Massage - What's your preference?

[M_A_Martin]

No. I'm not hanging out a massage therapist shingle.

I started a new core strengthening program and boy, am I sore (in a good way). This reminded me that I was planning on treating myself right this year and getting regular massages to help with recuperation and soreness. I do self-massage (keep it clean!) but there's nothing like having someone else work you over. They notice things I don't, find tight spots I couldn't feel, and generally do a great job. Considering that I didn't win the lottery today (was there a drawing?) and I don't have a significant other to draft into service, I'm not looking at an hour a day here.
Just what sort of supplemental massage program should I consider if I want it to be of any benefit to my riding? What do you do? Weekly? Bi-weekly? What sort of massage do you find most helpful? How long?

[Matt Barkley]

Start with weekly or Bi-weekly - depending on your issues - then find the balance - once a month at least during season - maybe , less for toff season.

What sorte of massage? Someone who is GOOD that you find works really well for YOU. Different modalities work for different people. See what you are willing to allow affect you most positively.

[Kevin]

We have a massage therapist come into the office every other week. He mostly works my back and neck. He's done in about 20-30 minutes and it is only $25. It is a great deal. We usually have 6-10 people that take advantage of the massage. You should see if a massage therapist in your area is willing to come to the office. By coming into the office it makes it very convenient.

Kevin

[M_A_Martin]

My stepmom is a massage therapist. She's an instructor too, she teaches a lot of different modalities. She's very good. She's chinese, and she's heavy into the eastern acupressure/acupuncture...so not only do I get a massage,
I get my Chi aligned at the same time...
(and my family politics)
She does some pretty interesting internal organ massage too.

But she does what she feels like doing on me (I'm family, I can't complain too much) Which is why even with a cut rate, I'd like to give her a bit of direction on what might be more helpful than just a general massage.

Or if that doesn't work, I'd like to be able to ask a new massage therapist: Do you do this modality? But I don't know what would be best.

[Sandy]

What am I missing here? Ginger asks the question about a massage and what is your preference, and knows that Sandy is always lurking somewhere on the forum, and that Sandy is never called Stable Sandy, and that Sandy might respond to her question, and she still asks it?

Sandy promises to be good and not respond. That is my response.

Sandy

[Roy E. Munson]

Go for the happy ending.

[M_A_Martin]

When I'm in a bike group I never tell people that I give good bike-related massages.

Nor do I let anyone observe me doing so. Nor do I give anyone I ride with a massage unless they've had a sudden muscle spasam and we're not going anywhere until they relax and it gets cleared up.

It would set a precedent and puppy dogs are bad enough. All those people looking sad at me after a century would be too much! (Hey! No! I just rode 100 miles too!)

So you can tell me what kind of massage you prefer or suggest after you ride your bike...but keep it clean!

[Kevan]

Oooooo baby! Do my feet and pull my toes!



I'm guessing that's a little bit more than you guys wanted to know about me, huh?

[Sandy]

Kevan,

A lot more!

[Kevan]

pull my toe! :D

[M_A_Martin]

I figured Sandy already knew that about you Kevan.

So do either of you get massages to help with bike related recovery?

[MadRocketSci]

I'm starting with the foam roller for my back. I use it mainly for "myofascial release" (i've also seen it called myofacial release...who comes up with these names???) Feels pretty good afterward, tho not to the extent of the happy ending :eek:

[Russ]

MA,

I get a (1 hour +) massage every two weeks if I am training hard... If not once a month will do. But my body knows best, it tells me when it's time for a good rub. Getting this bi-weekly massage really, REALLY helps me out a lot! When I can not get an apointment or have the therapists go to my house, I try to get to the jacuzzi at the gym. They have a jacuzzi with great jets! I aslo do not pay too much for the massges because we get member discounts at the gym that is run by my employer...

What kind of massage? Well I get the usual "athletic" hard rub like massage.... I do not know the name, Swedish? Maybe?. I will ask my therapists. I use two different therapists and they have the same technique, the only difference is that one uses oils and the other uses creams.

I don't see how those massages that your "STEP" mother does, the internal organs stuff, could really help for bike workout recovery. In my case, it is usually quads and lower back that aches, not my liver ;-)

[Kevan]

I never really thought there was much to a massage until I participated in a charity ride I've done for the past 4 years. I love them.

While I was kidding above I really have to say I enjoy having my feet, legs and lower back being worked on. We only get about 20 minutes of rub-down at this event. It kinda just gets me tenderized. I'm sure an hour long mashing would be wonderful.

[Tom]

make sure your therapist listens to you. I've had several different people work on me and the woman that comes to the gym at work is far and away the best I've had. I tell her what I'm doing and what's bothering me and she'll work on that for an hour. It doesn't hurt that she's also a nurse and is taking some of the same classes as the person that was my PT this year. The background really shows.

Some of the therapists I've had have their routine and by gum they ain't gonna change it, no way no how. It's kind of a waste of time when they're massaging my fingers.

[Too Tall]

I got my massage training over 13 yrs. ago and have been a practicing licensed massage therapist since. Mostly I work 3 days a week after my regular day job. Curiously, I am the guy who designed the 15 min. routine used by the Aides ride crew and developed my apre' race routine by working on the two women's winners of RAAM over a period of 15 days. What I learned about massage and recovery from that experience stays with me always. Massage done right is like legal steroids after hard workouts. It flushes the muscles with fresh blood and lengthens tight and bound tissue....I could go on and on and on.

Happy ending my arse sir! But I mean that in only the most rude way possible. Take it back. I fight that cr#P all the time.

(oops back to topic) If you schedule weekly massage on a sunday perhaps after a long hard week of fun and training it will give you a fantastic jump on the week. Monday almost as good.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . after reading this thread, but then I realized it would just be TOO easy . . . no challenge whatsoever. Like shooting fish in a barrel with a shotgun--or dropping Tom on a hill . . .

BBDave

[M_A_Martin]

That whole "happy ending" cr#p is why I don't go ahead and take classes and start doing massage part time. I really enjoy the work, but not that attitude even from my friends.

STEP mom...she's not my mother. I'll leave the family politics to that.
Actually she does a lot more than just the internal organ massage, she'll give a great sports massage, and has spent a lot of time working on major league football players (ok, so the lions aren't major league football, they just hold the franchise) but she always wants to adjust my back and I'm not having any of that from her. Sorry, I'll let my PT adjust my back, but then he gives me exersizes to help it stay where he puts it.

[Too Tall]

MAM., don't let "that" stop you fer cryin out loud! Just mace em' Wait you're right it's like fish in a barrel. If you are drawn to it DO IT!

[Tom]

I felt uncomfortable when I first met the therapist at work because she seemed to be looking at me very intently when we met and I walked into where she had the table set up. I realized after a few minutes on the table that she was looking at how I moved and what imbalances made themselves apparent. Again, it's not just 'a one and a two' type of deal.

I don't know what you'd call what she's doing, I know that she speaks of myofascial release, most of what goes on is pressure point release and deep tissue stuff in my hip and back. There's some lengthening with my back. I have a feeling that I'm pretty much a remedial case right now. She works here once a week, I get down there every couple of weeks now as time permits.