Michael Nedwick is a massage therapist/military man/gringo who loves Medellín.
I learned this after going for three separate appointments with him to receive a relaxation, deep tissue and shiatsu massage.
He began his practice, like many, at home. He separated a space strictly for his practice and has been eager to get started. His motivation? Giving people a happy, de-stressed body and life.
For this review of his work, I am speaking strictly from my point of view. I have not gotten a lot of massages in my day, so I was curious about what massage therapy had to offer, especially the shiatsu massage, a style completely new to me.
Michael provides five different kinds of massages: the three I tried myself, plus Swedish (circulatory) and Thai, each for the duration of one hour at a cost of 65,000 pesos ($25).
Michael’s dedication to massage therapy goes beyond finding a way to make a living in Medellín. Like most expats, he’s finding his footing, but he’d like to find it doing what he loves.
“It’s frustrating to see that great massage can’t be found everywhere, he said, and that when it can people are hesitant. I’m here to make others feel better, and it makes me happy to do it.”
I can’t make up my mind about which style of massage was my favorite during my sessions with Michael Nedwick.
There are times when I want to say “ooh, the pressure on the deep tissue was perfect” or “shiatsu was definitely a novelty” but, to be honest, I was equally happy with all three.
I recommend you decide which massage to get based on your personal needs (if you have bad circulation, for example).
It was necessary with my end-of-semester (and of college career) jitters. I had plenty of stress to get rid of and a flight to Bogotá the next day.
The relaxation massage is an hour long and full-body. The subtle scent of the oils, the music, and dim lighting did the trick. I was in a semi-sleep state for the duration, felt exponentially better after and got a great night’s sleep. The strokes are gentle enough to keep you in a trance but firm enough that you feel a difference.
I was in a semi-sleep state for the duration, felt exponentially better after and got a great night’s sleep. The strokes are gentle enough to keep you in a trance but firm enough that you feel a difference.
Since deep tissue focuses more effort and strength on the muscle, it is reduced to the parts of the body that need it.
Nedwick says it tends to be shoulders, back, back of the legs and for some men who lift weights, chest. It really does depend on the type of activity your body goes through on a weekly basis, on posture and even the garments you wear (i.e. bras can cause shoulder and back pain).
This massage won’t put you into a trance, but it’s not supposed to! You’ll be awake and active the whole time. It’s important if needed, to be verbal with your wishes. Do you want more pressure or less? Is there’s a specific area of your body that’s sensitive? Etc.
We focused on my shoulders, back and thighs. The pressure was perfect, and I felt my mood change for the rest of the week. I was happier and more relaxed.
This was a completely new concept for me. The Shiatsu is an Asian-style massage done traditionally with the thumbs, putting pressure on parts of the body, one hand stays static on a stable energy point and the other moves, balancing the energy level through -traditionally, it can be very painful.
However, it’s been Westernized (what hasn’t lately?) and adapted to be a softer massage with the same outcome. The objective is to balance the energy throughout your body to ease troublesome areas.
This is also a full body massage; only this one doesn’t require oils or partial (or total) nudity. It’s done with all your clothes on (I went after school in a dress, which I don’t recommend, but jeans or sweatpants and a shirt should be fine).
It was such a different kind of experience. I felt my perception blurred and focused differently, my eyes were glassy and my body felt heavy during the massage. After, however, I did feel balanced.
Emotionally, the weeks spent in massage therapy with Michael were difficult for me with the amount of stress I was carrying.
However, I truly felt that, though I didn’t know it, I needed those sessions. Each massage made me feel better in record time. The day of the shiatsu I noticed a night-to-day difference in a matter of hours. I’m no expert on massage like I said before, but that speaks enough for me.
To schedule an appointment with Michael, email him at michael.galt.1984@gmail.com or find him on Facebook.
_______
My sessions were provided compliments of Michael Nedwick in exchange for sharing honest feedback about the experience here.
Brad Hinkleman, Founder of Casacol SAS, shares with us his foreign buyer's guide to Medellín…
Medellin’s nightlife is a jungle of musical genres that can be overwhelming for the old-fashioned,…
Doing coffee tasting tours around the city and preparing Colombian coffee on your own is…
Mercado del Rio is the first food market in Colombia and one of the must-visit…
You've just landed in Medellin, and all you see around the city are tours and…
Taking a quiet afternoon sipping some coffee in Medellin can enhance your visit, so it’s…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
I contacted Michael Nedwick about a massage but was quite disappointed in his response or lack thereof. I just moved to Medellin with a sore back from all the lifting and twisting with luggage. He wrote back asking me where I was staying and how long I would be in Medellin. I told him where I was and that I'd be in town indefinitely but that my temporary Airbnb location wasn't really suitable and asked if he had a place that might be better suited. I never heard from him again.