Weight and strength training play a vital role in improving your strength, hence the name. Not only does it lead to a stronger body, it leads to a more disciplined and motivated mind. I'm fairly new to fitness and exercising in a gym, but I've noticed major changes in myself in the last month, both physically and mentally. There are the obvious reasons, like seeing your muscle growth and an increase in endorphins making you feel more positive, but there are other things not many people notice at first, like becoming more disciplined, sleeping better at night and having a more positive outlook on life. While these are all great reasons for getting a good workout in, we're here to talk about how massage can play a key role in your physical and mental health when you enjoy those regular workouts.
It may not seem like massage is all that important or related to weight training, but the two could not go more hand-in-hand. Since massage is designed to manipulate the soft tissue and relax the recipient, it's an excellent candidate for fitness folks everywhere who are pushing themselves every day. Let's explain why:
1. Massage is proven to aid in muscle recovery and help with soreness.
How? Let's dive into this a bit: when weight training you are often pushing yourself by moving up in weights and doing repetitive motions to help the muscles being utilized grow. In order for this to happen tiny, microscopic tears will appear all along the muscles that will end up healing and coming back stronger. This whole process of breaking down the muscles and their regrowth is what allows them to increase in strength. The little tears are often accompanied by the release of lactic acid, which is what's responsible for muscle soreness, along with white blood cells and prostaglandins, which are an anti-inflammatory and help repair the "damage" to the utilized muscle.This is where massage comes in. By manipulating the soft tissues, massage can help clear out the build-up of fluids and allow blood to flow more freely where it would otherwise be constricted by swelling. This means recovery time becomes more efficient and you'll get to feeling better sooner! Sore muscles can be a hindrance for some after a really productive workout, so being able to recover quickly can help you get back on your feet and back into the gym!
2. Massage can help you mentally recover.
In this day and age finding just a smidgen of quiet time for yourself can be difficult. Post workout routines don't get nearly enough attention- if you're like me and you go to the gym early in the morning, afterwards you get ready for work to start your day with absolutely no down time to "decompress" and relax before jumping in to other stimulating situations. This can lead to you feeling exhausted, overworked, and overwhelmed (kind of like toddlers after a long day out and about). Taking some time for yourself- even just a quick 30 minute massage session- can do wonders for your mind and help combat mental exhaustion and feeling overstimulated.
While there are many other reasons to get massages after your workouts, I wanted to highlight these two in particular for weight and strength training since I feel they are the most beneficial and most convincing reasons for those who are on the fence. Massage is proven to have multiple benefits for your body, mind and spirit and should be a part of everyone's lifestyle!
- - - - -
If you're an athlete, gym or fitness nut, do yourself a favor and book yourself a massage. You deserve it after all the hard work you put in to be your best!
- - - - -
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Comment below or email us at: massagelamesa@gmail.com!
Contact us at:
No comments:
Post a Comment