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Massage Recovery Muscle Growth Driven SWS Tampa Gym

Does Massage Really Help Muscles Recover After Exercise?

Written by Luis Echeverry on July 18, 2019. Posted in Transformation.

We’ve all seen the massage tents at the finish line of races. But are massages good for you after working out? A sports massage doesn’t just feel good. Massage has been shown to improve blood flow, decrease inflammation and help muscles recover after intense exercise, but it also helps muscles grow. Catch your attention? Read more…

Massage and Muscle Recovery

For people who exercise a lot, massages work well to both prevent and treat sports injuries. At Driven+SWS, our licensed massage therapists can work out the knots or trigger points that may cause soreness the day after your workout.

When it comes to a speedy recovery, massage increases the blood flow and oxygen in your muscles and (in some people) may decrease lactic acid build-up, which is widely considered the first sign of muscle soreness.

Impact of Massage on Muscles

There’s no question that a massage after vigorous exercise undoubtedly feels good. Massage not only helps you feel better post-workout but also speeds up muscle recovery. The question is how.

In a recent study, researchers put 11 men through an intense session of exercise – the kind where you’re seriously sore for days. Following their workouts, each man received a 10-minute Swedish-style massage on one leg while the other leg rested for comparison purposes. Muscle tissue from both legs was sampled repeatedly before and after exercise. Researchers saw two main differences:

Massage decreased any inflammation caused by the workout, comparable to the effects of certain pain medications.
Massage increased the production of mitochondria in the muscles, the powerhouses of cells. As muscle cells adapt to endurance exercise, the number of mitochondria increases. These help generate energy at a cellular level.

However, research isn’t reflecting what’s commonly thought of the main benefit of massage after exercise – decreasing lactic acid build-up. In some people, massage does do that but it seems that the benefits are further into your cell structure.

Massage Boosts Muscle Fitness

Two to four months of endurance training, depending on the intensity will substantially increase the volume of mitochondria in muscle. With the extra energy given, your muscles can extract more oxygen. In other words, massage may be uniquely beneficial to muscle recovery AND muscle growth.

Interestingly enough, several studies have shown that traditional remedies for muscle soreness such as ice baths or anti-inflammatory medications may have a downside in that they showed to block muscle repair and growth.

Massage Acts as Medicine

Many people – both athletes and health & wellness professionals – have seen massage as an integral part of the training process. Massage soothes inflammation, increases blood flow and reduces muscle tightness after a workout. We believe massage therapy is a serious form of medicine. Studies, such as the one above, prove how human muscle cells respond to massage thus proving its benefits go far beyond relaxation.

At Driven Fit + Sponaugle Wellness Studio, we believe in a total-body form of wellness and that recovery is a huge part of the process. Ready to see how a combination of exercise and massage impacts your overall wellness? Licensed therapists offer killer sports massages. Call or text us (813) 440-3016 or contact the studio.

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Recovery Massage Treatment Driven Fit Studio Tampa

Recovery Massage and Mobility Tips

Written by Luis Echeverry on January 30, 2019. Posted in Rejuvenation.

Fitness is a huge part of your world. Not only is it a way to improve your health, but it’s a way of life. However, those countless hours of working out can start to take a toll on your body, which is why you want to exercise smarter, not harder. That’s why you should also pay attention to your mobility and recovery. Keep reading for tips on how to improve both mobility and recovery.

What is Mobility?

Mobility is making sure your body can move in all the different ways it has to in order to follow proper technique. Recovery is giving your body what it needs after an intense workout so that it can bounce back and prevent injury.

How to Test Your Mobility

Without mobility, you’re not going to have proper technique. So, before you start putting a workout regimen together, it’s important to assess your mobility. Here are some mobility tests you can do on your own or with our South Tampa personal trainers….

Ankle Squat

A great test for runners, ankle squats will determine whether or not your ankles have a full range of motion. As you squat, see if you can keep your feet flat on the ground. If you have to lift your heel, you are not as mobile as you should be. If this is the case, you need to work on pivoting your ankles to get a fuller range of motion.

Couch Stretch

This is another great test for runners which helps determine how loose and flexible you are with your legs. To practice this stretch, stand against the wall with your back, butt, and one leg pressed to it. The back of your knee should also be touching. Then take your other leg (bent at the knee) and lift it up. If your other leg shifts or bends and you can’t straighten it out, then you are not as mobile as you should be. If this is the case, you need to start stretching your legs to get them looser!

Front Squat

This test will assess your mobility in terms of weight training. With squats, your feet should be planted on the ground and your back straight. If you are arching or lifting your heels or arching your back, then you are not doing squats correctly and not getting the full range of motion. If this is the case, squat with light weights and practice until you have the proper technique.

Overhead Squat

Take two dumbbells above your head with your arms straight and grip relaxed. If you can hold the dumbbells straight up for a couple of minutes without your elbows buckling or your back hurting, then you are good to go. If you’re struggling, then you need to work on your mobility.

Mobility is making sure your body can move in all the different ways it has to in order to follow proper technique.

I’ve Tested My Mobility, Now What?

Avoid Static Stretching. Turns out that stretching before a workout can have an adverse impact on your body and can lead to a decrease in overall mobility. Instead, try doing a dynamic warmup that includes lunges and squats. This will get your blood pumping and prepare your body for a cardio and/ or weight training workout.

Improve Your Stance. Form and technique are essential when exercising, so make sure to perfect your stance! If it means you have to lift lighter weights to have better form, then do it! You will get more from your workout by doing so.

Focus on Recovery. This is an extremely important component to your workout routine and should be taken seriously in order to keep your body healthy and to prevent injury. Here are great ways to aid in recovery.

Low-Impact Exercise: Instead of resting on the days you don’t go to the gym, do a low-impact exercise like swimming. This is a great recovery exercise because it has no impact on your body but will still increase your heart rate.
Recovery Treatments: There are several treatments that are great for recovery including fascial stretch therapy (FST), sports massage, active release technique (ART), and acupuncture. If you’re suffering from aches and pains, any of these treatments could do a world of good.
Compression Gear: If you suffer from joint pain, consider wearing compression gear on certain parts of your body such as elbows or knees. This will help your body stimulate blood flow which helps your muscles rebound after an intense workout.
Sleep: Last but certainly not least, in order for your body to recover, you need to give it a good night’s sleep! After intense workouts, you should get around eight to ten hours of sleep per day for your body to adequately repair itself.

At Driven Fit, we can help you get your body in tip top shape for your training regimen! If you would like more information on mobility and recovery or would like to schedule a recovery massage treatment in South Tampa, please give us a call at (813) 440-3016.