Fully-grown leaves of birch, oak or eucalyptus are bundled together and soaked in warm water for about 20 minutes. A quick minute second soak in hot water makes the venik soft and fragrant, providing an organic aromatherapy throughout the platza.
Using the prepared venik and authentic ancient techniques, our trained Platza Therapists massage you from head to toe, creating a pathway to ultimate wellness.
First the therapist lightly flutters the venik like butterfly wings just above your body, warming your skin.
Once your skin is heated, the venik is gently pressed against your body and brushed from side to side from your neck to toes and back again. Next, the venik is shaken high in the air to gather more heat and then firmly pressed against the waist, shoulders, feet or knees for a few seconds, compressing heat into the joints. Finally, as if in a gentle breeze, the soft leaves lightly slide and slap against the skin with an intermingling of stroking and compression techniques.
When you return to the Russian Bath for a second platza, the venik is firmly pressed into your skin and rubbed in circular movements. The therapy finishes with two veniks pressed into your waist and pulled in opposite directions to stretch the body. A platza massage enhances the purifying health benefits of the Russian Bath through the specific use of the venik and the traditional massage techniques.
