Inadequately performed workouts can lead to muscle injuries. However, knowing the right massages and stretches to incorporate after your workout can make a significant difference.
In this blog, we’ll explore seven of the best massages for Gym goers, along with their benefits and strategies. Join us as we delve into how these techniques can help you maximize your workout recovery and prevent injuries.
1. Deep tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage is one of the best massages used for people who go to the gym and do heavy workouts. As the name suggests, this massaging method targets reaching the deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue.
Therapists use fixed levels of pressure on the strokes to target deeper muscle layers. They use friction, stripping, and force to engage the correct tissues and muscles.
The massage technique is mainly effective on certain parts of the body that are overworked after heavy workout sessions. It mainly helps to ease the pain in areas such as the neck, shoulders, lower back, and legs.
The technique is effective as it increases the blood flow to the muscles and aids the muscles with faster recovery that have been injured during the workout. It also breaks the scar tissues, releases chronic muscle tension, and improves the range of motion.
SEE ALSO – Most Effective Massages For Runners
2. Sports massage
Sports massage is a type of massage therapy specifically designed to resolve the specific needs of people who are more physically engaged in sports, more specifically, a massage therapy for athletes.
The therapy focuses on prevention and speed recovery of injury of individuals who do rigorous physical workouts or are athletes. The therapist focuses on areas of the body that are more affected and are more engaged while doing workouts.
The therapists include deep tissue massages, stretching compression, friction, and trigger point therapy as per the personalized needs and issues. It has a great advantage in preventing many injuries that athletes and gym goers may encounter.
Therefore the sports massage is as two different sets, to be done before and after doing the physical activity. These mainly include stretches and manual massages.
3. Swedish massage
Swedish massage is one of the most well-known and effective massages for gym goers. Its long flowing strokes, circular movements, and kneading help largely to improve circulation release muscle tension, and prevent injuries.
Unlike other massages that focus on certain body parts, Swedish massage includes full body massage. But can also be customized as per the needs of the person. The massage has a lasting effect and provides prolonged relaxation stress and stress relief.
During the session, the therapist mainly focuses on the soft tissues of the body. Gym-goers look for massages that include areas of the neck, legs, arm, and lower back, which are more focused during the workout. Swedish massage can mostly result in muscle recovery and improved mobility when done after the workout.
There is also a wide variety of techniques such as effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and vibration employed which may not be applied during other types of massages.
Swedish massage is not only used for fitness people but also can be employed by people of all age groups and fitness levels
4. Trigger point therapy
Trigger point therapy is a therapeutic massage technique that focuses on certain muscles known as trigger points to release tension. Due to intense or repetitive exercise, muscles can be overused causing microtrauma and muscle fatigue. And these muscles are prone to developing trigger points.
Trigger points are also a result of workouts done in poor posture, and inadequate warm-up or cool-down. with the help of trigger point therapy, these trigger points are identified and the pain is released. The muscles are made to relax and return to their normal length.
Trigger point therapy includes a variety of methods such as static compression, deep stroking, massage, and stretching. Certain points of pressure are being employed to trigger points. Therapists use their thumbs, or certain devices to hold the pressure for a long time.
Massage therapy eases pain for gym-goers who experience muscle soreness, stiffness, and tension.
SEE ALSO– THE MOST EFFECTIVE MASSAGES FOR NECK AND BACK PAIN
5. Myofascial release
Myofascial release is a manual therapy approach that emphasizes releasing tension and tightness in the fascia. Fascia is a connective tissue that holds and connects muscles, bones, and organs.
Athletes and gym-goers are more inclined to adhere and stiffness of fascia due to injuries, poor posture during workouts, and more mobility. During the session, the therapist applies gentle pressure on the fascia using thumbs, elbows, or tools.
The massage results in myofascial release which may help demote the pain and stiffness, while also promoting blood circulation. It can also help gym-goers in injury prevention by leveling muscle imbalance while also increasing strength, power, and endurance.
6. Thai massage
Thai massage is a traditional massage method that originated in Thailand. Also known as Thai yoga, comprises acupressure, assisted yoga practices, and rhythmic stretching to release stiffness and tension and remove pain. The therapist guides throughout the session with stretches.
The stretches along with the acupressure applied by the therapist using thumbs or elbows improve flexibility as well as range of motions. Gym-goers often indulge in activities that may tense the tissues and muscles. Thai massage or yoga helps to prevent injury related to muscle tension.
The muscle soreness or fatigue caused by intense workouts is also eliminated using Thai massage. The correct level of acupressure used can also help release the knots and trigger points in muscles, caused by heavy exercise.
SEE ALSO – 7 MOST EFFICIENT MASSAGES FOR SPORTS RECOVERY
7. Hot stone massage
Hotstone massage is a restorative massage method that uses heated smooth basalt stones. These stones are placed on specific parts of the body, as per the personalized need of the recipient. The different parts are mainly along the spine, in the palms of the hands, or between the toes to relax the muscles.
Apart from other massages, hot-stone massage benefits the gym-goers in a much deeper way. The heat from the stone sinks deep into the muscles, providing much level of soothing sensation. This also helps them promote faster recovery from muscle scars and injuries.
The increased circulation also helps in reducing post-exercise soreness. The hot-stone massage is targeted at releasing pain from certain muscles, therefore the gym goers can focus on releasing the pain from specific areas.
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