According to their application, the five basic Swedish massage strokes are placed into groups called effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and vibration. These strokes are categorized based on tradition, research, observation, and experience.

The petrrisage's friction technique includes using the therapist's hands, fingers, palms, or knuckles to superficially glide over the skin or layers of deep tissue. If the goal is to reach deeper layers, then the therapist needs to move the skin and occasionally the superficial fascia over the layers that are deeper (just sliding over the skin is not adequate). Friction is used where pressure is employed down or around a skin section or with circular or linear reciprocating movements. If the goal is for deep frictioning movements, then no lubricant should be used.

Superficial warming friction is also used at times, and its other name is heat rub, because it withstands motion, consequently producing heat. The proper technique for warming tissue is to position hands face down with fingers close together. Next, move the hands at the same time in opposite directions at a fast pace. The therapist will know that he or she is doing this correctly if the hands pass each other in midstroke while alternating like pistons. The pace and the resistance of the massaging should grow, causing heat to form. The upper arm and shoulder muscles should move the hands forward to ease stress that having to use all hand muscles causes. If the therapist is treating a small section of skin, hand, the fingertips, ulnar surface, and the knuckles are all able to be used for the stroke - this is called sawing. Sawing is a variation of superficial warming, and a towel can be to rub the skin.