Relaxation, Deep Tissue and Pressure Types: How to Know What Pressure is Best

It’s come to it. You’re finally ready to get a massage and have gone through most of the booking process. But the site has asked you a question, one you’re not sure how to answer. You’re dealing with a lot of pain. Wouldn’t deep tissue be the best? They don’t give a good explanation, just list different pressures. Light and relaxing wouldn’t fix your problem. You aren’t looking to relax. But what is medium pressure?

This is a common problem. Many a person will go into a massage believing that the only way to fix their problems is deep tissue massage. A good portion of the time, the belief also is that Deep Tissue is as hard of pressure as a therapist can do. I’ll let you in on a secret. Deep tissue isn’t always the solution.

Hi, my name is Kat, I’ve been a massage therapist for over a decade. When it comes to pressure, everyone is different. That’s both therapists and clients. Let’s take a look at what pressure actually is in relation to massage techniques.

What is Pressure?

Pressure is a broad term related to many things, massage and beyond. But when we lean into Massage Therapy people often categorize pressure one of two ways. Light or deep. So, what is pressure exactly? Is it just light and deep or is there more to it?

Pressure is the amount of force put behind a massage technique. That’s the simplest explanation I can give you. Now there’s also something to say that there are certain techniques that require a certain amount of pressure. Lymphatic Drainage, for instance, requires light pressure to perform properly. On the flip side, Therapeutic Sports Massage leans itself almost exclusively towards Deep Pressure.

I hear the question forming, what’s the difference between deep tissue and deep pressure? Deep Tissue is a technique that can be used from medium to deep pressure but focuses mostly on the deeper layers of muscle tissue that we have. To quote a famous ogre, “ogre are like onions,” we are too. Human beings consist of layer upon layer of muscle tissue overlapping and working in concert to keep up sitting up against gravity, able to walk around, speak, or move as we do.

Deep pressure can help massage therapists reach the deeper tissues of the body, but there are plenty that can’t handle that deep pressure. Let’s talk about different pressure levels next to explain more about the differences.

The Five Pressures of Massage

You know how sometimes you get this itch and all you need is to brush your fingers across it? Sometimes you sit there digging at it for half an hour with nails to get rid of it. These are examples of pressure that you use in daily life. The concept of five different pressures of massage is what I deem the most common variants I’ve come across and have trained myself to differentiate over my decade plus of working.

Those pressures are:

·         Light: This is the pressure that most refer to as Relaxation. It can vary from the weight of a dime on your finger to a gentle hand sliding across your muscles.

·         Light to Medium: This is the pressure that increases to a more therapeutic level. Instead of the weight of a dime, it’s more like the weight of an average sized novel.

·         Medium: This is the pressure I use most often. This is more like firm hand pressure, more like a five subject notebook for weight.

·         Medium to Deep (or Firm): This is another common pressure for my clients. This pressure is maintained the most through gentle forearms and a bit of a lean.

·         Deep: This is the pressure most believe to be the pressure they require. This is where I lean most of my muscle and weight into my forearms and elbows to get through all the layers of your body.

Seems pretty straightforward in concepts. Here’s the trick. My medium for one person could be light for them and for their friend, it’s agony. So how does this work? How can you just pick a pressure and stick with it?

In all honesty, you can’t. You can’t just settle for one thing the first time because therapists are different. Clients are different. Sometimes the deep pressure clients can’t handle the deep pressure for a day. Other times, the client I’ve been using light pressure with wants to amp it up and shoot for medium today. That’s where communication comes in.

Speaking Up About Your Pressure

Have you ever tried to tell someone something but can’t figure out how to? A LOT of people–me included–struggle to speak while on the table when certain things arise. Namely, it’s pressure based. That’s why I check in when things feel off about how you and your body are responding.

I’m not you. All I feel is how the muscles move, how your breathing changes, and if you’re fidgeting to some degree. I’m good, but not enough to be in your skin and feel what you feel. That’s why communication between therapist and client is so important.

It’s one thing I don’t think I can stress enough. As a client, you have every right to speak up if you’re uncomfortable. Pressure being the least of all when it comes to this concept. But while we are speaking on pressure, what I want you to come away with is if you feel like nothing is happening beyond your therapist spreading oil, or lotion on your skin and you don’t like it, SPEAK UP!

When you are suffering in silence because there is a spot that feels like your therapist is stabbing you with a knife instead of relieving pain, SPEAK UP! We don’t want to hurt you. We don’t want to tickle you or make you feel uncomfortable. We want you to come away relaxed and feeling better than when you walked in.

There is a dynamic that I’ll touch on here and expand on in a later blog. Power Differential. One individual being perceived as better (or more knowledgeable) than another. So that person–the perceived better–has power over the one that has less.

As I mentioned above, I have been a massage therapist for over 10 years–13 years as of 2025, I have a lot of information under my belt and tools in my toolbox for massage. The one thing I don’t have, though, is experience in your body.

I don’t feel your aches. I don’t live your life. I don’t know what you do every day. So, I can pull all the tools out and use them, but that doesn’t mean I know more than you. All that means is, I know how to apply the tools to the situation so long as you tell me what’s going on.

Hence why communication is key when working with a massage therapist on pressure or any part of your session.

Pick Your Pressure, but Remember it’s Never Set In Stone

By now, you’ve got the gist that picking pressure is never easy, especially for someone who’s never had a massage before. There are so many variables that go into the concept, which is why I talk to you first and check in throughout the session. Sometimes certain areas can handle only light to medium while others can handle the deep pressure. My back and shoulders versus my legs are a perfect example of this.

The best thing you can do is to pick the middle and play everything by how you’re feeling that day. You’ve been armed with the different pressure styles, now it’s up to you and me to figure out where you truly sit on this scale. And always remember, I may have the experience as a therapist, but I don’t have experience in your body, so don’t be afraid to speak up!

If you’d rather skip the guess work of other studios, check out my massage side and let me come to you. If you do, sign up for my mailing list to have that monthly reminder to treat yourself to some relaxation.