Sports massage and its benefits
Leading an active lifestyle is not an easy task, especially when it comes to muscle recovery after another hard workout. Many athletes attend sports massage, which can tone the muscles in a short time. But besides this, such a relaxing massage has a number of other advantages, which we will discuss below.
What is sports massage
Sports massage is a special massage technique that reduces muscle trauma, helps to recover quickly after a workout, and also improves the athlete’s functional capabilities.
In total, 3 types of sports massage are classified: preliminary, training and restorative.
Preliminary sports massage is performed before training or sporting competition. It is done mostly for professional athletes to help them warm up muscles before training and increase the physical potential of the body. This type of massage helps to increase muscle tone, get rid of “starting fever”, and also prepare the body for a serious load.
The massage technique and the duration of the session are selected individually depending on the upcoming load on the muscles.
Training sports massage is done directly during training and is an integral part of it. It improves the functioning of the neuromuscular system, increases the athlete’s performance and helps to restore energy in a short time.
Restorative massage is done after heavy physical and mental stress, and helps relieve fatigue of the body. Such a sports massage is able to quickly stabilize the functioning of the muscle apparatus and avoid pain (delayed onset muscle soreness).
Sports massage technique
A distinctive feature of sports massage is its intensity and type of impact. Indeed, in addition to preparing muscles and toning them up, this massage also helps to rehabilitate after sports injuries: bruises, dislocations, sprains, etc.
The technique of sports massage directly depends on the sport that you do and the intensity of the training (beginner, amateur or pro). The massage itself is performed with high intensity for all muscle groups, with special emphasis on those parts of the body where the maximum load is planned. For runners, sports leg massage will be preferable, for swimmers — massage of the hands and back. All movements of the massage therapist are performed in the direction of the lymph flow, and they should not be painful or unpleasant.
Remember that restorative massage should be carried out no more than 2-3 hours after training, as it is important to “catch” the moment when the muscles are most supple, and they can be worked out and restored to the highest quality.
Read more about the benefits and contraindications of massage in the article “Massage after training”
