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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, athletes 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,
Deep-Tissue, 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:
What to expect:
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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.
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You should only be
asked to remove as much clothing as you are
comfortable with.
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You should be draped
with a towel so only the part being worked
on is exposed.
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Professional
therapists should always respect your
privacy.
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