Daily massages to prepare your muscles for sustained effort
It's no secret: top athletes use massages to optimize their recovery. They even have their own physiotherapist. But, this method which helps with muscle regeneration is also adopted by amateur athletes. And for good reason, massage does more than relieve the body of pain and aches. It also helps prepare him to continue a sustained effort.
Sports massage: in what interest?
You already know that muscle recovery is essential to improving sports performance and gaining mass. It is she who is at the origin of muscle development and strengthening. It occurs after the effort made or during the rest period. Allowing a certain amount of time to pass is therefore necessary to progress and obtain viable results. However, this rest time can be reduced using various methods, including sports massage.
The goal of massage after a workout is to relax the body and reduce muscle tension. Indeed, during sustained effort the muscles are heavily stressed, they undergo tension which leads to microtears. It is the latter which are the cause of cramps or aches. An organism that encounters this situation and undergoes a massage will feel an effect of well-being and relaxation. The muscles are relaxed and are ready to recover more easily.
When is the best time to enjoy a daily massage?
It is likely that you have seen athletes getting massages before, during or after exercise. You may wonder if these times are ideal for a massage. In fact, these three periods are all beneficial for physical activity.
Massage before exercise helps warm up your muscles and accelerate your blood circulation. You are ready to deliver optimal performance. The risk of having cramps is therefore reduced. More importantly, pre-competition massage reduces stress. Note, however, that it should not last more than 15 minutes, in which case you will be too relaxed and want to sleep.
While practicing a sport, massage helps prevent cramps, especially in the calves. Even more so when you add some stretching. You can massage yourself during a short break of a few minutes.
But it is after the competition or the training session that a massage is the most beneficial. It must be done at least one hour after exercise and can last 30 minutes to 3 hours. To optimize recovery, you can take a lukewarm shower. This will have the effect of relaxing you and preparing you to receive the massage.
Good to know : It is strongly recommended not to have a massage in the event of pain, fracture, muscle tear or skin wound.
Methods to benefit from a massage
There is no shortage of methods for receiving a massage. In particular, you can use the services of a professional masseur. The latter can be a masseur working in a spa or a physiotherapist. The techniques used may vary depending on your needs and the preference of the professional. However, the most recommended massage is sports massage since it is the massage best suited to the needs of athletes. It is practiced by performing various gestures, including movements of:
- Pressures which are exerted with the fingertips in a circular manner on the muscles of the neck, hands, feet, etc.
- Stretching. This gesture is performed by stretching the skin with both hands, moving them away from each other.
- Touches. These are light and ample circular movements.
- Kneading. The masseur focuses on the fleshy areas of the body by performing deep massages.
- Palpate-rolling which consists of kneading and rolling the muscles.
A daily massage performed by a professional also allows you to benefit from their medical knowledge. On the other hand, the price of a massage session and traveling to the spa can represent constraints for many people. If you are in this situation, this does not mean that you should give up on massage sessions. You can actually turn to self-massage.
Self-massage: the ideal solution for a daily massage
The main advantage of self-massage is that it can be practiced almost anytime and anywhere. You can use various accessories to make it more pleasant and increase its effectiveness. For example, a tennis ball, a massage gun, a roller, essential oils...
Massage accessories actually allow you to massage an area. However, some may be more difficult to reach than others. A massage gun due to its shape it has access to a greater number of areas. In addition, it has several massage heads to vary the pleasures and sensations. Essential oils optimize the relaxation effect, but being very concentrated, they must be used sparingly. A few drops are more than enough.