Pick the right massage for you
For many of us, getting a massage has been only a coveted luxury. Now it may be time to reclassify massage from luxury to necessity. There is mounting evidence that massage therapy might be as important as training, recovery and nutrition to the success of our racing endeavors. Research has shown that massage increases blood supply, flushes toxins and boosts lymphatic flow. Many athletes and practitioners also claim that it increases flexibility and aids recovery. Here's how to get the most out of your massage:

Choose the right type
Lisa Styles, a massage therapist with Advanced Physical Medicine of St. Charles, Ill., describes the different massage therapy treatments most likely to help an athlete.

Swedish massage
"Swedish massage helps to reduce stress and it feels good," says Styles. The therapist uses long, gliding strokes with light to medium pressure. This type of massage would be appropriate at almost any time during your training. However, avoid Swedish massage within a week before or after your key race. Right before a race, this therapy may leave your muscles too relaxed. Right after the race, you may be too sore to benefit.

Sports massage
Sports massage is always done immediately before or immediately after a workout. The movements are faster and include extensive stretching. Pre-race sports massage warms up the muscles and may help you reach your peak speed earlier in the race. Post-race sports massage is a slower massage aimed at stretching, compression, recovery and injury prevention.

Deep tissue massage
Here, the therapist works to eliminate trigger points, find hot spots and apply very deep pressure to block adhesions. This can be an uncomfortable massage. However, Styles says: "Therapy should not go past your tolerance level. A good deep tissue specialist will help you to focus on your breathing and to remain relaxed." She recommends beginning deep tissue therapy at least two or more months before your racing season.

Therapeutic massage
Jeff Meissner, a therapist at the Delnor Health and Wellness Center in Geneva, Ill., uses all of the above types of massage (Swedish, sports and deep tissue) to treat athletes and people experiencing orthopedic issues. Known as "therapeutic massage," the technique works to balance your body and muscles by gradually progressing to deeper tissue work over the course of treatment.

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