Advice & FAQs
Straightforward answers about sports massage, treatment, and how to get the most from your session.
Sports massage is a hands-on treatment that targets muscles, tendons and soft tissue to relieve tension, improve mobility and support recovery. It's not just for athletes — anyone dealing with tight muscles, stiffness or repetitive strain can benefit.
Not at all. Clients range from competitive athletes and swimmers to tradespeople, desk workers and anyone on their feet all day. If you've got muscles, sports massage can help.
Relaxation massage is about unwinding. Sports massage is more targeted and results-driven — it's used to reduce injury risk, ease chronic tightness, improve range of motion and speed up recovery between training sessions.
Some techniques go deep and can feel intense in tight or overworked areas, but it should never be unbearable. Tell your therapist straight away if pressure needs adjusting — this is your session.
It depends on your goals. Athletes in heavy training often benefit from weekly or fortnightly sessions. For general maintenance, once a month is a good starting point. We'll build a plan around what your body actually needs.
Loose, comfortable clothing that allows access to the area being treated. Shorts and a vest work well if we're working on legs or back.
Yes — sports massage supports recovery from many soft tissue issues, including muscle tightness, minor strains and overuse injuries. For anything acute or you are unsure about, we'll advise if you need to see a physio or GP first.
30, 45, 60 and 90-minute sessions are available depending on how much work is needed and which areas you want covered.
Yes. Most sessions start with a quick postural assessment and some range of movement testing — checking how you stand, move and where restrictions or imbalances show up. This helps target the treatment rather than just guessing where to work.
It depends on the area being treated. You may be asked to remove some clothing to access the muscle properly, but you're always covered with towels except for the area currently being worked on. You're welcome to wear underwear or shorts throughout, and you can keep as much clothing on as you're comfortable with — just let your therapist know and we'll adapt the treatment.
Yes, always. Nothing happens without your consent. You'll be asked before any assessment or treatment involving clothing removal, and you can say no, pause, or stop at any point — no explanation needed.
Motion Massage operates from Boys 2 Men Barber Shop, 228 St John's Ln, Bristol BS3 5AU. Free on-street parking is available, and there's a waiting area inside the barber shop.
Yes — session packs and membership tiers are available for clients who want ongoing support. Ask about current pricing when you book.
Your session
Drink water in the hours before your appointment — well-hydrated muscles respond better to treatment.
Avoid a heavy meal right before your session, but don't come on an empty stomach either.
If possible, don't go straight from a hard session into massage — give your body a short window to settle.
Let your therapist know about injuries, medical conditions, recent surgery, or areas that feel particularly sensitive before you start.
This gives time to talk through what you want from the session and where to focus.
Before hands-on work starts, we'll often check your posture and put you through some range of movement tests. This flags tightness, restrictions or imbalances that might not be obvious just from where it hurts — and helps decide where treatment will have the most impact.
If access to an area means removing some clothing, you'll always be asked first and told what to expect. You're draped with towels throughout, with only the area being treated uncovered. Consent is ongoing — you can change your mind, ask to keep clothing on, or stop the session at any time.
This is a two-way conversation, not a silent treatment. Speak up any time — if pressure needs adjusting, an area feels too sensitive, something's not sitting right, or you just want to check in on what's being worked on.
Deep tissue work can feel uncomfortable in tight spots, but always speak up if something feels too much. Good pain is a release; sharp pain is a signal to stop.
Slow, steady breathing helps muscles relax and lets the treatment do its job.
Knots and problem areas are exactly where you'd expect more sensitivity — that's often where the most benefit is happening.
This helps flush the area and supports recovery.
Mild soreness for a day or so afterwards is completely normal, similar to how you'd feel after a good workout.
Give your body time to respond to the treatment before pushing hard again.
Light stretching or walking helps keep things loose without overloading freshly worked muscle.
A warm bath can ease residual tightness; if an area feels inflamed, a short spell of ice can help.
Most people notice improved mobility and reduced tension within 24–48 hours. If something feels off or pain persists, get in touch.
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