Citysearch – Ido Holistic Center

[rating:4]
Once before I had tried to make a reservation for Ido, they were booked up and could not accommodate me till much later. That day I decided to pass and went elsewhere.

Today I decided to try again. I ran 6 miles, then after that I went to an MMA class for the first time in years. Needless to say my body is torn up, and I wanted some relief.

I had a male therapist named Sam. A nice polite fellow. But you will usually find that Japanese people are generally very cordial, particularly when you are a client.

This place was quite different than most I have experienced. First you will find that there is no physical skin contact, no oil, etc. He didn’t see any part of my body, its as if it were taboo.

So you are covered in a blanket and you get a massage over the blanket. Initially I didn’t think I would like this method. However as the massage progressed I realized that it’s just as effective as any other method.

Sam applied medium pressure, and hard pressure at times. He seemed to notice the trouble areas and worked out the kinks. He even did the walking on your back thing, it was pretty targeted and felt pretty good. Though this was definitely weight bearing. Heheh.

Unlike most places I’ve gone to Sam actually asked me to turn over at one point and worked on my chest, quads and shins. Most cheapy priced Asian places I find only work on your back. So this was a balanced welcomed addition.

He covered my face when he was working on my front body parts. I don’t know if this was because they are keeping it private, or to protect your eyes from the dim light? Either I didn’t mind.

Afterwords I went up front, chatted a bit and paid. For 1 hour shiatsu is $85, if you pay cash they charge you $80. Normally I tip $20 as I am “beefy” and alot of work to massage.

Overall I enjoyed the massage, the place was clean, I was asked to remove my shoes prior to entering, and the room looked clean.

It’s not a “spa” with scents and all that extra stuff, but if you feel trashed after a tough training session, or work, I’d say it’s definitely worth trying. It may not be for you, but then again you may love it. I’ll definitely return.

I cannot speak for everyone, but Sam did a good job. I’m still beat, but I feel somewhat more relieve and looser.

Hopefully overnight I will recover more.