Tipping is also a way of recognizing a massage therapist's hard and physically demanding work, she says. “When in doubt, tip your massage therapist unless they very specifically say otherwise,” Denney says. But note that some massage therapists will expressly ask you not to tip.

1. Swedish Massage. Swedish massage is a gentle full-body massage, ideal for those who are new to massage, stressed, and sensitive to touch. Swedish massage helps to release muscle tension and is a good choice when you want to completely relax during a massage.

The main differences between what most people would consider a traditional massage and clinical massage therapy is the targeted nature of the massage, the level of pressure and patient involvement. Many therapeutic massages are targeted at deeper muscle groups that require greater pressure to reach.

It is recommended to be getting massaged at least once every three weeks (or every two) to help aid in healthy tissue repair and reduce pain felt from the intensive workouts that the body is going through.