath techniques in order to prevent injury. This will expand the power and benefit for you when joining group yoga classes. This is ideal for clients wanting to familiarize themselves with yoga before joining a class or to improve their alignment and understanding after having participating in yoga regularly.