WE FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS FROM A FRIEND WHO THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST MASSAGES HE HAD. He said 'why have two when you can have four...' He was referring to hands of course. But who provides such a service? We caught up with Andy & Markko...

1. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF A  '4 HANDED MASSAGE'?

I've always wanted to have a 4 handed massage myself (or a massage done by 2 guys in synchronisation with each other) so it was just a matter of finding the right person to do it with (a lot easier said than done) and then coming up with a routine. I've been a Massage Therapist for 9 years now and having work in many different leisure centres ,saunas ,health clubs and clinics I've had vast experience of treating clients/ patients from all walks of life. For the last 2 years i have been working in a clinic on Wimpole Street in a small team of osteopaths and physiotherapists and we were responsible for the maintaining and rehabilitation of many dancers/ performing artists in most of the West End shows....enjoyable but, as any masseur will tell you ,it's a hard slog giving up to 10 sports/ deep tissue massages in one day 5 days per week. So I wanted to create my own routine and work from home. My partner, Markko, is also a fully qualified masseur and sports instructor having trained at Sports University in Ukraine. Last July we put our heads together and designed our own unique 4handed massage routine.

 

2.WHAT DOES A '4 HANDED MASSAGE' INVOLVE?

Basically we are working in synchronisation with each other for an hour and a half. It's a work of art really!! If you like ,we use the client's body as a 'canvas' and  Markko and I work in perfect co-ordination with each other to create this amazing experience that you'll be hard pushed to find anywhere else in the world! It took us a little while to perfect the idea, however. I wanted it to be a really surreal concept. We work in the dark apart from the light cast from one jasmine and vanilla scented candle and at times the client will not be able to tell who's massaging what, where and when. It works well because we work perfectly together....we are the same height ,same muscular strength, same leverage and same size hands which is vital if the work is to be effective. We play a collection of music that I've been compiling over the years ranging from opera to world music( and ,no ,i don't mean Eurovision!) and I've come up with a couple of unique little client pampering tricks that come as a complete surprise during the treatment!

 

3.WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU NEED TO DO A '4 HANDED MASSAGE'?

Myself, I have a Diploma in Sports Massage from St. Mary's University College, Twickenham; Diploma in Aromatherapy and Massage,Anatomy and Physiology from West London School of Therapeutic Massage; Diploma in Indian Head Massage from London College of Massage; Diploma in Reflexology from London Metropolitan University and I've done several workshops including Hot Stone Fusion at The Wilbury School of Natural Therapies in Brighton. Markko is a fully qualified Sports Massage Therapist and has certificates in Massage, Anatomy and Physiology. We've brought aspects from all our experiences and pooled them together in our 4hand massage routine. We've not gone to a '4hand Massage ' college to learn somebody else's ideas...many of our clients have suggested that we teach our routine to others ,but we are very proud of our little creation so the secret stays safe with us!!It's like when you go to a restaurant everything has to come together to make the experience enjoyable ,the food ,service ,atmosphere,lighting,music ,price etc. Our home is really funky,possibly a bit mad like something from Austin Powers,it's squeaky clean, very quiet in a residential street in Tufnell Park, and our work room is, err, unique!!

 

4.WHAT TYPE OF CLIENTS DO YOU GET?

We advertise on Gaydar and in Boyz magazine, the bulk of the business coming from Gaydar. So it's fair to say that all our clients are gay/bisexual men ,the majority of which are regulars. Apart from recent clients, who are too new to repeat ,there aren't very many who haven't come back for a second go. We get lots of guys booking in advance from Australia and the States...We are really chuffed that it has taken off like it has done....we are now at the stage whereby we ask people to book at least 24 hours in advance to secure their preferred timeslot. We never overbook ourselves though, partly because we don't wanna get knackered but mainly because we would never want somebody to come to us for a 'substandard' treatment.

 

5. WHAT CAN A 'FOUR HANDED' MASSAGE DO FOR A CLIENT?

I can only describe the beneficial effects of what we do from some of the comments of our clients.....relaxing, stunning, amazing, complete headfuck ,almost religious, heaven, total selfishness.....we've had clients in tears (of joy,btw!)...and one Nobel Peace Prize nomination!!