Hurts So Good. No, really!

Do you get regular massages?

If not, WHY NOT? Friend, you are missing something amazing.

Okay, I understand, massages can be expensive, so if it’s a financial thing, I get it. But if you have the chance to splurge, go for it.

Massage is an awesome addition to a training routine. No matter how much you foam roll or beat yourself with The Stick, there are just some spots that only a good massage therapist can work out.

I get a massage about once a month (usually closer to once every 6 weeks due to my schedule). I usually get what is probably considered a sports massage with some deep tissue work. If when you think massage, you think of laying on a table on a beach, relaxing and enjoying the sensations… well, this is not that kind of massage. This is the sort of massage where there are moments of excruciating pain.

No, no, don’t give up on the idea yet. It’s not that bad, really.

The thing is, that pain leads to awesomeness. For example, I can tell when my IT band is starting to get tight because my knee starts to twinge in a certain way. I’m good about using the foam roller to work the spots out on my own, but sometimes, I just need a professional to take care of it. He gets his thumbs in there and let’s just say I know exactly when he finds the spot.

But when I walk out of there and go on my next run, I feel amazing!

And then there are all of those other spots that massage therapists find that you didn’t even know were tight.  My massage therapist is good enough that he actually pointed out a muscle imbalance (that I already knew about – I need to do inner thigh work to balance things out).  I feel like I have to work on that muscle group so that he’ll notice and be proud of me.

But when I go in for my next massage, the focus is going to be my shoulders.  I carry a lot of tension there, and thanks to work, I am TIGHT.   It’s gonna hurt, but it’s gonna be awesome.