Whether you are a fan of crossfit, bodybuildingor any other sport, give your muscles a few massages < often t2>? It is a very beneficial act, which is however often neglected by athletes.
However, you necessarily have a objective: to lose weight, gain muscle, increase your muscle mass by reducing your fat mass, gain strength, or endurance, etc.
And to achieve this goal as quickly and efficiently as possible, you should put the odds in your favor! You can train for hours with weights, a massagecan make all the difference in achieving your goal.
How effective are bodybuilding massages? What are the various benefits? What types of massage are there and how to perform them safely?
The Effectiveness of CrossFit Massages
Are massages really useful for bodybuilders and bodybuilders? The answer is yes ! Massage therapy (the art of healing through massage) can dramatically improve your health in several ways.
The goal is to make long strokes, between pressing and caressing, on your skin and muscles. And it is precisely thanks to this pressure that the muscles damaged by training will repair themselves, thanks to the supply of fresh blood and oxygen.
In addition, it helps to eliminate the toxins that have accumulated in your tissues. The deep massages, which take longer to perform, also regulate the pores of your tissues, which increases their permeability and allows nutrients to circulate better.
The benefits of bodybuilding massages
More flexibility
In order for a weightlifter to achieve optimal performance, he must demonstrate great flexibility and suppleness. And precisely, bodybuilding massages make it possible to stretch the muscle fibres.
Training cycles of massing and competition generally result in increased muscle tension. This can then cause disturbances at the level of tissue healing, which can then lead to a reduced flexibility and an increased risk of injury . We invite you to read: Bodybuilding injuries: how to avoid and prevent them
Furthermore, not all muscles react in the same way, and the lack of flexibility of one muscle is not necessarily compensated by the flexibility of others. This will then cause a permanent imbalance of the muscles.
Better blood circulation
Massage therapy improves blood circulation. Thus, the athlete can breathe and move more easily. Intense training cycles can create microscopic damage (micro-trauma) to muscles and tissues.
This damage must then be repaired by an increase in blood flow. And precisely, the sports massage promotes blood circulation! The athlete will then be able to improve their performance, optimize the elimination of metabolic waste, and effectively supply their muscles with oxygen and nutrients.If you want to read our article on this subject: Altitude mask: How to increase your breathing capacity and your cardio?
This last point is essential for muscle reconstruction and strength gain All with the bonus of faster recovery and accelerated return to the gym!
Less pain
Bodybuilding Massage relieves muscle pain, whether caused by overexertion or injury. Gold , if an athlete suffers, he will not be able to approach exceed his limits and respect his objectives.
Chronic or acute pain inevitably prevents you from concentrating on your movements. So the less the athlete feels pain, the better he will perform.
On the other hand, pain is a signal telling you that something is wrong: it is not a question here of ignoring it, but of treating it with precisely massage therapy.
Better sleep
Sleep is an important part of the recovery process. Massages before sleep promote better sleep cycles. Imagine yourself sleeping better, and longer. You're bound to perform better in your bodybuilding or crossfit session the next day.
Conversely, if you go to bed in a very stressed state, it compromises your recovery and you will be tired the next day. The massage will precisely reduce some of this tension, promoting real muscle relaxation. To complete your research: Role of sleep in muscle development
Even if it's hard to relax, stress shouldn't take over. Try to clear your mind and practice massaging different muscle groups.
A boosted mind
There are also many psychological benefits of sports massage, such as relaxationand stress reduction. A rested and clear mind is the key to individual success in CrossFitand bodybuilding, and massage often helps individuals focus and apply.
For people who compete, pre-event massages have a lot of advantages. Indeed, receiving a massage before a bodybuilding competition can improve your performance.
It can increase your level of confidence and erase all the accumulated stress. Feeling confident and relaxed before a competition is bound to have an impact on your results! In addition, you can read: What is the ideal muscle mass for an athlete?
Optimized recovery
Your muscles need nutrients during your recovery phases, to repair the damage done to their tissues and grow , gain volume.
muscle massage speeds up your recovery time by increasing muscle tissue permeability and opening microcirculation. We advise you to read: Muscle recovery during weight gain
A deep massage helps fluids and nutrients flow through your body more efficiently. It also helps to eliminate waste products that accumulate during training and inhibit muscle contraction.
The different types of sports massages
Massage done by a professional
By going to a spa or a clinic specializing in massages, you are certain that everything will be done according to the rules of the art. You do not need to think about the different techniques: you make an appointment, and all you have to do is relax. An article about it: Learning to relax during a massage
In addition, if you specify that you are athletic, the masseurs can apply pressure and special movements, particularly suitable for relieving hypertrophied muscles.
The only negative point is the financial investment and the investment of time that it requires to call on a professional each time.
Self massage
Learning self-massage techniques has many benefits. Cheaper than paying a professional, you can focus on the areas that really bother you, applying increased pressure there.
The results are less effective by being faster . And if you don't like being touched by someone you don't know, it doesn't poses no problem.
On the other hand, you must absolutely be careful to do the movements correctly so as not to injure yourself! Precautions to take before performing self-massages are:
- You only need to massage for a few moments for mild cases, and 1-2 minutes for more severe cases.
- Massage the area at least twice a day.
- Explore the muscles in the area where you feel pain until you find the specific spot that is particularly painful.
- Apply strong but tolerable pressure.
- If you feel pain afterwards, stop and try again next time.
- Gently stretch the area after self-massage.
Massage with a gun
Massage with a specialized gun is a perfect compromise between an economical massage and a guided, safe massage. It saves time while getting the desired results.
You can then use the Massage Gun before or after your workout, either to warm up your muscles or optimize their recovery. After having tested several, we recommend the Intense Massage Gun™ from Fitness-Superhuman™.
It has 3 speeds and 4 massage heads, to adapt the pressure exerted according to your needs. It also has a silent mode, so you won't disturb anyone when you use it at home or at the gym.
Delivered with storage, it relieves your muscles, your joints as well as your pain. It's an excellent sports accessory to take the guesswork out of it and be sure to perform the right massage movements!
In summary: sports massage, CrossFit and bodybuilding
The massagesare therefore full of benefits for practitioners of bodybuilding, CrossFit or any other sport .And their effectiveness no longer needs to be proven!
They allow you to gain flexibility, enjoy better blood circulation, have less muscle pain and enjoy better sleep
All with a boosted mind and optimized recovery after sports sessions. Sports massages really have their benefits, whether for preparation phases or rest.
Among the different types of massage, you can choose between self-massage (which you perform on yourself), massage done by a professional or our favorite method: the massage gun! With the Intense Massage Gun™ from Fitness-Superhuman™, there is no choice between practicality, cost and effectiveness.
And you, are you already a fan of sports massages?
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