05/23/2026
Let’s get into it: deep tissue massage and hard pressure massage ARE NOT THE SAME THING.
The *average* person has .5 to 1.5 inches of tissue over the top of their bones. Getting into the “deep” tissue does not take massive amounts of pressure.
In some places on your body, the next “deepest tissue” is literally an organ (kidneys, spleen, intestines, etc. You know, the things that if you press hard into a damage, the person may never recover? Yeah. Those.) or a bone.
Rather than have your therapist go harder, it’s more beneficial to ask your therapist to go slower. It affords the opportunity for their hand/fist/forearm/elbow to sink into the tissue further and really feel what’s going on in your muscles. If I find something I don’t like, I’ll probably stop right there until it behaves.
Recap: deep tissue IS NOT hard pressure. Can it be? Yes. Can it also not be? Yes.
When booking a massage, expressing a pressure preference is more important than the type of massage you book and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Ok, I won’t fight them, but my meanest friend will.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
PS I enjoy hard pressure. I enjoy clients who like hard pressure. If you do not like hard pressure, I am probably not the therapist for you.
