I am what you would call an exercise and health fanatic and because of this over the years I have come to recognize the benefits of massage and see how a massage program integrates well into my training and has allowed me to achieve extraordinary levels of fitness.

I am a big believer in doing a wide variety of different workouts and approaching fitness and diet from many different angles. I spend part of the year triathlon training and part of the year doing power lifting workouts. Because of this wide variety of training and the stress that it places on my body I have found it very useful to consult a massage therapist on a regular basis.

I now integrate a portion of my training to what I like to call my muscle repair massage regime. After intense periods of training I find my body broken down and weary, I know I am getting close to burn out because I have been there before. This is when I start an aggressive muscle repair regime.

The regime consist of of two light exercise days, mainly body weight workouts at about 30% of full exertion, really just to get my body moving. Three days of massage therapy and three days of medium intensity stretching. Each massage session is 60 – 90 minutes long, consists of aromatherapy, and is followed by a steam or time in a whirlpool.

I continue this muscle repair for at least 2 weeks during which time I focus on eating as cleanly as possible. I don’t worry too much about my intake as long as it is clean. The focus is to give my body what it needs to recuperate on a deep level. I am not talking about healing the micro tear from everyday exercise, but the swollen joints and overuse injuries that accompany difficult intense training.

These repair sessions are transformational in mind and body. I usually find that I return stronger with more energy and less pain. My mood is also elevated and I find that I am ready for the next challenge. None of this would be possible without the healing touch of a massage therapist or any other component of the program.