Post ride massage products ?

Jonathan Allan
Jonathan Allan Posts: 208
edited February 2009 in Training, fitness and health
Dont laugh , what does anyone use if anything for sore legs post training ride ? Does any of it actually work or is it all sales cr** ?

Comments

  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Not sure any of these things "work", as I think those who do sports massage just use "traditional" massge oils, or combinations thereof. However, if you find one you like, I guess that is also beneficial if it helps you to relax and enjoy the post-ride time. I got some of the Nature's Kiss stuff from Wiggle. It's OK but I don't use it that much.

    Now I'm not sure I should be admitting to this, as it's for girls, but the "energising emulsion" for legs by Clarins is quite nice if you want to relax after a long ride. In my defence it was introduced to me by a lady friend... I'd imagine it's quite tingly on shaved legs though!
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • djaeggi
    djaeggi Posts: 107
    If by "products" you mean stuff you rub on your legs, then I think they're generally a waste of time, it's the hands doing the rubbing that makes the difference!

    If by "products" you mean something that approximates a massage and makes and appreciable difference to the way your legs feel, then I can highly recommend a foam roller and a tennis ball:

    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flex ... Roller.htm

    The roller hits the big areas of the leg (quads, hams, calves, glutes, IT band) and the tennis ball the smaller/deeper regions (hip flexors, glutes, piriformis).

    It makes for an awesome and highly effective self-massage - I have a couple of marathon-running friends who swear by this as a means of keeping limber and mitigating the effects of a hard session. You really can feel the difference straight after a session and with longer term use, the benefits to me have been obvious (e.g. my IT band was always a tight, knotted mess and it's now in pretty good shape).

    That said, my gf can't quite get over the sight of me rolling around on the floor in the lounge going, "oh, it's so good"... :-)
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Foam roller on the ITB - effective but painful! Then again the same can be said for ITB massage I guess.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • djaeggi
    djaeggi Posts: 107
    LOL, I guess you get used to it, but I find it quite enjoyable now!

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