Relax and Reliefby Enhancewell · Union Square

Signature experience

Four Hands Massage in NYC

Two licensed therapists working in sync through one session, at 41 Union Square West. More input than your nervous system can track — which is exactly why it works.

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What clients say

"Antoni's expertise in Active Release Therapy has been transformative for me. His massages have significantly improved my posture, breathing, and overall body mobility, allowing my muscles to recover and function optimally. I highly recommend Antoni for anyone looking to enhance their physical well-being"

AHARON

"As a personal trainer running my own business, I spend my days carrying weights and running around the city. Antoni's massage therapy has been a game-changer for me, I make sure to see him once a week so that my body is ready for the work I have ahead. His expertise and knowing when to push me (deep tissue) have made a world of difference in my recovery and overall well-being."

TOMMY MCCLAINCelebrity Trainer

"Antoni is seriously good at what he does. If you are looking for a massage to get you back functioning at an optimal level he is your guy. He has been able to fix some long term injuries that I had which no other masseuse, myotherapist or physio could sort out. He works with good pressure so this isn't a relax and drift of massage, this is getting you back to feeling your best. I'd highly recommend you see Antoni"

RUTH

"Antoni has been nothing short of a miracle worker to me. His knowledge of the body, his professionalism, and his kind, caring demeanor create the perfect trifecta for the healing and physical maintenance that my active life requires. I highly recommend his services!"

DAVID

"I am now a long term client of Antoni's, visiting him weekly. He is part of my health routine. My range of motion, posture and ability have all vastly improved in just the first months of seeing him and they all continue to improve. He explains what is going on with you personally and you become a partner in your improvement. I am so thankful for having met Antoni."

MARK

"Antoni is extremely thorough and thoughtful with his approach to massage. He is able to hone in on the problem areas, and has in-depth knowledge about how all the body works together. I am able to train harder and stronger because of the work I do with Antoni."

NICK

"Antoni is an extremely knowledgeable and effective personal trainer and massage therapist whose wonderful skills helped me enormously to reclaim my physical health and well being. Could not recommend him highly enough!"

ISRAEL

"As someone who's very active and chronically tight, I'm incredibly grateful to know someone like Antoni. Our sessions are thorough and I always leave feeling a million times better than when I walked in. I recommend Antoni to anyone who wants to experience a better quality of life and a superior level of movement."

CHAPMAN

"Antoni is one of the greatest physical therapists/massage therapists I have ever encountered. He is incredibly specific to my needs and I always leave feeling incredible! Highly recommended!"

BRYAN

"I came to Antoni in a moment of panic. I had just thrown my back out while performing in a play and was immediately sidelined from the show. He helped evaluate my injury and then over the course of two massages, got me back into fighting shape. I was able to go back into the show ahead of schedule and largely credit Antoni's masterful bodywork."

ANDREW

What a four hands massage actually is

A four hands massage — also written 4 hands massage, and sometimes called a two therapist massage — is one session worked by two therapists at the same time. Not two appointments back to back, and not two clients on two tables. One client, one table, two practitioners, for the full length of the treatment.

The two therapists work in one of two ways, usually both across a single session. In mirrored work they perform the same stroke simultaneously on opposite sides of the body — both calves, both forearms, both sides of the spine — so the body receives a symmetrical, evenly weighted pressure that a single therapist physically cannot produce. In complementary work they split the body and work different regions at once: one at the shoulders and neck while the other works the feet and legs.

Getting that right is harder than it sounds, and it is why four hands is not offered everywhere. The two therapists have to match pressure, pace and rhythm without talking through it — one pair of hands working half a beat behind the other reads as chaotic rather than deep. It takes therapists who have worked together enough to move as one.

What it feels like, and why it is different

With one therapist, part of your brain is quietly tracking the work. You feel a hand leave your shoulder and you anticipate where it lands next. That anticipation is low-level effort, and it is the reason some people never fully switch off on a table however good the massage is.

With two therapists working at once, the tracking simply fails. There is more sensory input arriving than the brain can model, and after a few minutes it stops trying to predict and lets go. Clients describe that moment as a kind of drop — the point where they stop following the massage and start just receiving it. That is the actual product here, more than the extra pressure.

There is a practical benefit as well: in ninety minutes you receive roughly what three hours of single-therapist work would cover. If your available time is the constraint rather than your budget, four hands is the most treatment you can fit into one appointment.

Who it suits — and who it doesn't

Book it if…

You find it hard to switch off on a massage table. You have a narrow window and want the most work possible inside it. You have had plenty of massage and single-therapist sessions no longer quiet your head. Or you are marking something — a birthday, an anniversary, a hard year — and want the session to feel like an occasion rather than maintenance.

Book something else if…

You want precise clinical work on one specific injury — a single therapist doing focused diagnostic work is a better use of your money, and a second pair of hands does not help there. You are new to massage and still working out what pressure you like. Or being touched by two people at once sounds like more to manage rather than less — that is a real reaction and worth listening to.

It is not a couples massage

These get confused constantly. A couples massage is two clients on two tables, one therapist each. A four hands massage is one client with two therapists. If you are booking for two people who want to be in the room together, four hands is not the thing you want.

What you wear, and draping

The same as any other session here: undress to your comfort level, and you are draped throughout, with only the area being worked uncovered at any moment. Two therapists does not change the draping standard.

Your two therapists

Four hands sessions here are worked by Angela and Antoni Luke-Akagi together. Antoni has been a licensed massage therapist since 1996 and comes at bodywork from the movement and strength side; Angela is a bodywork specialist and esthetician whose work leans towards restoration, and whose facial Gua Sha finishes both four hands sessions.

That pairing is the reason the session works the way it does — they have worked the same room long enough to match pace without discussing it mid-session. It is also the reason the calendar for four hands is thinner than for a standard massage: it needs both of them free at once.

Sessions and pricing

Both four hands sessions finish with our signature facial Gua Sha. "Book" opens the live calendar for that exact session so you can pick your date and time; "Purchase, schedule later" pays now and sets the time afterward, which is what most people choose when it is a gift.

Four hands

90 Min 4-Handed Massage with Gua Sha

90 min$479.00

90 minutes, 4 hands — the ultimate experience for maximum relaxation and reset.

Purchase, schedule later

Four hands

2 Hr 4-Handed Massage with Gua Sha

120 min$599.00

2 hours, 4 handed massage with Gua Sha. The ultimate in full body relaxation and reset.

Purchase, schedule later

Looking for a standard single-therapist session instead? The full massage and bodywork menu has every duration and price.

Getting here

Relax and Relief by Enhancewell
41 Union Square West, Suite 501
New York, NY 10003

Fifth floor, elevator access. The station under Union Square runs the 4, 5 and 6, the N, Q, R and W and the L, which makes this one of the easier places in Manhattan to reach from Brooklyn, the east side or anywhere on the 14th Street crosstown. Flatiron, Gramercy, Chelsea, Greenwich Village and the East Village are all a short walk.

Arrive five minutes early if it is your first visit — there is a waiting area if you land earlier than that.

Four hands massage — common questions

What is a four hands massage?
Two therapists work on you at the same time for the whole session — hence four hands. They either mirror each other, working the same stroke on both sides of the body at once, or split the body and work complementary areas. It is one appointment, one table and one continuous treatment, not two massages back to back.
How is it different from a regular massage?
With one therapist your nervous system can track where the hands are and anticipate the next stroke. With two working at once that tracking breaks down — there is more input than your brain can follow, so it tends to stop trying and drop into a much deeper state of relaxation. Practically, you also get roughly double the work done in the same wall-clock time.
How much does a four hands massage cost in NYC?
At Relax and Relief the 90 min session is $479.00 and the 120 min session is $599.00. Both include facial Gua Sha to finish. You are paying two therapists for the full session, which is why it costs more than a single-therapist massage of the same length.
How long should a four hands massage be?
Ninety minutes is the usual choice and covers the full body without rushing. The two-hour session is the one to book if you want unhurried work on specific problem areas as well as full-body coverage, or if this is a gift and you want it to feel like an occasion.
Who is a four hands massage good for?
People who struggle to switch off on a table, people who want maximum relaxation in a limited window, and people booking something for a birthday, an anniversary or a gift. It is also good if you have had a lot of massage and single-therapist work no longer quiets your head.
Who should not book one?
If you are looking for precise clinical work on one injury, a single therapist is a better use of your money — deep diagnostic work does not benefit from a second pair of hands. If you are new to massage and unsure about pressure, start with a standard session. And if being touched by two people at once sounds stressful rather than relaxing, trust that instinct.
Is it a couples massage?
No — that is a different thing. A couples massage is two clients on two tables, each with one therapist. A four hands massage is one client with two therapists. People often search for one and mean the other, so it is worth being clear before you book.
Do I stay covered during the session?
Yes. You undress to your comfort level and are draped throughout, exactly as in any other session here. Only the area being worked is uncovered at any moment.
How far ahead should I book?
Further ahead than a normal massage. A four hands session needs two therapists free at the same time, so the calendar has fewer slots for it than for a standard appointment — especially at weekends.
Where in NYC are you?
41 Union Square West, Suite 501, on the fifth floor with elevator access. Union Square station below the square runs the 4/5/6, N/Q/R/W and L, so it is a straightforward trip from most of Manhattan and Brooklyn.