As a massage therapist this is something I hear a lot, but it's not something I'm into myself. Over the years my massage toolkit has begun to grow and I now use a combination of deep tissue, trigger point, Swedish massage and other massage movements. Sometimes I may use hot stones, but none of these techniques make me want to subscribe to the no pain, no gain mantra.
I know there are therapists out there who do advocate this approach, and if you really do believe it, then I would recommend you book a visit with one of them. Am I telling you to go elsewhere? If you feel the need to scream in agony, be left bruised and battered after your session in order to feel you've had a 'proper' massage, then yes, you do need to visit someone else.
Personally, I prefer a 'nice pain' approach, This sounds a bit strange, but I always say it should feel like things are loosening and releasing, rather than being pummelled into submission. What does this mean? Well, I may rest a while with some pressure on a muscle, waiting for it to release, so I can sink in further and work deeper. It may mean I hold a trigger point for a few seconds, to release the constriction in the muscle fibres - and while you may experience some pain, I never want you to feel your discomfort levels going above your personal 7 pain scale.
Personally, I prefer to work with the body - maybe it's because I'm lazy (you have to put a lot more pressure into fighting) or maybe it's because I'm an holistic therapist and at the core of that is that I listen to each person and treat them as an individual. Throughout a session I feel what a body is telling me and I work with it to create an optimal outcome. Whatever the reason, I am a great believer that people will find what works for them and that is especially true for massage, which is a very personal thing...but please, please, don't believe you have to suffer to get the benefit - your body sends pain signals for a reason!
