Before a first massage, most people aren’t worried about the massage itself. They’re worried about everything around it: what to wear, how much to take off, whether they’re supposed to say something, what happens if the pressure is too strong, and whether they’ll look silly for not knowing the “rules”. These questions rarely get asked out loud, so many people put off their first appointment for months simply because they don’t know what to expect.
So we’ve gathered them in one place — the way clients actually ask us — with answers on how it really works at our studio in Vračar. In short: you don’t need any experience. Your only job is to relax; the therapist takes care of the rest.
You don’t need to know the names of techniques. It’s enough to know how much pressure you’d like:
For a first massage, 60 minutes is plenty for your body to feel the difference. When 90 is worth it, we explain in 60 or 90 minutes, and you’ll find a comparison of all our treatments in the guide how to choose the right massage.
When you book online, you can also choose whether you’d prefer a female or a male therapist, or say it doesn’t matter. If it matters to you, go ahead and choose — it’s completely normal and nobody takes it personally.
At the door you swap your shoes for slippers and choose a warm drink — coffee or tea. Before the massage itself there’s also a complimentary foot massage in a massager, which makes a good start: your body begins to relax before you even lie down on the table.
The therapist will ask how you feel and what you’d like from the session. This is the moment to mention:
You don’t need a diagnosis or a “proper reason” to come — “everything feels tight” and “I just want to switch off” are perfectly good answers. If you’re pregnant, there’s a dedicated treatment for you, Lotus, and we wrote about when massage during pregnancy is safe in a separate article.
This is the question we’re asked most often, and the one that worries people most. Here’s how it works with us:
Towels are changed after every client, and the room is cleaned and disinfected before and after every appointment.
Whatever feels right. Some clients chat for the whole hour, others fall asleep after ten minutes — both are completely normal. The therapist won’t force conversation, and you choose the music.
The one thing worth speaking up about is pressure. If it’s too strong or too light, if you’re cold or a movement bothers you — say so straight away. The therapist won’t take it as criticism; quite the opposite, that’s how they learn what works for you. The rule is simple: a massage can be intense, but it should never hurt so much that you tense up or hold your breath.
If your stomach rumbles, you doze off or a muscle twitches — it happens to everyone. Your body is relaxing, and that’s a sign the massage is working.
You pay at the studio, in cash or by card.
Your first appointment is the only one where you need to think about any of this. By the second time you know where everything is, what pressure suits you and what time of day works best — and all that’s left is to lie down. If you enjoy it, we’ve written about how often it makes sense to come.
The Runway Massage studio is at Golubačka 1 in Vračar and is open Monday to Saturday. Prices for all treatments are in the price list, you can see free slots and book online in a couple of minutes, and if you still have a question, take a look at the FAQ or give us a call.
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