Exercise And Massage
Now, here's good news - if you work out, massage is great for you!
More and more sports and fitness enthusiasts are including massage as a part of their conditioning programs. It's not just for the professional athlete or the person who is training for the Olympics. Massage is for everyone and needs to be looked at as a health benefit and not a luxury. People just like you and me are including massage as part of their regular exercise programs. Almost anyone can benefit from massage, athlete or not.
Commonly known benefits include relaxation, improved circulation and relief of muscle tension. Fitness enthusiasts/athletes will find that massage helps improve their flexibility; muscles tend not to be as sore and stiff; it helps in their recovery time, and reduces the anxiety of athletic competition. Massage can help improve performance, increase endurance, and help lower fatigue levels. By reducing fatigue, althletes can train better with longer more effective workouts. When you choose massage or stretches between workouts, there is a high increase in recovery time.
There are many styles of massage around, so shop around and find the one that is best for you. A few styles to look for that are good for people involved with an exercise program are Swedish,DeepTissue, Shiatsu and Sports massage. Each is very different. A good massage therapist may use many different styles and gear the massage toward your needs.
Swedish
Most people who have not had a massage will start with this. It includes the full body and is a light massage penetrating the top layer of muscle.
Shiatsu
A Japanese hand healing method effective for stress, locomotion and internal disorders.
Deep Tissue
This method gets down into the muscles that are under the top layer. It is deeper, slower and more muscle specific.
Sports Massage
Usually for athletes in training, it is used before and after a competition and tailored specifically for that person and their sport. (This is not to be confused with deep tissue.)
The best way to find a therapist:
- A referral from a friend.
- Seek out an established business with more than three therapists.
- Try a local fitness club
What to expect:
- Professional massage therapists will have you fill out a health questionnaire on you first visit.
- It will generally last one hour unless other arrangements are made.
- You should only be asked to remove as much clothing as you are comfortable with.
- You should be draped with a towel so only the part being worked on is exposed.
- Professional therapists should always respect your privacy.
