Injury-specific, or preparation for athletes The injury, and
Injury-specific, or preparation for athletes: that’s how Jonathan describes it, and the first part matters most. The session focuses on one thing: the muscle that has stopped working properly, and the movement that caused it.
So a lot of the session is working out what’s wrong, not just working on it. Jonathan decides what to work on in the room, based on what he finds and what you tell him. That’s why a whole hour on one shoulder is normal here, and a full-body routine is not.
If nothing is injured and you have no event coming up, deep tissue is usually more useful: same lengths, same price, a different aim.
Why the two cost the same →High level sports massage. Highly recommend. Jonathan is very knowledgeable and understands what the body needs to aid recovery.
Fantastic experience with J. I've had a lot of sports massage and this was top tier. Great service all round.
The same treatment, aimed at two different problems. Which one you need changes the session more than the length does.
Three to five days before. 48 hours at the least, and only light work the day before.
Quicker, lighter and more general. The aim is for you to move freely on the day, so nothing goes deep enough to leave you sore. You want to feel nothing on the day, so any deep work happens early enough to settle.
Where this sits in a marathon block →Once the first swelling has settled.
Slower and more focused, starting with working out what’s wrong. Steady pressure on the injured area, then on everything around it that has been compensating, because what hurts and what caused it are rarely the same thing.
Which one you need matters more than the length, so tell Jonathan that first when you get in touch.
Say which of the two it is →
Pick what’s actually sore. This traces it back, from what’s under strain to what caused it, because the part that hurts is usually making up for a problem somewhere else.
These are common patterns, not a diagnosis. The first session is for working out which, if any, applies to you, and if you need a scan or a prescription, Jonathan will point you to the right person.
He works above and below the knee first, then checks again how it moves.
He checks your hips and glutes first, then works on the lower back and whatever is really causing it.
He checks your neck, shoulders and upper back together, then works on the neck and upper back.
Work on the hamstrings and glutes, with a sensible plan for getting back to full training.
Deep work on the calf and Achilles, plus ankle mobility.
Work on the rotator cuff, chest and upper back to free up movement before you load it again.
The same three steps, whichever session you book. There’s one therapist, so it always works the same way.
The intro call is free, and it’s the quickest way to find out whether this is right for you. If it isn’t, he’ll say so, just as he would if you needed a diagnosis, a scan or a prescription.
Shorts, and a vest or t-shirt if the problem is in the upper body; come as you would to train. It’s just you and Jonathan for the whole session. There’s no team and no handover.
He’s looking for the injury and the movement behind it, so expect to be asked what you were doing when it started.
Neither of you can know before you start whether one session will be enough. Something that has been there for years usually takes three to six (weekly at first, then spaced out as it improves), and at the end of the first session you’ll get a straight answer, not a package sold up front.
Prices are per session. There’s only one therapist, so there’s only one price. For the other therapies Jonathan offers, get in touch and ask.
Jonathan works in Kingston on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and in Esher on Monday and Friday.
Want the whole body gone over? The Full Body MOT is 90 minutes, £250.
Both lengths are the same person and the same room. The longer one is more of the same session, not a different one. If you’re not sure, book 60 minutes and say so on the call.
Book sports massageNot sure which you need? The first session will sort that out. Or start from where you are: something already hurts, or nothing hurts yet.
Three to five days before is best. 48 hours is the minimum, and the day before is light work only, because anything deep enough to be worth doing needs a day or two to settle.
It’s firm, and you’ll feel parts of it. But you should never have to brace yourself. The pressure stays at a level you can breathe through, and Jonathan adjusts as he goes.
No. Working that out is half of what the session is for. If it turns out you need a diagnosis, a scan or a prescription, he’ll say so and point you to the right person.