Ashiatsu is a massage given with the feet. Holding bars overhead for balance, your therapist uses their feet on your back and legs for very deep, even pressure. It's the massage people describe as the one where they walk on your back, and it's often called back-stepping. The name is Japanese: ashi means foot and atsu means pressure.
At Serenity Zen, Ashiatsu (back-stepping) is a Massage Style you can add to a body massage at both of our studios, in West Covina and Diamond Bar. It happens within the time you book, as one part of your body massage. When you book, add Ashiatsu under Massage Styles and mention it in your booking notes, since only therapists trained in Ashiatsu offer it and the note helps us pair you with one.
Ashiatsu is easy to mix up with shiatsu, a Japanese form of finger pressure given with the hands, which isn't on our menu.
Does Ashiatsu hurt?
It can feel very deep, but it shouldn't hurt. Your therapist's weight spreads across the broad surface of the foot, so the pressure stays even. You lie face down while your therapist holds the overhead bars and moves in slow, pressing glides along your back and legs, working the muscles on either side of your spine and staying off the spine itself.
Your therapist checks in early and keeps checking in, so the pressure stays tailored to you. If you notice yourself holding your breath or tensing against the pressure, it's more than you need. Let your therapist know and they'll ease off.
Is Ashiatsu deeper than deep tissue?
It can be. Our menu rates Ashiatsu as Very Deep. Every body massage here is a Zen Flow® massage, our own deep tissue massage, and Ashiatsu is a style you add to it. By hand, your therapist works slowly into knots, and with Ashiatsu they also use their feet along your back and legs. One guest wrote in a Google review of our West Covina studio, "If you need deep tissue type massages, this is the place for you."
If deep work by hand never feels like enough for you, Ashiatsu is one more option to know about. Our post on how to know if you need deep tissue massage covers what deep work should feel like and when to wait.
Is Ashiatsu for me?
Ashiatsu is for you if you love very deep pressure. If you're new to massage, start with a body massage on its own and add Ashiatsu on a later visit.
Is Ashiatsu safe?
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says the risk of harm from massage appears to be low, with rare reports of serious side effects, some of them after vigorous types of massage such as deep tissue. If you have osteoporosis, a history of blood clots, a recent injury or surgery, or take blood thinners, check with your doctor before you book Ashiatsu. Tell the front desk and your therapist about any health condition before you start.
Ashiatsu isn't given during pregnancy. If you're expecting, our prenatal massage is made for every stage of pregnancy and after, given by a prenatal-trained therapist.
What happens during Ashiatsu?
Ashiatsu happens during a body massage in one of our private rooms, where steel bars run across the room close to the ceiling for your therapist to hold. You stay draped with a sheet the whole time, and your therapist works one area at a time.
Can I get Ashiatsu with a foot massage?
Yes, in the Combination, a foot massage that flows into a body massage. When you add Ashiatsu to it, your therapist uses Hizatsu® knee-stepping, working your back with their knees instead of their feet. The name Hizatsu® is our registered trademark. The Combination starts with a warm mineral foot soak, and your therapist works your feet and lower legs before moving on to the body massage, all at your own station rather than in a private room.
From Dr. Nick, DAOM L.Ac.
Years of Chan practice, the Chinese root of Zen, and of teaching meditation showed me that the body lets go when nothing is forced. Ashiatsu's steady, even weight is pressure you can relax into. It's simply an option for those who want to go deeper, and a body massage on its own is a fine place to begin.
More Ashiatsu questions
How much does Ashiatsu cost?
Our booking pages list Ashiatsu under Massage Styles with its cost, so you can check it for West Covina or Diamond Bar before you choose a time.
What should I wear for Ashiatsu?
The same as for any body massage. Our post on what a full body massage includes covers what to wear, and you stay draped with a sheet the whole time.
Can I get Ashiatsu today?
That depends on which of our therapists trained in Ashiatsu are in that day, so call first: West Covina at (626) 915-8889 or Diamond Bar at (909) 766-4879. We'll tell you which times are open.
Is Ashiatsu the same as shiatsu?
No. Ashiatsu is given with the feet, and shiatsu is finger pressure given with the hands.
Book Ashiatsu in West Covina or Diamond Bar
Serenity Zen has studios in West Covina and Diamond Bar. Every therapist is CAMTC certified. Open daily, 10 AM to 9 PM.