Charles River Dynamic Massage & Bodywork

Whenever I speak of Ramon, I include a well-​earned subtitle: «One of the Best Things That’s Ever Happened to Me.» If anything, this is an understatement.
For you see!, for over 2.5 years now (yyyeah this review is looong overdue) on a monthly basis, I have enjoyed the best massages of my life with Ramon. He has SUCH a comfortable presence, an astonishing knowledge of anatomy, mastery of a wide-​ass variety of modalities (ever experience a Thai massage? GET ONE) & he possesses that rare gift of listening to/​addressing requests whilst simultaneously sensing & tending to other problem spots. The guy is MAGICAL, I tells ya!
I could use scores of other words to describe him (attentive, positive, personable, passionate about helping people, funny, sweet, relaxed & relaxING, comfortable & comfortING), but no words truly capture his profound presence & mad skillz.
Obv, this monthly massage regimen has proven immensely therapeutic & life-​changing, but GET THIS: it’s also AFFORDABLE. For the reals.
Before finding Ramon, I was a legit massage tramp; I done been ’round the block when it comes to the Boston bodywork scene. This sluttastic experience revealed that the majority of reputable massage therapy places charge $ 90+/hour plus tip. Even when I’d get a Groupon for a $ 70 massage that was regularly $ 100, after tipping 20% on the reg price I was still out $ 90! Ramon’s prices, on the other hand, are unbelievable: your first 60-​min massage is only *$ 65* (UMMWHAT) & he has an ongoing «Commitment Special: come in within 30 days of your last session & receive $ 10 off,» so the savings continue that-​a-​way, AND! another BIG HUGE GIGANTOR plus: he has a «No Worries» tipping policy, meaning he does not accept – much less expect – tips. How freakin’ great is it to avoid all the awkwardness & annoying requisite math of tipping?!
Thus! for the first time in my life, I’ve been able to transform my relationship with massage: instead of an annual indulgence, it is monthly health maintenance w/​significant ongoing results, not to mention the enthusiastic approval of my primary doc, my PT, my chiro & my mom!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
BOOKING: eeeeasy. Ramon is eternally pleasant, flexible & prompt in his communiqué.
LOCATION: convenient/​awesome, heart of Copley Square, ~20 steps from the T. He shares space at a chiropractic office that is clean/​quiet, and Ramon’s space is private, warm, and tranquil as fuck.
BEFORE THE MASSAGE: Ramon chats w/​you about your concerns/“goals” for the session. He’s great about listening/​responding to suggestions while ALSO miraculously finding and & working shiz out on his own. Like I said, magical!
DURING THE MASSAGE: he checks in a few times to make sure you’re aiiiight & though he is ever-​receptive to feedback/​requests, he does NOT jabber throughout. Never understood why some massage therapists do that. I mean, if YOU prefer talking nonstop I would imagine he would be perfectly polite about it, but I wouldn’t know because I’m not an idiot.
BEFORE YOU PEACE OUT: Ramon inquires/​assesses your experience & answers questions. He is also super generous about suggesting exercises/​stretches that may prove helpful in everyday life, depending on what stupid shit your body is putting you through!*
A FEW DAYS LATER: you’ll receive a message from Ramon asking how you feel after the bodywork has «assimilated.»
IF YOU SCHED ANOTHER MASSAGE: prepare to be amazed by Ramon’s incredible attn to detail/​note-​keeping/​personalized suggestions for future sessions. Though he always addresses your ideas/​concerns, he also puts a lot of thought into customizing an approach best suited to your needs. What results is a beautiful alliance of your ideas+his ideas. Your bod will celebrate this precious union & thank you for weeks to come!
*I know this likely achieved TL;DR status long ago, but I gotta share a personal account of Ramon’s above-​and-​beyond generosity. So, I got issues. My back sucks, my knees are whiny & I royally jacked my shoulder, which took a year+ to heal. Re: my back/​knees, Ramon has rec-​ed many stretches/​exercises & even offered to spend 30 min going through an anatomy book with me, for free. Amazing! Re: the recovery of my shoulder, I honestly give Ramon more credit than my PT/​chiro/​primary docs combined. He innately sensed and therapeutically treated the injury and sent me YouTube links to exercises; when I later consulted a PT, they prescribed the EXACT same exercises! Ramon even checked in w/​me after my initial PT appts, the dates of which I had mentioned only in passing & not in writing. So thoughtful!
AND REMEMBER! One of the great things about massage is IT’S DAMN GOOD FOR YOU! And Ramon is the biggityBEST, obv. These other 5-​star reviewers got it right (& take a gander at the for-some-reason-«not recommended» reviews, as they’re real customers too). Ramon simply MUST be experienced, and shared, to help us tolerate living inside these cantankerous organic machines, and for the betterment of humanity.

I haven’t had much professional massages or physical therapy in the past, but I decided to finally reward myself with a session a couple of months ago. I was sporadically dealing with some back discomfort due to work where I sit at my desk all day, and where Im also required to carry heavy equipment on location. I had also been feeling some joint discomfort in my legs due to playing soccer more frequently. All of this combined with the fact that I’m admittedly out-​of-​shape made it obvious that a nice massage was long overdue.
A friend of mine recommended me to Ramon and his practice at Charles River Dynamic Massage & Bodywork. He was a great and exciting character to work with. He had the right balance of professionalism, but also being down-​to-​earth and even humorous. This definitely helped me feel at ease during the session. Being a novice at physical therapy, I was a bit anxious and nervous at first. Luckily, Ramon was quick to sense this, and right away made me feel relaxed and comfortable.
We did a custom session to focus on the work stress and joint discomfort. During the session I never felt uncomfortable. Never did I feel the pressure was too much. It felt connected and appropriate and Ramon was keen to being communicative… always ensuring I was feeling okay and relaxed… but also being an open book and expressing his knowledge about the field, and more than happy to answer my numerous questions.
I left the the session feeling very relaxed, refreshed, and invigorated. The next day, my muscles and joints felt even better… and I continued to feel the difference for days and weeks after. But besides feeling like I was on cloud 9, I was also excited from everything Ramon taught me… things I had no clue when it came to healthy maintenance of body, muscles, joints, etc… and all the suggestions and recommendations he offered to help me take better care of myself.
Overall, this was a great experience, that I would recommend to anyone. I’m looking forward to working with Ramon again in the future.

Last August, I decided to treat myself to some TLC. I had been telling myself «Be good to yourself» and «Renew your commitment to health». While I have recognized massage as an important part of maintaining health (full-​body, mind and spirit), I also felt some guilt surface about «pampering» or «indulging» myself in that way. «Is it necessary?» Plus, I have had a mix of experiences in the past.
Hearing good things about Ramon, I decided «Okay, I ‘ll give it a try.» Six months later, the answer is «Yes! This is key for me.» I believe in the power of massage– it is worth every penny when in the hands of an in-​tune masseuse like Ramon. I bought a massage 6-​pack (surprising good deal!) to help me stay committed to my wellness goals, visiting every few weeks for a «tune up».
He is a dedicated professional and has a healing touch. His understanding of the human body is impressive and he radiates positivity. (That’s encouragement for me.) Face down in the head bolster, if I am «thinking» anything at all it is «How did he find that aching spot right away?»
In addition to Ramon’s skillful hands, two other reasons keep me returning: the location of his Back Bay studio is very convenient, and the interior quality of the massage room is soothing. I am sensitive to how a space makes me feel. I can tell he cares. The space is warm, clean, colorful and carefully controlled. The lighting and variety of music adds to the atmosphere.
Leaving his studio, I feel relaxed and reset. I highly recommend Ramon to my friends and family.

Without question, one of the most in-​tune to body massage therapists I have ever worked with. Consistency, professionalism are the keys to Ramones continuing success.

The Best Boston Massage Therapist:
I have had many massages in NW/​Central/​South Florida, Houston TX., Hong Kong, Malaysia and some in Boston, and Ramon tops them all. I started seeing Ramon when I needed to supplement my ½ Marathon training and some of my physical therapy sessions with an additional healing and strengthening regiment. I shared with Ramon my muscular/​tendon/​joint issues not only regarding my running/​training, but also in regards to issues from sitting in front of a desk all day and suffering from some psoas & piriformis muscle dysfunction diagnosed by both chiropractic and pt professionals. Ramon was able to incorporate their diagnosis and therapy recommendations in his own active approach to our sessions, always mindful and engaging as we worked on target areas. Afterwords, Ramon was great about following up by email with additional recommendations to get me on my way to be healthier and stronger in my running and sitting postures.
Aside from those experiences, I have also seen Ramon for a relaxing/​de-​stressing massage and left wondering why I didn’t do that sooner =) My body felt detoxed and revitalized as I prepare for the challenges for the new year 2014.
Ramon is a very relaxed, attentive, thorough professional with a quiet office in Back Bay, a short walk from the Copley MBTA station.

After a few different massage therapists and many uncomfortable massages, I was so relieved to finally have met Ramon while he still lived in So Cal. So guess how excited I was to have to take a business trip to… yep, Boston?! VERY! Thankfully Ramon had the same phone number so I made an appointment for a few days after my arrival.
The building was extremely easy to find (such a tranquil location right on a river) so I arrived a few minutes early to a very clean & comfortable suite already set up and waiting for me. Ramon is such a nice, easygoing guy (main reason he is such a great massage therapist) and remembered EXACTLY who I was! Which made the fact that I stalked him across the country less awkward and the massage everything I remembered.
After a few short minutes of the standard assessments, he knew exactly what I needed, just like always, and I begged him to throw a little of his amazing Thai Massage in there too (I’m spoiled, it’s absolutely amazing & VERY necessary! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIS THAI MASSAGE!) It was 90 minutes of uninterrupted, perfectly applied pressure & non-​strenuous ‘stretches’ resulting in a state of euphoria. Once he brought me back to reality, I felt lighter, more relaxed, happier, over all so much better physically & mentally. There was no pain or tightness ANYWHERE on my back or joints, just wow! I can’t explain it, some people are meant to do certain things & Ramon is definitely The Body Whisperer. Take full advantage East Coasters! I’m keeping my fingers crossed he finds his way back to his followers on the West. In all seriousness, the experience through healing that he provides is worth every penny. Thank you Ramon.

Ramon is, without a doubt, one of the best masseuses I’ve ever had. I’m naturally a very awkward person & dread getting massages but Ramon was so easy going and made the experience worthwhile.
The office is located on Beacon Street in a beautiful New England style brownstone so not only is it easy to find but it’s in such a laid-​back back atmosphere, which definitely ameliorates the entire experience. Also, if you’re anything like me and have little to no free time and can’t allocate loads of time towards locating a particular business then Charles River Dynamic is great – right in the heart of Back Bay, seriously can’t miss it.
Most masseuses (at least ones I’ve had thus far) only ask very standard questions out of protocol (e.g. Strength/​pressure preference, your preferred target areas for massage, etc.) But Ramon is very thorough & tries to understand your lifestyle in order to provide you with a massage that particularly suits your needs. I told him I’m a student and am constantly stressed out and he was able to tailor a massage that targeted areas of my back that become tense from stress.
The distinguishing factor of Ramon’s practice from that of most other masseuses is his usage of dynamic stretching (hence his business name), which quite honestly is not something many of us take the time to do.
All in all, the experience was 110% positive. I have no qualms about anything and will definitely make Ramon my go-​to masseuse. I suggest everyone to do the same!