Do you take care of your body like an Olympic Athlete does? Maybe not, but could you? Sure! You don't need to spend all day in the gym, but you could benefit from incorporating this athlete 'training secret' into your life.
Aside from hard work, dedication and lots of time devoted to perfecting their sport- professional and Olympic athletes understand the importance of taking care of themselves, specifically with massage therapy. Professional athletes see massage as a regular part of their training regimen and recovery strategy. Massage is incorporated to undo and repair the damage done by pushing their bodies hard, and massage is also used to prevent 'new damage' from occurring.
During the Olympics, the majority of athletes noted they received massage therapy once or twice each week, if not daily. Off season, most of these athletes also receive a massage at least once each month for maintenance. And then you had people like Michael Phelps who demanded a massage twice a day while he was competing! We aren't suggesting you book a massage that often- but at least once or twice a month minimum will help you reach your best physically, in addition to helping you better handle your mental and emotional stress.
Here are some quotes taken from various sources during the Beijing Olympic Games referring to massage therapy:
Michael Phelps, Swimmer - "I have been getting two massages a day and ice baths to help my body recover."
Lolo Jones, Track & Field- "A businessman needs a laptop. Athletes need massages and the right diet."
David Zabriskie, Cyclist - "The biggest thing I do for my back is massage because is was a 60 percent compression fracture and the muscles shortened and everything has to readjust."
Stephanie Brown Trafton, Discus Thrower - "I made sure that I had good rest and had massage and ice bath treatments…"
Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor - Beach Volleyball- "Managing the pain with massages and a special tape that is said to increase blood flow, Walsh showed no signs of wear."
Dara Torres, Swimmer- "…Torres books a massage three times a week…"
Roland Schoeman, Swimmer- "I am very fortunate to be able to go in and see a massage therapist a couple times a week."
Liu Xiang, Track & Field- "Team doctors found an inflamed hamstring was the cause of the pain and recommended massage therapy and stretching to relax the muscle."
Rebecca Adlington, Swimmer- "It’s just been about recovering, massage and trying to swim the last race off..."
John Dane III, Sailing- "He also put together a team consisting of a strength coach, a trainer, a massage therapist and three sailing coaches."
Shalane Flanagan- Track & Field- "She self-prescribed a lot of rest, massage, mental preparation and hydration."
David Davies - Gymnastics- "As part of my recovery process since the 1500m final, I’ve had plenty of physio, massages, sleep and grub…"
Sushil Kumar- Wrestler - "…the recovery comes from massages between bouts and after them, to relax the muscles and body."
Yin Jian- Sailing- "…she had spent every night after racing at the Games on the treatment table undergoing acupuncture and massage for muscle strains. "
Bryan Clay - Decathlete- "A midnight meal of Kobe beef, following a massage and an ice bath Thursday night, helped refresh his body for what turned out to be the most crucial part of the competition on Friday morning."
Jared Tallent- Race Walker- " He had taken until Thursday to recover, spending some time in ice-baths and on the massage table…"
Bob Bowman (Michael Phelps’ trainer) about Michael -" He always has a massage."
Abby Wambach- Soccer -"She undergoes daily massage therapy in an attempt to improve circulation and strengthen her leg muscles while she waits for her fractured shin bone to calcify."
--> If you are athletic, you can benefit from these three types of sport massage: #1. Pre-Event - to prepare your body for the event, #2. Post-Event - to repair the damage done during your event, and #3. Maintenance Massage - to take care of problems, injuries, and myofascial or joint restrictions during your off-time.
If you are excited about behaving like an athlete and getting regular massage, contact http//:www.Amta-Ca.org . Whether you are an Olympian or not, we are available if you need us! Contact us if you have any questions on either regular massage or sport massage at 800-696-2682 or email me at pr @ amta-ca.org.
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Irene Diamond is the director of Diamond Massage & Wellness Center and the appointed Public Relations Chair for the American Massage Therapy Association, California chapter.
