Massage May Be the Missing Key to Your Fitness Gains
What if we told you the thing that may be stopping you from achieving your optimal “gains” could be something as simple as a monthly massage?
“A massage? Come on, man. I don’t need a girly spa experience; I’ll tough it out.”…..If we had a dollar for every time, we heard that sentence or something similar from an athlete or anyone who works out on the regular, we’d be rich!
If there is one common denominator for people who work out, it’s that they will do almost anything to see faster progress in their workouts, and even more so for their body’s aesthetic.
They have no problem spending hundreds of dollars at their local vitamin shop for supplements, pre-workouts, protein powders, and the like—so why pause at the suggestion of massage therapy?
What if we told you the thing that may be stopping you from achieving your optimal “gains” could be something as simple as a monthly massage?
Mark Allen, the six-time winner of the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon, believes that massage was an indispensable part of his training. Just as athletes need hard work to excel, they also need a massage to quicken recovery between workouts, prevent injuries, and reduce stress.
NBA stars and legends such as Grant Hill, Steve Nash, and Kobe Bryant, have all used sports massage as a means to stay healthy on and off the court. World Series champs, the 2005 Chicago White Sox, relied heavily on the team’s massage therapist to experience peak performance.
Most NFL teams also have a massage therapist on staff. And according to Forbes, James Harrison, the famed Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, spends around half a million dollars per year on bodywork, which includes massage therapy.
So, how exactly does massage affect recovery and performance?
1. Massage speeds up your recovery time
Massage increases blood flow to the whole body. When blood flow circulates well, your muscles and tissues receive much-needed oxygen and nutrients. Adding a post-workout massage helps restore your range of motion, and helps you perform exercises more efficiently. This increased range of motion can improve your speed and strength during workouts.
2. Massage decreases muscle soreness (or DOMS)
The increase of muscle enzymes in the blood after exercise causes damage to the muscle fibers and cell membrane. This damage is responsible for localized pain, tenderness and swelling associated with DOMS. Prevent post-workout pain, tight muscles and trigger points by enjoying a massage after your workout.
3. Massage increases lymph flow and helps remove toxins
Lactic acid accumulates when we exercise and contributes to post-workout muscle soreness. A massage after working out helps break up and remove lactic acid from muscles, as well as promote lymph movement.
4. Massage improves flexibility
Muscles may feel tight and constricted after intense workouts. Post-workout massage helps release the tightness and improves flexibility. Muscle recovery means it will be easier to do everyday things that require your body to be flexible. Runners who focus their post-workout massage on their hamstrings find they gain endurance and speed when running.
With years of study and hands-on experience with athletes of all ages and levels of fitness, you will be sure to find the perfect massage therapist and customized treatment plan at TheraKneads Wellness Center.
From sports massage, deep tissue massage, assisted stretch sessions and foam rolling demo—we have something beneficial for all kinds of athletes.
Give us a call, check out our offerings or book online here: https://therakneads.com/massage-eldersburg-sykesville-maryland.
Stretching and Massage Help You Recover Faster from Workouts
If you’re someone who regularly pushes your body to the limit during workouts—treat yourself to Kristin’s two-hour signature service: The Athlete’s Stretch and Soothe.
Are stretching and massage part of your routine as an athlete? If not, they should be. For one, muscles that are never stretched can shorten and become tight, limiting their ability to fully extend and, in turn, becoming weak.
Stretching can also help increase your range of motion and help maintain healthy joint health. Tight, in-flexible muscles can pull on joints, causing skeletal misalignment, as well as increasing your risk of rupture, strains and sprains.
Not only is stretching a key component to add to your pre- and post-workout routine, it’s also a great activity for total-body relaxation. Stretching can help reduce blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate, counteracting they body’s physiological responses to stress and muscular tension.
But what about massage? Massage has been shown to decrease and prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by helping remove muscular waste such as lactic acid. Massage also brings fresh blood and nutrients to affected muscle tissue, helping to repair micro tears caused from an intense workout.
The scientific evidence is clear: Post-work out stretching and massage helps you get back to training sooner—and with more flexibility and less muscle soreness.
That is why we now offering a new, two-hour signature service with Massage Therapist Kristin Farrow: The Athlete’s Stretch and Soothe. The first hour of the session is spent on a floor mat, with Kristin providing assisted stretching meant to warm muscle tissue and release fascial restrictions. The second hour is spent on the massage table, allowing you to fully relax as you receive a soothing massage, which creates blood flow and faster recovery for sore muscles.
Book online here: https://therakneads.com/book-the-athletes-stretch-and-soothe or give us a call if you have any questions. And remember, athletes—training doesn’t end at the gym. Proper recovery is vital!