Can I massage my way into that new bikini?

By Margarita Camarena, CMT

Ooh, I wish I could say yes! I can definitely say massage helps, though, by improving your workouts and boosting metabolism. People often forget that massage isn't just for relaxation, so read on for an overview of how massage is a great vehicle to tune up your body to perform better at many levels in different areas of your life.

Here are key ways that massage can complement exercise:

Aids weight control

Increases flexibility and range of motion

Speeds up the body's recovery process 

Reduces the risk of injury

Improves muscle tone and tissue elasticity

Reduces muscles adhesions and scar tissue formation

Helps to eliminate lactic acid, wastes and toxins

Improves blood circulation and lymph flow

Increases tissue permeability and nutrient absorption

Many clients come weekly post-workout because they see the benefits that massage brings them physiologically and psychologically. Most broadly, you should think of massage therapy as a way to keep the body performing at its optimum level. It addresses the negative byproducts of exercise, clears up obstacles to performance that accumulate, and helps prevent injuries.

Massage keeps you working out, and working out better.

Flexibility for higher performance
I use stretching and mobilization, Myofascial Release Therapy and working Trigger Point to increase flexibility and restore mobility to restricted joints. Even a few sessions will release fascia, break up scar tissue and muscle adhesions, and unbunch muscles. Restoring mobility keeps you in the game and actually helps muscle development. When you free up the muscle, you get to use more of it, and more of it can develop. 

Circulation for better absorption and elimination
Massage stimulates blood circulation, helping to remove waste products and lactic acid and encouraging the intake of oxygen and nutrients. The blood vessels dilate, allowing fresh blood to flow in and waste to be flushed out. This regulates water retention and helps to get rid of accumulated fat cells throughout the body.

Healthy blood circulation also benefits the heart. You can help the blood circulate, for example, with  Swedish massage. This increased circulation serves to massage the heart. Swedish massage also helps the lymphatic system perform better. When it's sluggish, so are you. Some of that tiredness you feel could be because your system itself is bogged down and backed up. 

Prevent injury and alleviate muscle pain
Removing muscle fiber adhesions and increasing your flexibility allows fluid, natural motion. The body stops fighting itself with a conflicting effort to both perform and protect itself. There is the mechanical side to this, the adhesions themselves, for example. There is also the more pernicious patterning which the body develops around these adhesions as well as around injuries. This "holding" is self-protective, but can become obsolete. The movement and joint mobilization work that I offer helps the body recalibrate to what it can actually do, rather than what it 'thinks' it can do. I can focus sessions in this direction, helping to also reeducate the movement, resulting in fluid, natural motion.

Relax to build and regenerate
Stress raises cortisone and hormone levels, leading to water and fat retention. Massage, like sleep, eases you back into a relaxed, parasympathetic state. In some cases, massage does this better than sleep, if you are too stressed.

Basic things to remember for your next workout

• Always stretch after any workout to remind your body to stay agile.

• Drink water throughout the day not just during your workout to keep your fascia and collagen layers hydrated and flexible.
• Get a good night's sleep! 

• Get a massage after your workout to increase your performance! 

The next time you go to the gym, think of massage as a post-workout complement to help you get the most out of your session and enjoy the benefits just in time for bikini season.

Looking forward to seeing you at Atelier Emmanuel!

Margarita has been Atelier Emmanuel's lead massage therapist since 2007. A constant student of massage, she is also a keen educator for both fellow practitioners and clients. See her menu here.