Cai Bei

In Chinese history Cai Bei… pronounced “sigh-bay“, is an ancient form of Chinese massage therapy which is little known in Western culture. Simply put—the therapist walks on your back.

The forces required to perform this massage technique are entirely generated by the force of gravity and the use of the therapist’s body as a tool. She will utilize her toes, heels and the balls of her feet to manipulate, stretch and open up the musculature of your chest, legs, buttocks, back and shoulders, thereby releasing tension which has been stored along these regions of your spinal cord and body.

To support and control her balance, the therapist uses overhead parallel bars and, with the use of her arms, pulling or pushing, can decrease or, in some instances, increase the varying angles of down force or pressure required to achieve the release of rigid or constricted muscle tissue. The amount of force available with the feet, is on the order of three times that of conventional hand and finger massages.

Cai Bei is most sought after by people who have physically demanding or stressful jobs—most times, both. It’s primary purpose is to open up areas of constricted muscle tissue, muscles that are abnormally rigid and tight, concentric or eccentric and unable to fully relax, which stem from involuntary muscle spasms, cramps, structural changes or chronic tension to the muscle and surrounding connective tissues (fascia)—muscles that the hands and fingers forces of a therapist cannot deliver. Once the therapist has opened the muscle tissues sufficiently, she will continue the massage using her hands and fingers as required.

Cai Bei is not for everyone! If your massage experiences have been confined to the westernized versions, which are gentler and for relaxation, and you are unaccustomed to true Asian massage therapy techniques, and do not receive routine massage therapy and are not in the best of health—this therapy is not suitable for you.

Ten percent of our customers come routinely to enjoy their Cai Bei massage…to those unaccustomed to Cai Bei therapy, the experience will be painful, cause temporary swelling and bruising to the treated bodily areas and they will experience nausea and discomfort for several days or more. Because of these effects, we reserve the right to determine who may receive Cai Bei therapy… as people have written untrue reviews—blaming the therapist for their own lack of good judgment.