{"id":13906,"date":"2025-04-10T00:30:21","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T17:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=13906"},"modified":"2025-04-10T00:30:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T17:30:21","slug":"is-massage-therapy-essential-for-muscle-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=13906","title":{"rendered":"Is Massage Therapy Essential For Muscle Recovery?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Did you ever wish you could have a massage therapist on call? Not many things could replace that targeted pressure when your muscles and joints scream for help. Your foam roller in the corner and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/features\/feature-gear\/5-things-you-should-know-about-massage-guns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">massage gun in the drawer are nice<\/a>, but deep down, you know they\u2019re not the same.<\/p>\n<p>So, we wanted to get to the bottom of it: Is massage therapy an essential recovery tool or just a bougie bonus for those with time and cash to spare? Whether you\u2019re a competing bodybuilder or a weekend warrior, massages may fill in gaps you didn\u2019t know you had. Or do they?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jimmybluff.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Massage therapist Jimmy Bluff<\/a>, who\u2019s worked on professional bodybuilders over the last 15 years, including Mike O\u2019Hearn, Kai Greene, and Jay Cutler, says that many of his clients leave feeling \u201clighter\u201d due to more oxygen and less adhesion and restrictions. \u201cI had multiple Mr. Olympia champions five days out who were not able to pose properly or flex a muscle group due to pain and not able to fully open their bodies during posing rounds,\u201d he says, adding, \u201cwhen these athletes bodies and fascia is \u2018unlocked\u2019, their poses and greater range of motion allows them to display their hard-earned physique with much more ease and grace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also said he could \u201cmake a client\u2019s waist smaller and lats wider in a treatment, and their muscle tissue also appears much fuller.\u201d If I was competing, I\u2019d be sold on massage therapy for sure.<\/p>\n<p>From a coaching point of view, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/danny_dfit\/?hl=en\">Danny Fam<\/a>, strength coach with an expertise in kinesiology and exercise science, firmly recommends massages as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/workouts\/workout-tips\/10-best-ways-recover-after-tough-workout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">critical part of recovery<\/a>. He says, \u201cit\u2019s not something you wait to do when you\u2019re already hurt. When you look at the best athletes, they take care of their bodies before issues arise. It\u2019s very preventative.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, not everyone can adhere to a five-times-a-week training schedule, so what if you\u2019re just a regular gym-goer squeezing in three workouts a week between meetings, errands, and family dinners? Does massage still make the cut, or can you get away with stretching, protein shakes, and maybe a massage gun, and calling it a day?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:55.36519386835%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Fit-young-man-getting-a-massage-to-recover-from-a-hard-week.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" alt=\"Fit young man getting a massage to recover from a hard week\" width=\"1109\" height=\"614\" data-fallback-img=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Fit-young-man-getting-a-massage-to-recover-from-a-hard-week.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">DragonImages\/Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Potential Benefits of Regular Massage Sessions<\/h2>\n<p>In many cases, an active person might stretch a bit after a workout, hammer out a few knots with a Theragun, maybe foam roll for five minutes while scrolling Instagram. But Fam makes a clear distinction: \u201cThere\u2019s no substitute for professional manipulation, nothing can replace that instant feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bluff admits he quickly notices asymmetry, imbalances that his clients might overlook as the root cause of their pain or discomfort. \u201cPeople think they have \u2018weak\u2019 body parts, but to me it\u2019s simply a rotation, or imbalance that\u2019s just not allowing them to properly contract the muscle to begin with.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then there are the obvious physiological benefits: increased blood flow, circulation, reduced inflammation, enhanced mobility, and long-term injury prevention. \u201cPeople have no idea how beneficial not only the blood flow and circulation, but lymphatic drainage as well, to remove toxins much safer and faster,\u201d Bluff highlights, adding that \u201cwhen fitness enthusiasts have healthy fascia and alignment they can train without pain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, massage therapy also tunes your nervous system. \u201cThere\u2019s a huge mental component as it drops you into a parasympathetic state,\u201d Fam points out. \u201cRarely is someone very anxious and stressed on a massage table. It has a major impact on mood, stress levels, mental focus and helps naturally reduce cortisol.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16162447\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research shows exactly that:<\/a> Massage may help boost endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, aka your feel-good neurotransmitters. Additionally, it\u2019s been shown to be a powerful intervention to help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. Bluff sees firsthand how a tight body and fascia may negatively impact mood and overall health.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome clients deal with bad anxiety, trouble breathing, poor digestion, asthma, trouble sleeping, but many times these issues disappear once I release the muscle,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<h2>How Effective Are Massages In Recovery?<\/h2>\n<p>Amidst juggling time, money, and energy, we wanted to know how massages stack up next to other key recovery pillars.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSleep trumps all,\u201d Fam says without hesitation. \u201cYou can train hard, you can recover hard, but if you\u2019re not allowing your body to recover during sleep, there\u2019s no massage that could counter that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Massage, then, is a potent tool, but not the top one. Think of it as a power-up after the basics are dialed in: sleep, nutrition, hydration, and smart training. If you\u2019ve got those locked down and you\u2019re looking to level up, massage should be next on your radar. He says if you can find one and stay with one therapist that\u2019s ideal. \u201cOnce the massage therapist knows your body and understands the tighter and looser areas, over time your recovery will just become that much more efficient because they are manipulating the areas that need to be worked on,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>Bluff adds: \u201cThe right type of massage and professional with empathy makes the biggest difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:55.36519386835%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/1109-Man-Getting-Massage-GettyImages-654287924.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" alt=\"1109 Man Getting Massage GettyImages 654287924\" width=\"1109\" height=\"614\" data-fallback-img=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/1109-Man-Getting-Massage-GettyImages-654287924.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">EmirMemedovski \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Best Massage Strategy For Recovery<\/h2>\n<p>Fam recommends scheduling a massage on your recovery day. \u201cIf you\u2019re getting a deep tissue or sports massage, make that your recovery day because your body needs to absorb the work first,\u201d he advises adding that if you train more than four times a week, a one-hour massage once a week is great, but squeezing one in every two to three weeks should be a must.<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re someone who gets a massage once in a blue moon and has knots head to toe, then splitting bodywork into upper and lower sessions over two days is totally valid.<\/p>\n<h2>Are Massages Worth The Money When It Comes To Recovery?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cIt depends on your goals,\u201d Fam explains. If you\u2019re working out a couple times a week plus doing mobility, corrective exercises, and stretching, massage might be a \u201cnice to have,\u201d but likely a \u201cyou should\u201d in most cases.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless, Bluff also recommends at least once a month or bi-weekly. \u201cMany times the weekend warriors are the hard working desk jockeys, so typically they have more imbalances to begin with,\u201d he says, adding that \u201cthe spa won\u2019t cure anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, if you\u2019re pushing for performance, training four plus days a week, or nursing old injuries, a massage is a yes, yes, absolutely. Not to mention, if you dream of competing on a professional level, Bluff says, body work is a \u201cmust-have.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/workouts\/workout-tips\/is-massage-therapy-essential-for-muscle-recovery\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you ever wish you could have a massage therapist on call? Not many things could replace that targeted pressure when your muscles and joints scream for help. Your foam roller in the corner and massage gun in the drawer are nice, but deep down, you know they\u2019re not the same. So, we wanted to &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13906"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13906\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}