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Friday, August 9, 1985
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 84 No. 174
Weather: Partly cloudy and warm today with a 20 percent
chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Wind3 will be southerly
10 to 15 mph. Expect a high of 90 (32C). Thirty percentchance
of thunderstorms tonight with a low of 68 (20C). Partly cloudy
and cooler for the weekend. Expect highs in the middle 80s
(28C), lows in the upper 60s (20C).
Barb BrandaThe Nebraskan
The good life' in
the dorms... Page 3
Shrime teams tackle
big game.. .Pages 5 & 6
How do you spell relie
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Mark DavisThe Nebraskan
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By Bill Allen
Arte and Entertainment Editor
"In our society we do not touch each other
much," said Marie-Paule, a licensed apprentice
at the Lincoln Massage Center, "A massage is a
caring experience, pleasant, relaxing ex
perience." Tom Smith, owner of the Lincoln Massage
Center, 3230 So. 13th, said a good massage is
much more than a relaxing experience. He said
the benefits can last for days.
"We offer a Swedish massage here," he said,
"for general relaxation in stress and tension."
He said a full body massage can help back
injuries, since the back muscles tend to radiate
into all muscles. Also the overall relaxation can
help those with sleep problems. A massage is
especially beneficial after sports, Smith said.
Smith said he is now starting his third year in
business as a licensed masseur. In Nebraska, he
said, a masseur has to be licensed to practice.
There are two ways to get licensed, Smith
said. One is to attend a School of Massage. Smith
attended Wesleyn's, which is the only school of
its kind in Nebraska.
Another way to get licensed is to serve an
apprenticeship under a licensed masseur while
taking a correspondence course. The only such
course recognized in Nebraska, Smith said, is
the Swedish Institute of Massage in New York
City.
After school or the apprenticeship program
the graduate must still pass the State Board
exam, Smith said.
Learning the art of massage is much more
than being able to give a rubdown. Smith said
students must take courses in anatomy, physi
ology, nutrition, and other health-related areas.
The Lincoln Massage Center is staffed by
Smith and two apprentices.
Since all employees are licensed Smith said it .
gives more credibility to the business, despite
negative connotations some people might associ
ate with "massage parlors."
Smith's customers include professional bus
iness people, doctors, truck drivers, housewives,
students and salespeople.
Very seldom, he said, do they have any
problems with people who might ask for more
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Mark DavisThe Nebraskan
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than a massage.
"We just say no," he said.
Smith said about half the center's business is
return customers.
"We don't tell people that they have to come
back," he said. "We tell them if it helps them
they might want to continue."
Marie-Paule, a native European, said that
massage is much more common overseas, and is
used widely as preventive medicine. Doctors will
prescribe a series of massages to patients, she
said.
Smith said some of the center's customers are
referred by doctors.
"We all tend to add tension and add tension
and don't tend to do anything about it," Marie
Paule said. "But a massage can release much ci
that tension and improve your health."
She said that today's medicine is moving
toward more preventive treatments rather than
just reacting to a symptom. She said she feels
massage will play a part in that.
Smith, who has massaged John Denver, Hall
and Oates and the Bellamy Brothers, said an
overall body massage, in which he works the
whole body is best, but that he will massage just
certain areas, such as the back or shoulders, if
the customer requests it.
Before beginning the massage the customer
sits in the whirlpool for 1 5 minutes, at no charge.
The whirlpool is private, one person, and helps to
relax a person, Smith said.
During the massage the person is wrapped in
a sheet, and only the body parts being massaged
are uncovered, Smith said.
"We tell people that we have a private
whirlpool and that swimsuits are not required,"
Smith said, "but we tell them that if they want to
wear the swimsuit in the whirlpool and during
the massage then it is okay."
State sanitation laws state that each person
must be provided with clean towls and sheets for
the massage.
Smith also uses a special oil blend for the
massage, although only about a tablespoon is
actually used on the whole body, he said.
Rates range from $20 for a half hour massage
to $50 for a 90 minute massage.
Smith has given 90 minute massages, which
can make his hands very tired.
