5 Reasons Massage should be a necessary part of your training

As an athlete you stay well hydrated, drink electrolytes when necessary, (hopefully) stretch before and after training and events, alter your diet to give you the most beneficial calories available, buy all the right gear, have it fitted and sized to your unique needs, plan your training to give you the best advantage for each event. Did you know that massage can improve your athletic performance just as much, if not more that everything you are already doing?

Let’s look at five ways that regular massage can really boost your performance and bring you to the next level.

More Oxygen

Massage to targeted muscle groups can greatly increase circulation to the area. This increase in circulation carries with it increased oxygen and beneficial nutrients. This is what feeds your muscles so that they can perform. Increased oxygen can help you reach your peak performance quicker and maintain it longer. How’s that for a boost in performance?

Reduce waste

Increase in circulation not only improves nutrient delivery but also increases removal of metabolic waste.

Waste builds up when you move from aerobic exercise to anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise allows your body to bring in enough oxygen to support the demands of your muscle. In anaerobic exercise there is not enough oxygen to keep up with the muscle demand and you end up with a build up of lactic acid and other types of metabolic waste. This is what makes you sore after a workout or training session.

Over time, buildup of lactic acid and metabolic waste can lead to injury and chronic soreness when left untreated. Massage helps to remove this waste from the muscle tissue. This will speed up your recovery time and keep muscles healthy.

Avoid Injury

Your massage therapist is able to find areas of tension that you may not be aware of. Injuries don’t just happen; they build up over a period of time. Addressing areas of tension in their early stages can help to avoid injury as well as maintain or increase range of motion.

Recover Faster

With an increase of nutrients to the area and quicker removal of waste muscles will recover faster even as you push yourself harder. This means training more frequently for longer periods of time will less soreness and pain.

Improve Performance

Regular massage will increase circulation, improve nutrient delivery, remove waste and improve recovery time. If this wasn’t enough you can see improvement in your performance as well. Endurance, speed and strength are all common results of regular massage.


Your therapist can help you plan how to strategically incorporate massage into your training sessions. Massage is beneficial both pre-event and post-event. It’s never too late to start, but it’s important to begin receiving massage 8-12 weeks in advance to a big event to really see the results and know how your body reacts to therapeutic sports massage.