How is a sports massage performed ? The dynamics to be respected differ according to the objectives to be achieved, but in any case it is advisable to start with the maneuvers of the Swedish massage, which serve to warm up the areas to be treated and to vascularize them appropriately. Once the heating process has been completed, it is time to carry out very precise pressures: for this purpose it is necessary to stretch the fibers at the same time along their anatomical alignment. It is necessary to reach with the utmost care the point where the pressure will be exerted, and then keep it gradually. In the case in which it is necessary to work on the muscular abdomen, the angle in which to exert the pressure must be perpendicular, while when the intent is to separate the muscle groups a transverse direction must be provided.
What are pre-competition massages
We talk about pre-competition massages to indicate the sessions that are carried out up to two days before the date on which the competition is held. They are also very important because the athlete is facing a situation of considerable nervous excitability that is explained precisely by the typical tension of the moments that precede a sporting event. The growth of the adrenaline state , on the other hand, triggers an increase in muscle contractility.
What is a pre-competition sports massage for?
Before a competition, the purpose of a sports massage is to relax the muscles; more generally, it is necessary to operate so that the athlete can experience a state of pleasant calm and that it proves beneficial for his performance. Therefore, there are many functions covered by a pre-competition massage: on the one hand the heating of the muscles, on the other hand the reduction of stress . But that’s not all, because the treatment also contributes to an improvement in joint mobility and is valuable in terms of trauma prevention. As it is easy to guess, therefore, all those parts of the body exposed to repetitiveness and the load of the athletic gesture must be massaged.
How to massage
The use of a product with a capillarizing effect is recommended for a pre-competition massage based on shallow maneuvers; it must be designed and built to facilitate the passage of blood to the muscle, so that the local temperature rises. The massage should be performed with a warming product in the case of athletes who are dedicated to winter sports or who are in any case exposed to very consistent temperature changes.
Massages after the races
The post-competition massage is obviously different: based on slow manual skills, it serves to contain the sensation of physical heaviness and tiredness that the athlete feels; from a physiological point of view it must facilitate the drainage of the blood flowing in the veins to improve the supply of the blood flowing in the arteries. The treatment lasts longer than that of a pre-competition massage and has the task of promoting the removal of the toxins produced ; the result is a pleasant endorphinic effect resulting from the decongestion of the muscles. Once the session is over, it may be useful to use a menthol-based oil with a refreshing effect, important precisely to refresh the parts of the body that have been most stressed by the effort and to tone them up.
How to become a sports masseur
The Massage Academy offers the opportunity to follow a sports massage course in Milan, Turin, Rome and Naples. The courses are aimed at people with or without experience, and see a large participation of professional personal trainers and graduates in physical education, as well as osteopaths and physiotherapists. Of course, the lessons are also open to simple enthusiasts who are trying their hand at this sector for the first time, with the hope of enjoying a profitable job outlet.
