Massage

Bhima

Is it PROVEN to aid recovery from a hard effort quicker?

What exactly does this do? I asked 2 massage therapists about it and all they could tell me was "it makes muscles "feel better" and "it gets blood flowing". No real science. :?

They did tell me that the harder sports massages can affect the ability of the muscles to expand and contract so, a few days after it, you could lose power on the bike.

Is that true? If so, I guess it's detrimental to recovery? Elite riders get massages immediately after a race, so there must be something to it...

EKIMIKE

If you want good recovery inject vitamin B12. From reading various books (the usual suspects: Bad Blood, Breaking the Chain, Rough Ride), this seems to be the way forward.

Clearly it doesn't take a genius to realise that there MUST be 'something to it'. The pro's wouldn't waste their time with it and the Teams wouldn't pay soigneurs if it was all b0ll0x.

You get all these compression garments on the market nowadays. Supposedly the compression squeezes the Lactate out of the muscles? Wouldn't massage do the same thing (but probably better)? I.E gets the blood flowing > remove lactate from the muscles > that sort of route down the scientific path.

Anyway why would you want this sort of stuff? It's not like you're racing.....day after day.....after day.

Anonymous

Bhima wrote:

Is it PROVEN to aid recovery from a hard effort quicker?

What exactly does this do? I asked 2 massage therapists about it and all they could tell me was "it makes muscles "feel better" and "it gets blood flowing". No real science. :?

They did tell me that the harder sports massages can affect the ability of the muscles to expand and contract so, a few days after it, you could lose power on the bike.

Is that true? If so, I guess it's detrimental to recovery? Elite riders get massages immediately after a race, so there must be something to it...

Try racing and get a massage after. Do it for 52 days in a row and see what happens.

EKIMIKE

dmclite wrote:

Try racing and get a massage after. Do it for 52 days in a row and see what happens.

Garz

It also loosens up the muscles for more activity the next day helps prevent them from seizing up. So if you have a rest day then maybe its not as important.

oldwelshman

No proven benefit at all and does not remove lactic acid as previously thought, your better off laying down with legs in the air !!
Massage generally relaxes you and makes you feel better and relaxes muscles but does not aid recovery, I dolike thenm though

sheffsimon

oldwelshman wrote:

No proven benefit at all and does not remove lactic acid as previously thought, your better off laying down with legs in the air !!
Massage generally relaxes you and makes you feel better and relaxes muscles but does not aid recovery, I dolike thenm though

Aye, we've got massage parlours like that round here as well.

Ollieda

yes one of the main benefits is that it's an excuse for a good looking young lady to pander over you (ok sterotype but i'm sticking with it!)

I think it's a case of what you find works best for you, massage generally relaxes so after a long time on the bike that can be a good thing!

As for the science it's something thats always going to be argued over. Like whether Ice baths immediatly after exercise help . Some pros / experts (not just in cycling) say yes its a must, some say its just a silly fad. Having watched the recent eppisode of "Olympic Dreams" it looks like some people are even taking Ice baths before competing!