You've booked. And now, as the day approaches, the little questions start to creep in. Do I have to get completely naked? What if my feet smell? Do I have to talk during the session or should I stay quiet? What if I fall asleep? What if it hurts and I don't dare say anything?
Does this sound familiar? These are questions almost no one asks out loud, yet everyone thinks them. So, we're going to tell you exactly what will happen from the moment you walk through the door until you leave, no embellishments.
Because there's something we know after many years on the examination table: People who arrive knowing what's going to happen enjoy the session much more. Not because the massage changes, but because he doesn't spend the first twenty minutes worrying about what's coming next.
Before leaving home
Clothes: Come in what you're wearing. You'll be changing for almost every session anyway. The exception is the Thai massage, where you remain dressed throughout the session: comfortable and elastic clothing is advisable, preferably long pants.
Meal: Neither on a full stomach nor on an empty stomach. An hour or two after eating is fine.
The time: If you have the choice, the last meeting of the afternoon is best. Leaving the session and going home with nothing else to do makes much better use of the state you're in afterward. A great session followed by three meetings will be diluted in a couple of hours.
Arrive five minutes early. Not for punctuality: because rushing in and lying down in a hurry wastes the first quarter of an hour.
The opening conversation
The first thing isn't the examination table. It's sitting down for three or four minutes to talk.
We're going to ask you how you feel when you get there, what areas you notice are tense, since when, what movement triggers them, whether you prefer firm or soft pressure, and if there's any place you'd prefer we don't touch. There are no wrong answers, and you don't need to prepare them. If you don't know what to answer, "I don't know, I've had a terrible month" is a perfectly useful response.
Those few minutes may seem like a formality, but they're quite the opposite: they're where the entire session is decided. A good massage with the wrong information ends up being just an average one.
Staying alone to change
We leave the room and you close the door. No rush.
You take off your clothes until you feel comfortable. Most people leave their underwear on, and that's perfectly normal. Nobody's going to comment or give you weird looks for leaving more or less on.
You lie down under the towel, and here's what's most reassuring: During the entire session, only the area we are working on at that moment remains uncovered. The rest of the body always remains covered. If we are on the back, only the back is exposed. When we move to the legs, the back is covered.
We call before going back in. Every time.
The first ten minutes
We don't start with the point that hurts. This surprises many people, especially those who come with a very specific area of discomfort and expect us to go straight to it.
The first few minutes involve broad, slow, and superficial movements. These serve to warm the tissue and, above all, to allow the body to relax and release its guarded state. A tense muscle that receives a sudden, deep pressure defends itself and closes down further. You reach that point when the area is ready, not before.
If your mind keeps making lists during that time, that's perfectly normal. Don't force yourself to relax. It will usually quiet down on its own.
The pressure: we're talking numbers
When we enter the charged zones, we ask you about the intensity on a scale of 1 to 10.
The place where we want to be is a 6 or a 7: that discomfort you recognize as "there it is", intense but bearable, in which the body relaxes instead of tensing up. A 9 doesn't work better: they work worse., because you contract to defend yourself and the muscle stops yielding.
Enduring doesn't help. There's no reward for enduring more pressure than you're comfortable with, and the result is worse.
The questions no one asks out loud
What if my feet smell?
We don't mind. We work with feet every day, and nothing surprises us anymore, really. It's a much more common concern than it seems, and it resolves itself in the therapy room as soon as the session begins.
What if I haven't shaved?
It makes absolutely no difference. Seriously. It's one of the things most people tell us they were worried about before coming here, but it doesn't occupy even a second of our attention anymore.
What if I fall asleep?
It's one of the best signs you can give us. It means your body has completely let its guard down. Snore peacefully.
What if I get emotional?
It happens quite often, especially during the first few sessions or during difficult times. Sometimes it's a few discreet tears, sometimes just a long sigh that comes without warning. There's nothing to explain or apologize for: when your body has been holding on for months and finds a moment when no one is asking anything of it, it's natural for something to loosen up. Your massage therapist will continue working calmly, or stop if you prefer.
Do I need to talk?
No. And if you prefer complete silence, just say so at the beginning and we'll only ask you what's necessary. It's as valid an option as any other, and much more common than you might think.
What if it tickles me?
Tickling is caused by light, unpredictable touch, not firm pressure. If it happens, the solution isn't to touch more lightly, but to hold more firmly. Let us know, and we'll adjust it.
You can say it. Always.
This is the most important point of the entire article. Many people endure uncomfortable pressure to avoid interrupting, suffer in silence from the cold, or allow others to work on an area they'd rather avoid. It's unnecessary. You won't bother anyone, you won't interrupt, and you won't offend us. Phrases you can use without hesitation:
- «"A little less pressure here."»
- «"Yes, stay a little longer."»
- «"That's an 8, lower it a bit."»
- «"I'd rather you didn't touch my feet."»
- «"I'm cold."»
- «"Wait, let me breathe."»
- «"I prefer that we don't talk much."»
Saying it in the moment doesn't break the session: it's exactly the information that makes the session yours.
The closing
We'll give you a few minutes' notice before we finish, so there are no surprises. Then we'll leave you alone again.
Sit up slowly. It's normal to feel a little dazed from being so relaxed. You can dress at your leisure and leave whenever you like: we reserve an extra ten minutes around each session precisely so that no one has to look at the clock.
The next 24 hours
- The first ten minutes: Resist the temptation to check your phone as soon as you get dressed. It's the quickest way to get back into the rhythm you just left behind.
- The first hour: Drink water and avoid doing anything too demanding.
- The rest of the day: Eat light, take a lukewarm shower rather than a very hot one, and prepare for an intense workout tomorrow.
- That night: It's usually one of the best days of the month. Go to bed earlier than usual.
- The next day: If the treatment was deep, it's common to notice some sensitivity in the treated areas, similar to mild muscle soreness. This is normal and will subside on its own within 24 to 48 hours.
What if I don't know what to book?
This is the most common question of all, and it has an easy solution: write to us and tell us how you got here, and we'll tell you which one is right for you. No obligation, and we won't try to sell you the most expensive session.
As a quick guide: if what weighs you down is the rhythm and the mental aspect, then the relaxing massage. If there is a specific area that has not yielded for weeks, the deep tissue massage. If you've been training or competing, the sports massage. If you fancy something different from all of the above, the Thai. And if your feet are what hurt the most after walking around Granada, the foot reflexology, where you only take off your shoes.
Each service page has a specific step-by-step guide for that session, because not all sessions are the same: in Thai massage you are fully clothed and the work is done on the floor, in the Kobido You're lying on your back and the work is on your face, and on the couples massage There are two of you in the room with two masseurs.
We are located at C/ San Jerónimo 48, in the center of Granada, a five-minute walk from the Cathedral.
To continue reading
- What to do before your massage — five things that help and three that should be avoided.
- After the massage — the first 24 hours, hour by hour.
- How to get the most out of your session — the complete guide in four phases.
- How to choose the right technique — if you're still hesitating between options.
- Frequently Asked Questions — everything else.
Massage sessions at Quiroesencia are wellness and relaxation practices. They do not constitute medical care and in no way replace the advice, assessment, or treatment of a qualified healthcare professional. If you have a diagnosed health condition, are pregnant, or are in a recovery process, please inform us before your session.
