Is massage good for athletes?

It is a controversial theory of whether massage is good for athletes or not. Through thousands of years of practice, massage reeuce muscle tension and promote good health.

But in sports, what is the science behind it? I speak from the point of view as an amateur athlete. I workout six days a week and sum it up to 26 days a month. My workout is divided into running, strength training, and stretching.

Muscle soreness and fatique is a very common thing for me. Sometimes, rest is simply not enough for my body to recover. Sometimes i just felt sick after woke up the next morning. Many top local athletes and coaches adviced me to go for reflexoloxy once awhile for muscle relaxation.

So, after few sessions of full body massage, I can conclude that massage do not only relax our muscle but also decrease muscle stiffness. When our muscle relaxed, it increase our range of motion, which enhance performance. If our muscle is stiff, we are at high risk of injury.

The bottom line is that, after a good session of massage, my fresh body is ready for the hardcore punishment again the next day.