So are any Walsall athletes going to be in the Olympics? And how do they keep in shape = Sports massage

We all I am sure wish Ellie Simmonds all the very best, she is an inspiration. We wondered if any other local sports people would be competing in this years Olympics, all we get on the TV is the hype around the event and then the results there is not much coverage of the hard slog to get up to the required standard in terms of fitness and performance. If you do know of any local competitors who have qualified, let us know or get in touch as we are already supporting a local gymnast to prepare, and would be happy to help others.

We archive peak fitness by developing and enhancing the action of muscles, by having a responsive and flexible cardiovascular system and by having the lung capacity to provide the correct balance of gasses for the appropriate respiratory response to exertion.  Muscles are at the core of this, coordination, strength, stamina the ability to stretch and flex all require particular types of muscle development specific to the sport we are undertaking. An archer needs stability of posture, upper body strength and hand eye coordination, with a combination of gross and fine motor skills. These are not the same requirements as a footballer, who needs to be able to have a flexible posture, strong leg muscles, and the ability to accelerate and decelerate repeatedly.

Getting ready for most people conjures up, images of the gym, and lots of practice, but believe me there is more to it than that. whether You are a footballer, a runner, boxer, gymnast or swimmer you benefit from a sports massage because it not only enhances your performance, it also reduces the risk of injury and enables you to sustain your performance for longer over a longer period of time.

Athletes benefit from the kind of massage that will focus on issues such as the build up of stress in hypertonic muscle. This type of massage is not about lying down and relaxing while a therapist works on your muscles with gentle strokes, instead it is is an active and interactive form of activity, which involves the active manipulation of soft tissue, flexing of joints, pressure on trigger points and deep intensive work on specific muscles. Unlike a full body Swedish massage, sports massage will focus on a particular muscle or set of muscles and work on them extensively, so it's not for the faint hearted, but then neither is running a marathon.

The benefits of ongoing sports massage include; reduced recovery time between workouts or events, reduced risk of minor injury or wear and tear resulting from routine performance and reduction in the risk of major injury due to accidents or overreaching in performance (think about Wayne Rooneys famous metatarsal or the crusciate ligament injuries which are the Bain of footballers) the extension of an athletes active years and of course better results.

At Walsall MindandBody we recommend building up a relationship with your sports massage therapist  and discussing with them, your sport, your performance schedule, your strengths and weakness's etc so they can help you improve and plan. By getting to know your aims they can work closely with you to help you achieve them and keep in tip top shape. 

Oh and by the way it's not just athletes who benefit in this way, we treat police officers, fire officers, window cleaners roofers, builders and just folk who work out at the gym. If you would like a chat ring us on 01922 649142