A Swedish massage is what most people think of when they think of a massage. It's a true massage. It involves the Massage Therapist actually rubbing (massaging) the clients body. Many modalities of massage don't involve massaging the body and some modalities of massage don't even involve touching the body (passing energy, crystal healing, etc.).

There are four strokes in Swedish massage : effleurage, petrissage, friction and tapotement. Effleurage is the long flowing strokes, petrissage is the kneading strokes, friction is used to generate heat and bring blood to the surface, and tapotement is the hitting type strokes.

The aim of a Swedish massage is to relax the tissues of the body, relieve stress and improve circulation.

Most all Massage Therapists incorporate deep tissue work where needed, with their Swedish massage. Swedish massage is usually done on a massage table using massage oil or lotion, but certain techniques can be done on a massage chair.

Do I have to get completely naked?

You're comfort and ability to relax is the most important part of being able to receive a good massage. You should remove the amount of clothing that still allows you to feel relaxed. If you're not relaxed, you're not likely to be able to receive a good massage. You should try to become comfortable with removing your underpants, because the hips are the most important part of the body to massage, on average. Once the hips are relaxed, the entire rest of the back can be worked on much more effectively by the Massage Therapist.