Massage has been used for centuries to promote health and well-being. Some consider it an alternative medicine, although it’s primarily viewed as a means to help us relax. However, massage has many more benefits than you probably realise, especially concerning sports massage and athletes.
Sports massage can enhance an athlete’s versatility and improve their performance. Read on for a deeper look at these benefits.
Massage affects the cardiovascular system. It helps dilate blood vessels, encouraging them to work more efficiently. Fresh oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the tissue, and the removal of waste products and toxins is encouraged.
Your heart rate also lowers right after receiving an effective sports massage. Massage is more commonly known to benefit the muscular system, helping to ease tension, reduce soreness, and speed recovery.
Not only does massage feel good, but it is also suitable for your muscles, helping to build and repair them. But specifically, what are the benefits of getting a weekly sports massage?
Benefits of sports massage for performance enhancement
Focusing on the massage aspect of the ritual, the scientific manipulation of the body’s soft tissues is known to enhance performance. The systematic kneading and rubbing of specific muscles for a particular sport is one way to prime the muscles for optimal function.
But what are the essential benefits athletes get from sports massage? Research reveals that, in terms of performance, it can increase the joints’ range of motion, making movement less stressful and easier to execute. Plus, it can promote better flexibility to prevent injuries while performing extremely challenging moves.
Likewise, sports massage is known to decrease recovery time between workouts because it serves as a cure; athletes can have back-to-back games yet deliver the same quality performance because massage promotes quick recovery for the muscles and soft tissues.
Sports massage increases flexibility
London fitness experts claim that many athletes have a similar ritual (with the addition of certain superstitious practices they believe will help them with their game) because it is a great way to prepare the body to increase flexibility.
For an athlete to work to their full potential, they need to be very flexible. It doesn’t matter which sport the athlete is involved in; the more flexibility they have, the greater their advantage over competitors will be. Since massage therapy stretches the muscle fibres, flexibility is promoted and easily maintained with regular sports massage. Massage improves blood circulation and releases toxins.
Blood circulation is essential for many reasons, but in the context of sports, it enables athletes to breathe more easily and move more efficiently. Performance levels will soar thanks to the improved blood flow.
Regarding overall health, sports massage can help remove toxins from the body. Most massages employ this technique, but a specific method in this type of massage can help people void more easily and regularly.
Regular bowel movement can be a problem for some athletes (and other people) who tend to have erratic schedules, and colon health may be compromised because of this.
However, expert massage can help address the problem. Lastly, people who get this systematic massage are less prone to experiencing muscle spasms or suffering from excruciating cramps that can restrict movement and cause pain for some time.
In conclusion, sports massage can help increase energy, improve endurance, facilitate quicker muscle recovery, enhance movement, and promote overall better bodily function.
Scientific research and observations have proven these benefits of sports massage. The only determined side effects of receiving this massage are muscle soreness after the session and some sleepiness due to the body’s tendency to become relaxed. Still, it yields positive results that benefit those who receive it.
Sports massage for pain relief
Think about it; if an athlete is in pain due to an injury, they can’t do their best. With regular sports massage, muscle aches and pains can improve, allowing the athlete to perform more effectively.
A deeper, better quality sleep
Sports Massage is a tremendous help when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter if you get hours and hours of sleep; if the sleep you get isn’t quality, then you won’t feel well-rested. Any athlete can perform at a superior level with quality, deep sleep.
Increased relaxation levels and Less Stress
Many athletes find it a real struggle to relax and get some downtime, and stress significantly affects their health. Massages enhance sports performance and everyday life by promoting increased relaxation and reduced stress. Additionally, when a person receives a sports massage, their body releases endorphins, which help alleviate pain and enhance overall well-being.
Sports massage helps prevent DOMS.
Have you ever experienced delayed-onset muscle soreness, otherwise known as DOMS? It isn’t sports massage that can prevent muscle fatigue. It promotes blood and lymphatic flow throughout the body, thereby preventing muscle fatigue.
You may have noticed that psychological effects were mentioned, too. Well, athleticism doesn’t depend on physical performance; you must be tactical and focused. To complete something like a race or bike ride to your full potential, you need to be stress-free, relaxed, and happy. Massage helps with all of those things!
If you think sports massage is expensive… you’ve never had a good one.
Must it be a sports massage?
There are various types of massage, ranging from sports to aromatherapy. So, does an athlete have to receive a sports massage, such as those offered by Massaggi, or can they pick and choose? You’ll do better as an athlete with a deep tissue or sports massage than a soft, gentle aromatherapy massage. However, a sports/deep tissue massage isn’t comfortable.
Depending on your sport, your massage is often brief and incorporates stretching and similar techniques. It can be tailored to suit you, whether you’re treating yourself before or after your performance. A sports massage is designed to undo any knots and reduce tension, so you shouldn’t go wrong during this massage.
When should you book your sports massage?
A massage now and again might be a nice treat, but it won’t be as contrived as a regular massage program. Just like exercising or practising your sport, you’ll be able to achieve excellent results consistently. The more regularly you are, the more you’ll see yourself listed in this post!
It’s maintenance, in a way. Book your massage sessions at least every other week to achieve excellent results in performance, physique, and overall well-being.
If you want to book a massage for a specific event, it’s recommended to do so at least 3-5 days in advance. If you can schedule the massage on a rest day, that’s even better.
Book a massage after an event and wait 3-5 days, as this allows any lingering soreness to hopefully ease off.
This treatment can benefit both professionals and amateurs, especially those seeking to enhance body conditioning and performance. You might need to sort out your finances to support your regular massage program, but it’ll be worth it.
Remember to set goals and drink plenty of water to support your performance and further enhance your massage program. At least 2 litres per day is recommended, along with another litre for every hour of strenuous exercise performed afterwards.
The best way to find a fantastic therapist is to ensure they’re red and experienced. Ask other people involved in your sport for recommendations. Sports massages should be considered an essential part of your training regime; even non-athletes can benefit from this treatment. Book your sports massage now to become a better athlete or person overall!
5 Benefits Of Sports Massage Therapy for Athletes
When you strive to be the best, your body must collaborate and be in sync with your dreams.
However, because of the world we have created for ourselves, such as the chairs we sit on, the shoes we wear, and the desks we work at, our bodies suffer and lose the capacity to go beyond their limits. And if we attempt to push them, we break them, sometimes literally. Then it’s GAME. Hitser, there are ways we can help our bodies become strong, comfortable, and ready to push the boundaries of human potential.
Do my mother’s mother?
I’ve been training and competing since the age of 8 (now I’m 28), but until last year, I had never had a sports massage (my mother used to do my massages).
Last year, I finally understood why my performance had been slowly declining over the past five years. I kept getting injured more often and for more extended periods, and my body was becoming challenging to manage at a high level of performance.
Based on my experience, training hard and pushing boundaries can only be achieved if all elements of your body flawlessly connect and work together. Last year, I finally understood why my performance had slowly dropped over the past five years.
What are the benefits of sports massage for Athletes?
1. Better and more fluid movement
In almost any sport, the fluidity of your body movement is critical. If movement is stiff, it will be slow, difficult, painful, and unnatural, resulting in low performance. Sports massage techniques provide the body with greater freedom of movement while reducing the risk of sports injuries. Sounds good, right? It improves balance, flexibility, mobility, speed, and strength by releasing the tension in your body daily and during every training session. This is freedom of movement.
2. Increased endurance
Endurance is not only from a cardiovascular point of view; your joints have to hold when you run through rivers and lakes, jump and land on and off high platforms, jump in and out of ditches, and so on. No matter how much you train your lungs, if your ankles give out in the middle of the race or tournament, you either need to stop or continue and risk a long-term injury, after which you can no longer compete.
Joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscle fibres must be prepared to withstand impact and endure hours of pressure. Sports remedial massage therapy provides your body with a strong foundation for movement, reducing the risk of injury.
3. Faster recovery from sports injuries
In 20 years of competitive sports, I have had my share of injuries. It wasn’t until my first sports massage session that I noticed my old sports injuries starting to heal faster, as well as new ones.
With sports massage, I keep injuries in check and slowly build my body to function faster, stronger, and more intelligently.
4. Recovery from training sessions
Someone once told me that fitness is not about how well you perform an exercise, but how well and fast you recover from it.
Our bodies require rest to recover. Resting means relaxing the body and allowing it to heal. However, if our bodies are tensed and tight, recovery will be much slower.
So, one of the many benefits of sports massage therapy (reducing stress) is that it releases tension and pressure around the body, muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments. We need to recover everywhere for the next session.
5. Benefits of sports massage for better sleep
In my opinion, sleep is an essential and often overlooked element; however, how many of us actually get a good night’s sleep to wake up refreshed and ready to start the day? Not many. Sleeping is the only time when our bodies naturally heal.
Sports massage gave me just this. With a more relaxed body, my mind could also relax, allowing me to let go of physical and mental stress and give my body the chance to heal. I sleep better and wake up with more energy, ready to start my day.
A complete athlete is not the one who trains hard all the time, pushing herself until her body breaks down. A complete athlete acknowledges, manages, and uses her body most efficiently. A top athlete Trains Hard but also Trains Smart.
London health coach striving for athletic perfection
Everyone has specific motivation triggers. I have always strived for perfection. Knowing I will never reach it, not even knowing what perfection is, makes me push harder and harder. Sometimes, I go too far, and my body “shouts” at “e—for “, ex “simple,” weakened immune system or an injury.
Then, I knew that I had gone a little bit too far. But it’s all a little curve; we all go through it. I want to give you an idea of my schedule.
I am a coach who specialises in outdoor coaching for women, focusing on their mental well-being. I teach top athletes to Train Hard but also Train Smart, which is based on Six Essential Principles:
- Earthing
- Zanshin or mindfulness
- Natural movement
- Nutrition
- Personal development
- Habits transformation
And through it, I help professional women let go of stress and overcome depression and anxiety.
I am also a competitive athlete. I hold National Titles and a second-world ranking in karate shotokan. Today, I represent England at both national and international levels. It’s demanding, symbolic, and, most of all, mental.
In addition, I have a passion for Obstacle Course Races. When I have a strong passion for something, I want to be better and better at it, even the best. My goal this year is to be part of the Wild Forest Gym Elite OCR team.
Of course, I am an entrepreneur, pushing boundaries in directions and on paths I never thought possible. Actually, I never knew those paths existed for me to take. Improve and become better at it, even if it’s
I push those boundaries, but I don’t go beyond them. I wrote to my business and life coach, Amanda Watts, founder of Clients in Abundance and Awaken Your Magic. She looks after me and ensures I am always on the right path, no matter what.
Physical benefits of sports massage help professional athletes
What does my life look like… Well, it’s boring, but it has its pros and is effective. I get a lot done fast.
So here is how a few of my days look. It should give you an idea of the physical stress and mental pressure I experience and why the physical benefits of sports massage therapy are one of the best ways to cope with them.
- On Monday, I have clients at 7:00 am, one at 11:00 am, and another at 11:00 am (this is due to travel between locations). When I coach my clients, I conduct at least 50% of the sessions with them, unless I have a severe injury. If the two weren’t intense, I would do my workout. By the time I get to 3 pm, it’s past 3. It’s 3 pm, it’s pm; I am working on my business.
- Tuesday is one of the most magical and most difficult days. That’s because I need to train with my OCR coach at 10 am, and I get back home at the same time. At that point, I need to sleep, so I sleep for 1-2 hours at most. This is the most challenging day, from 10 am until 10 pm, I spend the entire day working on my business.
- Friday morning, I train myself outdoors. Then, I spend about 8 hours on business development, followed by a 2:30 pm nap and a 2:30 pm Karate Training session. My Sensei has no hesitation in pairing me with all the big, bulky guys in the Dojo for free sparring. Luckily, my body has adapted so well over the past 20 years of sports that, although it hurts, I have no visible bruises.
- Saturday is a long coaching day. My training is incorporated within those sessions, where I look at fine-tuning techniques and movement.
- Sunday is again a 2.5-hour Karate Day, including business and personal development.
Sports massage is usually incorporated into the athlete’s weekly routine, alongside yoga, another karate session, and other essential activities. However, my week is not always the same. The days I mentioned are probably the only ones that remain relatively consistent from week to week.
All in all, I believe that if I didn’t have the outdoors, I wouldn’t be able to cope with everything as well as I do. Sports massage techniques provide my body with the extra support it needs to keep going and prevent sports injuries.
