Marathon season is here! Whether you’re training for London, Boston or Berlin, as you start to increase your mileage leading up to your marathon, you should consider a good sports massage as part of your training.
Although many people think of sports massage as a luxury, it should be an integral part of your training and is just as important as your easy run, steady run, fartlek, interval training and long run. Sports Massage Therapist Neil Franklin explains the many benefits of regular treatment in the lead-up to race day.
Why sports massage in the lead up to race day?
As you start to increase your mileage leading up to your marathon, you’ll notice some muscle fatigue and tightness which can lead to lack of flexibility and DOMS (Delayed onset muscle soreness) which can all have an effect on your training. Massage can improve your training and help you feel strong and limber, ready to run your best 26.219 miles on the day.
THE BENEFITS OF SPORTS MASSAGE IN THE LEAD UP TO RACE DAY [SUMMARY]
- Improved flexibility
- Increased flow of blood and oxygen to your muscles
- Injury prevention
- Injury treatment
A programme of specialised manual therapy and functional exercises can:
Improve flexibility
Massage involves stretching the muscles and re-aligning the muscle fibres, which allows you to stretch more efficiently and increase your range of motion for an injury free training programme.
Increase the flow of blood and oxygen to your muscles
Increasing muscular energy, reducing muscle fatigue – DOMS and maintaining strong and healthy muscles thus avoiding injury. Increasing your levels of stamina and endurance, improving performance and allowing your body to recover more quickly.
Injury prevention
By detecting any short, tight muscles, checking stretching and mobilisation techniques and fine tuning these to achieve good stretching practice to help keep you on track and prevent further injury.
Injury treatment
Of course, nobody wants to get injured during training but with a good sports massage, and a programme of active, functional exercises you will regain confidence, mobility and strength resulting in a speedier recovery.
Next steps?
If you’re training for a marathon this season, Level 5 qualified Sports Massage and Soft Tissue Therapist Neil Franklin can help you get the most out of your training. If you pick up any injuries during your training he can fully asses any issues and use a range of tecniques (not just deep tissue) to treat appropriately.
Neil’s treatment sessions may include active, functional exercises and stretching techniques to help build strength, flexibility and confidence to help you achieve a speedy recovery and get you to the start AND finish of your race.
Neil Franklin
neil@fixlondon.co.uk
Sports Massage Therapist
Source:https://www.fixlondon.co.uk