Massage
Massage Your gym offers a massage service and you''ve never had a massage. You think, "Who couldn''t use a massage? I could use a massage. I''ll get a massage." You make an appointment with a woman named Terry, a therapist certified by the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. She has you fill out a medical history form like you get at the doctor''s office, except that in the fine print above your signature it reads, "any illicit or sexually suggestive remarks or advances by me will result in immediate termination of the session, and I will be liable for payment of the scheduled appointment."
In a room that can be accessed through both the men''s and women''s locker rooms, she asks you (in so many words) to get naked, lie face down and cover yourself with a towel while she finds something else to do in another room. The light is low and the air is warm and moist, while wind-chimey, New Age music drifts softly from a tape deck. You''re paying about a buck a minute for this experience. "Some people consider massage a luxury," she says when she returns. "Some consider it an essential way to relax physically, mentally or spiritually." She advises you to let go of thoughts about all the things you need to do. She begins with a touch so delicate it''s difficult to tell she''s there. Then, she presses more firmly. . . .
The True Benefits
What happens next is unique to the dynamic between your therapist and her methods, and your body''s particular mix of kinks. At the end, you are a little poorer and a lot more relaxed.
What else have you gained? That depends a little on who you talk to. The medical establishment traditionally has been skeptical about some of the many benefits that legions of therapists and lots of their clients ascribe to massage. In particular, the notion that massage "cleanses" the body of harmful "toxins" is unsubstantiated at best. "One major benefit is that massage stimulates circulation," says Robert King, co-founder and co-director of the Chicago School of Massage Therapy and author of Performance Massage. This is a fact that''s not in dispute. Massage will even help squeegee muscles of lactic acid, a waste product produced during exercise that contributes to soreness, but whether this provides any inherent benefit is unclear.
One problem (at least from a scientific point of view) is that the joys of massage are subjective in nature: If you say it makes you less sore or enhances your wellness, nobody can argue, but nobody can objectively measure these effects either. Still, tracking what people say can be compelling. In one study, for example, sufferers of chronic back pain who failed to respond to drugs, physical therapy or chiropractic treatments said they felt better after getting two massages each week for four weeks.
Stick to a subjective burden of proof and you''ll find plenty of satisfied athletes who will extol massage''s workout benefits. During heavy training, Triathlon legend and three-time Ironman champion Scott Tinley gets one or two 60- to 90-minute massages a week, to cite one example. "Massage enhances body awareness," says Joan Johnson, proprietor of Sports Massage of the Rockies in Boulder, Colorado, who has worked with U.S. Olympic teams in cycling, figure skating, swimming and track and field. "It helps identify tender, tight areas that athletes may not be aware of but may be prone to injury." In her book The Healing Art of Sports Massage, Johnson also says massage keeps muscles supple and elastic (which improves range of motion and strength) and stimulates delivery of nutrients in blood (which accelerates healing of post-workout muscle damage).
How to Do It
All of which is fine if you can bankroll a regular regimen of pricey sessions with a therapist or coax a partner into laboring with what is, after all, known as bodywork. "Using professionals can get expensive," Johnson admits, which is why she advocates and designs programs of self-massage. "It''s not quite as pleasurable as having someone else work on you, but it can provide the same kinds of benefits," she says. "As a therapist, I can tell the difference between the muscles of people who work on themselves and the muscles of people who don''t."
While many therapists advocate (and can deliver) full-body massage, Johnson says five areas usually need the most attention. Here are some simple ways to attend to them.
Feet
They''re easy to reach and they respond readily to stimulation: Just take your shoes off and they''re already saying "Aaah." Massaging the feet can make the entire body relax, says Johnson, pointing out that one specialized bodywork technique, reflexology, deals largely with things podiatric.
Sit down and cross one foot over the opposite thigh. Massage up and down the bottom of the foot using your thumbs, fingers and palms to stroke lengthwise or make circular motions, concentrating on the arch. Massage the toes individually, squeezing, rolling, rotating each one, then pulling each gently away from the foot. On the top of the foot, use your thumbs to stroke the furrows between the tendons, moving the pressure from the base of the toes up toward your ankle.
Back
The back, being particularly prone to stress and pain, is also particularly in need of massage. It figures: The part of the body you need to stroke most is least strokeable. To reach it, you''ll need the help of a tool or two.
To reach the lower back, the easiest solution is to lie on a tennis ball on a firm surface such as a carpeted floor or firm mat, using your body weight to exert pressure on the areas you want to hit.
For the upper back, try using a cylinder of pliable foam, available from packaging businesses that stock them for padding (ask them to cut you a three-foot section) or from The Massage Store, 1-800-728-2426. Start by putting the roller under your shoulder blades, arching your back slightly with your head near the floor. Press your back over the foam in small, slow movements. For the middle back, raise your head and contract your abdominals to keep your back flat and straight. Slowly roll from mid-ribs to lower back, favoring the muscles along one side of the spine. Next, roll along the other side of the spine; then emphasize whatever side you feel needs the most work.
A Bevy of Bodyworkers What''s your pleasure? There seem to be as many different massage techniques as there are aches they''re designed to alleviate. Since not all techniques feel great while you''re getting them, it''s wise to find out what a therapist practices before he or she lays his or her hands on you and yours. Here''s a rundown of basic methods. * Swedish masage is most familiar. It''s a feel-good technique in which your oiled body is kneaded, stroked and vibrated. * Shiatsu is a form of acupuncture without needles in which the therapist puts pressure at specific points for purposes of releasing or redirecting "energy" that''s said to flow along a network of meridians. * Reflexology is similar to shiatsu, except that it concentrates on the feet and hands, where pressure points are said to affect other locations in the body. * Rolfing perhaps is best known for its deep-tissue work. Its creator, a biochemist named Ida Rolf, theorized that mental and physical balance are a function of structural alignment. Rolfers dig deep to straighten out body and mind. Variations designed by Rolf disciples include Aston-Patterning and Hellerwork. * Feldenkrais builds on the idea that body and brain continuously send signals back and forth: Tension comes from the brain telling the body how to behave because of what the body tells the brain. Theoretically, interrupting this circular communication with systematic physical manipulation healthfully reprograms the brain''s instructions. * Trager Work delves even deeper into the mind-body thing, attempting to reach subconscious triggers for tension and pain through rhythmic rocking, rolling, jiggling and wiggling. * Alexander Technique aims to overcome poor posture habits that interfere with coordination and performance, by feathering the body with light, subtle touches. * Lymphatic massage uses light strokes purported to unclog the lymph glands (which manufacture cells for the immune system), freeing the release of toxin terminators and supposedly boosting overall immunity. |
Using a Thera Cane
For a more sophisticated tool that reaches the unreachable, Johnson speaks highly of the Thera Cane, a J-shaped rod equipped with handles and an array of jawbreaker-size balls for pressing into the back. It''s available at medical or physical therapy supply stores, or from The Massage Store.
Neck
The neck is subject to plenty of stresses even when you''re not exercising. Reading about massage in a book, for example, requires you to tilt your eyes forward, meaning the 16-pound ball your eyes are anchored into is being held up by your neck muscles. You do this kind of thing all day.
Reach your left hand over your left shoulder and dig your fingers into the trapezius muscle at the base of your neck. Tilt your head away from your hand while dragging your fingers toward your left shoulder. Repeat on the other side.
Shoulders
They''re the neck, continued. But shoulders also bear the burden of muscling and moving the arms. Whether you''re throwing a ball or using a computer, sustained motion is tough on shoulders.
In a move similar to that for the neck, reach over your right shoulder with your left hand (so that your right shoulder muscles stay relaxed), pressing your fingers into the muscle at the top of your shoulder. Press and squeeze the muscle, rocking your fingers back and forth. Repeat on the other side.
Was It Good for You? This ain''t brain surgery, so maybe you''re not inclined to grill a massage therapist about qualifications beforehand. The proof is in the putting of hands and the way that business is conducted. Here are some signs of a good therapist, according to Robert King, co-founder and co-director of the Chicago School of Massage Therapy and author of Performance Massage. * You''re asked to fill out a medical history form beforehand, identifying potential problems such as high blood pressure, back pain, numbness and epilepsy. * Your therapist always keeps you draped appropriately, with the genitals covered at all times. * The therapist varies the pressure depending on your ability to handle it. If it hurts too much, a therapist should never say, "I have to work this out." That puts her agenda ahead of yours. * She can always explain why she''s doing what she''s doing. |
Quadriceps Hamstrings
Upper Legs
The upper legs are prone to soreness in most sports and outdoor activities. Running, climbing, bicycling, skating, basketball, tennis—all are tough on quadriceps and hamstrings.
For the quads, while sitting on the floor or a mat, first loosen things up by shaking, squeezing and kneading muscles. Rest one hand on either side of your thigh so that your thumbs meet at the top of your leg. Press both thumbs into the top of your leg, pushing them toward your knee. Then, on either side of your thigh, press the middle three fingers of one hand into your leg muscle. (You can press the top of the stroking hand with your other hand to help apply pressure and control the movement.) While pressing, push your fingers toward your knee. Repeat on the other leg.
For the hamstrings, sit against a wall with one leg extended and the other bent so that the foot is flat on the floor. Use your hands to shake, squeeze and knead the back of the bent leg, working the entire length of the muscle. Repeat on the other leg. Next, lie flat on your back with your left leg bent, the foot flat on the floor. Raise your right knee toward your chest, resting your right foot or ankle on your left leg. Grab the back of your right leg with both hands, pressing with fingers bent so that the backs of the fingers on one hand make contact with the backs of the fingers on the other hand; then move your fingers toward your buttocks.
How to Find a Massage Therapist
Massage therapy is burdened by licentious connotations, not without reason. In the 1960s and 1970s, so-called massage parlors provided sex, not massage. The massage profession has since gained respectability, not least because of professional standards that legitimate practitioners impose upon themselves. Here''s how King suggests you evaluate a therapist''s qualifications beforehand.
Get a referral. There''s no better recommendation than that of a satisfied client, especially if it''s a friend. If the therapist''s services are fronted by your gym, ask other members for a critique.
Check affiliations. Most good therapists belong to at least one of any number of nonprofit professional organizations such as the American Massage Therapy Association or the American Oriental Bodywork Therapy Association, which set professional standards for membership. Ask about it, or check the therapist''s card or forms.
Glance at the wall. That''s probably where you''ll find the piece of paper that shows your therapist has been greenlighted by a national certifying authority, such as the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, or the training credentials showing how many hours this person spent learning the craft. The hours of training are not as important as the accreditation status of the school, he adds.
Does a lack of any of the above mean you''ll have a lousy or sordid experience? Not at all, King says. But your chances of being satisfied (assuming you don''t want a lousy or sordid experience) are greater with at least some of these elements in place.
