Questions you want to ask before coming for a massage but are too shy
February 20, 2024
Recovery at home should be simple and inexpensive.
Lately I have been seeing lots of people purchasing very expensive gadgets for at home massage. How many of you have a foot massager, air compression leg massager, back and neck roller massage machine or a thera-gun? I bet you used it a couple of times now it just sits in a forgotten corner of your house gathering dust. While you still struggle with the same discomfort. I'm not trying to make you feel bad trust me after 10 years doing BJJ I have bought more items that you can imagine over the years. I estimate the price to be near enough £8k in useless gadgets that I believed would "fix" me.
However, it's not all doom and gloom. There were a few things that worked wonders and that I still use regularly.
1) My foam roller and peanut.
Price - £20.
Works great post workout/class or right before bedtime. Use on large muscles of the body. It's basically like a self massage.
2) Spiky yoga mat.
Price - £15 (used to be £10).
It feels horrendous the first few minutes of laying on it but when you get used to it it feels amazing. Almost like it's heating up your back and neck. After a hard bjj session it's the best tool to ease up tension in your back and neck! Hands down the best thing I ever bought after seeing it advertised on Instagram. Lay on it for 15 minutes before bed with your shirt off. Thank me later.
3) Pull up bar.
Price - £20.
Use it for dead hangs for shoulder pain, attach resistance bands for various rehab exercises. Also you can do pull ups. Building strength with body weight is a great way to prevent injuries.
4) Resistance bands.
Price - £30.
These are invaluable. When I hurt my neck badly in the early days of my martial arts journey I went everywhere for help. From massage therapists to chiropractors to A and E. This was basically why I decided to start Turtle Massage. There was no relief there was no good information. It was only when I took matters into my own hands and decided to make my neck stronger did the pain ease up. Use the resistance bands around your head and do nods in every direction everyday. Only 10 reps in each direction to start with. You will have neck DOMS but stick at it. Your neck and back will thank you.
With the use of these tools and getting a regular sports massage once or twice a month keeps my body feeling good. At Turtle Massage we take pride in helping our clients on their road to recovery which is always slow and steady. There are never any short cuts when it comes to your wellbeing.
© Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash
