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 By Michael Elder SIR Spa Massage Therapist and FitPro Personal Trainer For professional athletes, Olympians, marathoners and tri-athletes alike, massage therapy has become an important part of the new athletic regimen. And when it's delivered by a skilled and trained professional, massage therapy provides a wide range of performance-enhancing results. Results like:
Of course there are some things that massage can't do. It can't build muscle or improve cardiovascular fitness. But it can help to enhance our performance as well as help us to recover from demanding workouts. Resistance and cardiovascular training should be looked at as a sport, even though there is no competition involved. Think about it. We put our bodies through a tremendous amount of stress when we work out, especially if we are in a heavy phase of weight lifting. With certain massage techniques, we can enhance our training in several ways. Healthy Tissues One of the ways that massage can benefit us in our training is by improving the health of our soft tissues, i.e. muscles and internal organs. It does this by increasing circulation in the muscles to be used, increasing the flow of lymphatic fluid, and promoting relaxation. Massage can also promote a positive mental outlook for physical fitness. Faster Recovery Another great advantage of combining massage with physical fitness is that it can speed recovery time of muscle groups that have been strength trained. Muscles still need to have at least one full day of rest before they can be worked again (often times more), but massage can help reduce muscle stiffness and soreness that can result from intense workouts. It can also help to reduce cramping and spasm which can occur in muscles that have chronic tightness. Flexibility Flexibility training is a vitally important part of physical fitness, and can be easily applied during a massage session. After complete warming of the muscle, the massage therapist can apply stretches to the muscles that seem to be tight. Therefore, by implementing regular stretching during the workout and in the massage session, muscle stiffness can decrease significantly. An Ounce of Prevention If all of this isn't enough, massage can also help us to prevent and recover from injuries that may occur while working out. Obviously this should never happen from someone who is being supervised. But for the independent fitness enthusiast, massage can help prevent injuries by:
And, if injury should occur, techniques such as thermal therapies, trigger point therapy, and clinical massage can directly aid and help to rehabilitate the injured area in a timely fashion. Talk to Your Therapist Whether it's for enhancing athletic peformance or clinical treatment, the next time you go for a massage talk with your therapist beforehand about your goals. Your therapist will then be better equipped to employ the right techniques and help ensure you get the desired benefits from your session. About Michael Elder 
Michael Elder is nationally certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). He is also a nationally certified and state licensed massage therapist through the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). With an extensive background in gymnastics, Michael learned the value of rigorous exercise programs starting at an early age. He has since helped many others apply the same discipline and commitment to their own personal training programs. As a massage therapist, Michael helps his clients see real results and improve their physical and overall well being.
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