Since early-years PE lessons, we’re told that warming up and cooling down after exercise is really important. Your body is flooded with chemicals when you begin to exercise, so a warm-up gently increases heart rate and circulation, loosens your joints and increases blood flow to your muscles. It decreases the chance of injury and readies you both physically and mentally for whatever challenge is ahead of you; whether that’s a marathon, sports game, or a long day on your feet.
But without someone to remind you that a warm-up or cool down is necessary for your physical wellbeing, it can fall down the priority list. One solution to this is to book a warm-up or cool-down massage. A warm-up massage is designed to prepare your body the same way a full warm-up would so that you can achieve your full potential. It can also allow for muscles to continue working for longer whilst lessening tension and improving the suppleness of tight muscle groups. As for the mental benefits, a massage allows you to calm yourself whilst warming your muscles, boost concentration and moderate breathing.
A cool-down massage can do the opposite. It allows you to steadily change your physical state back to your neutral resting equilibrium. It also stops you from dispersing or wasting energy – for example, if you’re playing a sports game in the afternoon but then you have to run errands or go back to work, the massage allows you to return to neutral without exerting yourself or developing tension within the muscles you’ve just exercised.
Communication and experience are key when organising a warm-up or cool-down massage as it is important to focus on the muscles which will be used during that specific activity without neglecting other supporting muscles. If you have any previous injuries, or if you know you have specific pressure or pain points, we want to know. We care about your physical and emotional well-being and we’re conscious that you’re pushing your body to new limits every time you work out. So if you’re a runner or an athlete, we want to hear from you. Because we know we can make a difference in your performance by soothing away minor aches and pains.