Thai yoga massage is a term coined by Western practitioners to refer to Thai massage. AYM is an oil massage that is administered to the skin, while traditional Thai yoga massage is an acupressure technique that is performed with clothing on. AYM focuses on breathing, fluid circulation and Prana massage, while traditional Thai yoga focuses on Chinese meridians. Sufficient stretching is required during a typical Thai massage that the discipline is jokingly called Lazy Man's Yoga.
The client simply relaxes and breathes while the masseuse rotates and bends the legs, hips and arms in stretching poses, causing the muscles to release. When comparing Thai massage to a regular massage, the first notable difference is that Thai massage is performed on the mat, while the latter uses a stretcher or massage bed. While Swedish and deep tissue massages are performed on a massage table, Thai massages are performed on a mat. This type of massage can help reduce stress levels which can lead to depression or serious cardiovascular disease.
One of the big differences between Thai massage and yoga is that when doing yoga, the person uses muscle control and during Thai massage the motor control is deactivated or not activated. Practitioners can also merge Thai massage techniques with Swedish or other types of massage modalities or body work energy. In some cases, Thai hot packages containing Thai herbs can be placed on the client's body and help to relax. Often referred to as Thai yoga massage, this practice began in Thailand more than 2500 years ago and is considered part of traditional Thai medicine.
The receptors are guided through a series of yoga-like stretches, as well as a combination of abdominal work, breathing signals, deep tissue massage and applying pressure to specific points on the body. It also includes passive stretching and breathing techniques which help the body relax. At some point in history (many moons ago) it became another practice that could involve two people, and that's how Thai massage was born. The variant recognized in Thailand is the “royal massage” intended for royalty and the “plebeian massage” practiced by ordinary people.
If you have any health problems and are not sure if Thai massage is right for you, check with your doctor. Thai massage has been used all over India and Thailand for centuries, and is now popular in many Western countries.
