If you are taking part in the Great North Run, you need to have pre and post-race sports massages. The health benefits of massage are widely known, but people that exercise or take part in sports rarely get a sports massage.
A pre-race sports massage will cleanse and detox the muscles, giving them an ‘oil change’, while simultaneously invigorating the muscles by introducing fresh, oxygenated blood into the area, producing increased circulation. It will also increase flexibility and strength, in addition to attending to any existing muscle weaknesses. This gets the muscles fired-up and in optimum condition, preparing them in the best way possible for the race ahead, reducing the risk of injury and giving you a greater chance of crossing the line or getting a better time.
A post-race sports massage will also cleanse and detox the muscles, but is aimed at relaxing the muscles, reducing the risk of cramp and DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), while at the same time introducing fresh, oxygenated blood into the area, to maintain good circulation. It will also accelerate recovery, attending to any strains sustained during the race by maintaining the length of the muscle fibres and subsequently, muscle flexibility.
For those of you that exercise regularly, I would recommend having a sports massage at least monthly, to keep your muscles in optimum condition and prevent strains or injuries from happening, rather than attending to them afterwards.
For those of you that are looking for a course of pre and post-event sports massages, I would recommend once-a-week, no less than four weeks prior to an event and then twice in the week following an event.
I feel compelled to write to agree with this blog entry. I am currently in training for the great north run and like everyone I get a few muscle strains as I increase the training. I feel the massage’s I have received at Fitness Matrix have allowed me to continue with my training by conditioning and ironing out any muscle problems. The post training massages have allowed my muscles to recover and has resulted in allowing me to train sooner and harder following a long run. This is the first time that I have done any serious running. I have been training for the past two months and in that time, I have built-up my distance to 11 miles in a time of 1hr 37mins, which I don’t believe I would have achieved without a regular sports massage. I would recommend anyone participating in the Great North Run to have a massage pre and post-race.
I’m a fit 46yr old and at 5’9″ tall professional Person who has a family, full time job and whom is a member of the Active peron’s group covering Northumberland , Tyne & Wear attached to the Parkinson’s disease Society.
I volunteered to help out on the day of the GNR to assist in the serving of refreshments to some of the 200 runners who ran for Parkinson’s disease out of 56 thousand runners in total. The GNR finishing line is in South Shields, my home town and I knew the Charity Village was located on the Lea’s a beautiful stretch of green protected area overlooking the North Sea.
I met Henry there next to his portable table which was as solid as his hands. We chatted and he offered to massage my neck and shoulders before the runners started arriving. OMG! It was the most intense pleasure of drilling for oil !
I have had some massages in my time but never have I been relieved of the intense chronic pain I experience with having an incurable condition. Having been diagnosed with P.D. “Parker;s” on 14th Feb 2002 Hand on heart, after having had only 10 minutes of massage it was the 1st time I could remember in nr 8 yrs that I didn’t have pain.
Im letting you know that if you don’t try, you won’t know, if Henry can work miracles for you too !
Now I’m his client / friend, because for me to feel so comfortable and safe whilst getting “me kit off ” is fantastic but the best thing was that Henry kept my dignity with large soft towels which impressed me. Now I understand he is in tune with womens needs being the only boy with 4 sisters. A fair trade off me having Parkers, because now our paths have crossed I’m all the richer having a man called Henry with healing hands. Thank you