Heavy Hitters: Tui-Na Massage

I finally got a massage this week. Up 'til now, I had chosen to spend money on other things (ahem, purses) instead of indulging in a massage, but I had to give in when my shoulder muscles became so tense it hurt everytime I typed.  I blame the sedentary lifestyle known as working life I've adopted since last July - sitting/slouching in a chair for 12+ hours a day, hunching over, and being hyperextended over my keyboard doesn't do a thing for my posture (duh).   Worse, my shoulders and neck muscles get incredibly tense and knotty, and sometimes I swear I feel my nerves being pinched.  I tried convincing the boyfriend to give me massages, urging him to take out his stress by pressing down hard and getting rid of those bumpy knots.  Now I know I heed more than just a guy's strength - I need that of a small, middle-aged Chinese lady.

Tui-na massages concentrate on pressure points on the body (think acupuncture without a million needles) and focuses on cleansing the energy, or chi, of the body to promote better blood flow.  I prefer these massages to regular Shiatsu or Swedish massages, because I feel they're targeted toward my problem areas, and the ladies know how to dig deep and really knick the knots I have.  It's a deep tissue massage (although you can ask for lighter pressure), but I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart. Personally, when my muscles are hurting, I embrace the pain, and want someone to kick my butt and get rid of the knots.

Thanks to Yelp, I discovered my local Tui-na place, and have gone back five or six times. It's called Asia Tui-Na Wholeness, and it's very no-frills, simple decor, all about the massage.  For an hour, I get pummeled by a little old lady who finds all the biggest baddest knots and knocks them over over with her surprisingly strong fingers. Does it hurt?  Heck yes! But it's a lot better than feeling crappy during the week, so bring it onn.

This place is my eye in the storm amidst the stress of work and bustling of NY.