Want to get the most from your massage? The American Massage Therapy Association suggests ten tips to achieve a positive experience.

1. Be as receptive and open to the massage process as possible.

2. Don't eat just before a massage session. Let your body digest first.

3. Be on time.

4. Take off only as much clothing as you are comfortable removing. Otherwise, wear clothing that will be comfortable during the massage and will allow the massage therapist to touch and move the areas of your body you expect will need to be massaged.

5. Communicate with your massage therapist before the session, providing accurate health information. Let the massage therapist know your expectations and reasons for the massage. If you are allergic to any oils, lotions or powders, tell your massage therapist, who can choose a substitute. Report any discomfort and give feedback during the massage on the amount of pressure, speed of hand movement, etc.

6. Breathe normally. This helps facilitate relaxation.

7. Relax your muscles and your mind.

8. Drink extra water after your massage.

9. Don't get up too quickly and do allow for some open, quiet time after your massage session. If you're dizzy or light headed after the massage, do not get off the table too fast. It also may take a little time to integrate or absorb the results of the massage session.

10. Be prepared to schedule several massage sessions, as massage has its greatest benefits over time.

To find a professional massage therapist, go to the Find a Massage Therapist Locator Service at www.findamassagetherapist.org.

Choosing the right massage technique for your needs is not as easy as it sounds. There are many different techniques, from deep tissue to Swedish and Shiatsu. The American Massage Therapy Association suggests clients speak with the massage therapist in advance to decide which technique will give them the results they want. Some massage therapists use a variety of massage techniques or types during a session to best achieve desired results. Be sure to discuss any allergies you might have to oils, lotions or powders that may be used.

Aromatherapy: This is a massage treatment that involves the application of scented "essential oils" such as lavender, that have relaxing, revitalizing, stress-reducing and balancing properties.

Deep Tissue: When slow, deep pressure and skillful hand movements target stressed muscles, unlocking tension and relieving pain.

Holistic: The human as a whole is considered, rather than a set of conditions.

Hot Stone: Heated smooth stones are placed along the spine and other points of the back, shoulders, hands and feet in order to relax tissues as well as warm and loosen tight muscles. The therapist applies gentle pressure with the stones.

Neuromuscular: This is a a deep tissue massage that can help release spasms and hyper contraction in the muscle and ligaments. It can also assist blood and lymphatic flow.

Reflexology: Specialized pressure techniques are applied to specific wellness-related reflex points on the feet to release blocked energy, relieve stress and boost circulation.

Shiatsu: Originating in Japan, there are several different kinds of Shiatsu techniques. Shiatsu typically involves a finger-pressure technique (sometimes palms and thumbs) that utilizes the traditional acupuncture points of Oriental healing. This type of massage concentrates on detecting and correcting the the flow of energy (or chi) while restoring balance throughout the body.

Sport: This kind of massage used before or after an athletic performance. It lessens fatigue and reduces the risk of injury, while decreasing swelling. It can improve flexibility and range of motion and also prevent injuries.

Swedish: A classic stress-relieving, medium pressure technique, using varied strokes of gliding and kneading to promote circulation and an overall sense of well-being.

Trigger Point: This employs compression at specific areas, also called "trigger points" of hypersensitivity in muscles, ligaments and tendons. These trigger points are distinguished by local pain, tightness, and tenderness.

The stress of working and living under tough economic conditions is enough to trigger the urge for a trip to the spa. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough cash around to lay out for that perfect facial or relaxing massage. Rather than give up, however, most Americans are compromising. Shorter treatments are becoming more common, as many realize that something is better than nothing.

In June this year, the International SPA Association found that treatments lasting 30 minutes or less grew in popularity. Forty-six percent of the ISPA's 3,200 members reported an increase in these shorter services ... and close to have saw the amount spent per visit fall year-over-year.

Interestingly, there is a changing of the guard afoot among spa visitors. In the past, Baby Boomers were the most frequent spa-goers, but Generations X and Y are starting to see the benefits of relaxation, according to a study by SpaFinder. For many spas, this may require a change in design and treatment menus, as younger guests may not be soothed in the same ways their parents were.

The Radisson Blu Resort and Spa Dubrovnik just became the largest resort on Croatia's Dalmatian coast. The new property, which is only 11 miles from Dubrovnik International Airport, boasts more than 100,000 square feet of spa, sports and wellness facilities with treatments such as hydrotherapy and salt saunas. This is the first Anne Semonin spa to open in Croatia, and to celebrate the milestone, several exclusive treatments have bee developed.

The spa itself occupies 37,000 square feet along the Croatian coastline, with seven individual treatment rooms and two more for couples. An outdoor hot tub sits at the center of this layout. The Thalassotherapy Therma Stone Experience, 100% Active Ice Therapy Facial and Black Sand Scrub & Ocean Massage Ritual were developed specifically for the Radisson Blu – I guess giving three more damned good reasons to get on a plane for Dubrovnik.

Another 75,000 square feet is dedicated to a sports and wellness center. The 60-foot lagoon pool, waterfall and underwater vitality jet lounges sound simply seductive, and there are additional treatments built around these decadent aquatic amenities.

Pass on the cliche European destinations this year, and head out to the Dalmatian coast. The spa experience will be a far cry from the usual.

Remember the days when the only reason you needed to go to a spa was that you felt like it? Yeah, so do I, but it looks like they're behind us for a while. A tight economy makes even luxury decisions tough to execute, resulting in a similar tightness in necks and backs. When you need that deep-tissue rub most, it seems, it's hardest to reach. So, I'm pretty excited to see spas make it easier to pry open your wallet for a bit of bliss.

Spa AQUA is making it pretty easy for you to enjoy Cancun. The latest deal cuts 50 percent from the nightly room rate and lops dining and spa service by 25 percent. If you're looking for excuses to dust off your passport, this is about as good as it gets. Need to be seduced? Consider the adobe clay sauna and mandarin and rose aromatherapy pool. Yep, that's where I was hooked, too.

This destination bills itself as a "modern lifestyle resort," with a "sensory stay" philosophy. Call it what you want, but I'm drawn to anything that clears the tension from my mind, back and shoulders. Integrating Asian techniques into its spa therapies, you can enjoy rice wraps and a variety of massage treatments, including Shiatsu, Samuprai and (my favorite) Shinodarah. Western touches include milk wraps and diamond facials. Manicures, pedicures, fitness centers and the other spa stables are also offered.

The resort, of course, is just the beginning. Once you're in Cancun, walk along the beach, grab a filling meal and sip more than your share of tequila. Forget about home for a few days: you've earned it.

"I'm sorry if you'll be sore tomorrow," the massage therapist informed me unprompted, "but you needed it."

Set foot in the Spa at Esperanza in Los Cabos, Mexico, and you will encounter professionals who know their jobs cold. Surrender yourself to their capable hands, and you will not be disappointed. From the front desk, where your order for a post-treatment beverage is taken, to the gender-specific and general relaxation areas to the treatment rooms, you will be treated to the sights and sounds of trickling water, stone-based décor (commonplace in this part of Mexico) and a staff that is singularly focused on relieving you of the emotional baggage that you carried onto the plane en route to Baja California Sur.

The Spa at Esperanza, part of the Esperanza Resort, offers a wide selection of treatments, including facials, massages, manicure and pedicure packages, private yoga sessions and couples options. In addition to the basic presentations of these themes – such as the Esperanza Massage, the deep-tissue treatment I enjoyed through which I persevered – twists are available to suit your mood or help you connect more closely with the part of the world you're visiting. The Corona Beer Face Lift, Papaya Plus Enzyme Peel and Avocado Butter Mani/Pedi, for example, feature local color that you're unlikely to encounter back home. Spice up your revitalization a bit with the Esperanza's local expertise.

More than just the La-Z-Boy for the wealthy, Inada's Sogno massage chair (above) can give you a healthier back -- and shoulder, arm, and fingertip.

The Sogno chair (pronounced "SOHN-yo") was the winner of the CES Innovation Award for 2009, for its impeccable balance of comfort, functionality, and design. Songo, which means "dream" in Italian, can massage over 1,200 square inches of you as you sit in it, including from your shoulder to your fingertip. That's more than any other chair on the market. Doesn't that sound nice? It gets better:

"Every Sogno massage begins with an infrared body scan that compares a user's profile to 106 stored body profiles. Advanced robotics and differentially applied then mimic the hand movements of a human massage therapist, providing the widest range of variation and choreography in kneading, tapping, and sophisticated stroke combinations." -- Inada

$6,000 doesn't seem like too much to pay for an infrared scan and a full-body massage every time you sit down to watch TV. You can purchase the chair from HealthyBack.

A few weeks ago Guerlain opened a spa in the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The spa "ensures a comprehensive luxury experience for every Waldorf guest." On the menu are eight kinds of massage, four kinds of facials, six kinds of body treatments, and five men's treatments, as well as hand and foot therapies, makeup application and all-day and partial-day getaway spa experiences. The spa also has a boutique and personal training studio.

I'm no beauty maven, but I've had massages and lots of facials, and what's described on the site seems no more special than what's offered at any other upscale spa, except for the use of Guerlain products and exquisite descriptions of services. I've no doubt the products add a level of luxury that's likely missing from a run-of-the-mill salon-type spa on the corner. But does Guerlain do a better job for what I assume to be a big pricetag? I don't know. I might have to check it out!

Who doesn't wish they had access to a professional massage at any time of the day or night in the comfort of their own home? Apparently enough people do to warrant the invention and production of this gadget, the Personal Dry Water Jet Massager. Laying down inside this space-looking capsule will get you what I can only imagine is a truly dreamy massage experience, as the 28 water jets mimic a shiatsu massage while the rest of your senses are relaxed via the Bose speaker system with iPod hookups, aroma diffuser, and 7 " LCD television with DVD player that's positioned perfectly as you lay on the headrest.

Sounds pretty awesome! Looks awesome, too, but seeing as how it costs more than my car I doubt I'll be treating myself to one anytime soon. $29,500.


Via Acquire

Human Touch calls the HT-7450 the world's first zero-gravity massage chair claiming that it basically helps to defy the effects of gravity. It reclines deeply with the back, seat and footrest moving in synchronization to position the body for massage comfort. From there it massages the neck, back and legs. It has an adjustable headrest, a detection system that scans the back and creates a map of individual pressure points. There is an eight-point seat massage system as well as a foot and calf massager and two lumbar head modules. It is being exhibited at CES and has been chosen as a Innovations 2008 Design and Engineering Award honoree in the Furniture product category. It sells for $3999.

You probably wouldn't think of Colonial Williamsburg as a place to get spa treatments but the recently opened Spa of Colonial Williamsburg proves that just about every resort these days has a spa. The new spa is part of a $150-million, six-year renovation and restoration of properties in the Resort Collection of Colonial Williamsburg. The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg is in a Georgian Revival-style brick building that contains 12 private treatment rooms and three relaxation rooms as well as changing rooms. The treatments are meant to reflect the ages starting with a hot stone massage with colonial herbs to evoke the 17th century and traveling up through the modern ages with a deep pore cleansing and a particle-free, ultrasonic exfoliation. There are also manicure, pedicure and hair care services. The spa escape package includes a stay at the Resort at Williamsburg and include one spa treatment per night and starts at $222 per person.

Bird dropping facials and snake massages may sound like something straight out of an episode of Fear Factor, but they're really part of the growing list of strange options you might have at a luxury spa near you. An ancient Japanese secret often used by Geishas and available at Diamond Hawaii Resort and Spa in Maui is a facial that starts with Nightingale excrement, which is reportedly full of enzymes that help keep the skin smooth, clear, and white. Or maybe a Hakali massage is more your style at Apuane Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Minta, Mexico, where spine-free cactus paddles are used to rub in an alcohol called 'pulque,' which comes from the agave plant and is in the tequila family.

Other strange spa experiences that might trip your detox trigger include snake massages (exactly what they sound like -- snakes slithering up and down your back!), getting yourself covered head-to-toe in caviar, soaking in a huge tub of dark beer, and "cupping" -- a process where several cups are placed strategically along your back and then lit on fire to create suction.

Fear Factor or not, some of these sound awesome! (Some, not all...)

This is a concept I've never seen before, the Scandle is a candle that when it burns turns into a massage oil. The Scandle comes in a glass votive and is made from palm kernel oil, shea butter, cosmetic grade soy butter, vitamin E, aloe vera and essential oils. The candles do not contain soy wax or any dyes. Once the candle is lit you can use the warmed oil or you can scoop out the candle before it is lit and rub it on your skin, The essential oil Scandle comes in different blends such as calming and uplifting and sells for $31.90.

Soy candles seem to be getting more and more popular, but jummyjane's Embers Candles offer s unique feature that most other candles do not. They are made with cosmetic-grade wax that has a low melting point and can be poured off of the candle and used as a massage oil. The all natural paraffin-free wax is enhanced with "natural plant extracts to nourish the skin" and is available in three different scents: habanero and grapefruit, ginger and date, and lychee and lapsang. Price: $48.

Ginza Tanaka Jewelers in Japan really has a thing for making outrageously expensive gold versions of seemingly ordinary items, including a golden rocking horse and gold calendars, among many other items. This time, they have come out with a $120,000 foot massager made of solid gold. The massager resembles a bamboo joint and you use it simply by standing on it and letting your feet conform to its slope. At that price, you would think that the massager would actively massage your feet and not make you do the work! For anyone else balking at the price of the gold version, Tanaka also makes a $5,000 silver massager.

[Thanks, Lana!]