A massage and body work post by Cambridge personal trainer Callie Durbrow
How Massage Can Help You Lose Fat
What’s up!
I’m really psyched right now because we’re smack-dab in the middle of our 6 Week Client and Team Transformation Contest. This contest is going to have a male and female winner based on the most body fat and weight lost, plus a team winner based on those factors plus attendance and referrals.
This contest has really gotten people motivated and it’s a perfect time too because as the holidays approach, so do those pesky pounds.
I wanted to share with you something really cool that I’ve been doing for about a year now. I’m all about total wellness, not just getting tough workouts in the gym.
In order to truly get fit, lose fat and look lean and mean, you MUST incorporate all aspects of fitness and health. That includes nutrition, training, sleep, stress relievers and mindset.
The other thing that’s super important is recovery and body work. I know that you have probably had massages in the past, or maybe you go somewhat regularly. The majority of people get a massage when they are already in pain. If you want success, that’s the wrong approach.
You want your body to move efficiently and without pain, right?
If this happens, you’ll have better training sessions and better training sessions equal better results.
What I’ve done is incorporate serious body work and massage once per month into my routine. This process helps my muscles, joints and my connective tissue recover from tough training sessions. My therapist is really focused on my trouble spots- upper back, hamstrings and hip flexors.
It’s not just a fluffy little massage. She gets in there and works through the knots, stretches me out and gets my body back to feeling 100%.
I know that you’re thinking massage is expensive. Well that’s true, it’s not a cheap thing but it’s also not a luxury. I believe it’s a necessity.
Now I’m not going to just tell you all about what I do, I want you to hear from a professional. My #1 favorite and ONLY place that I’ll go for regular massage and body work is the Boston Body Worker in Copley Square. These guys are awesome.
A few days ago I met up with Drew Freedman, the owner of Boston Body Worker to ask him a couple of questions about why massage is awesome and how you can incorporate it into your own training process.
Check it out…..
Hey Drew, thank you so much for taking a few minutes to come on the blog and answer some questions. My clients and members train hard and I want to educate them on the benefits of massage. It has changed my body and improved my workouts like you wouldn’t believe.
No problem Callie, happy to be here.
Why is regular massage and body work important for those people who work out hard?
Typically, those of us who work out hard tend to think that we have no time for anything else. When the fact of the matter is that the more time you set aside for the recovery aspect of your training (i.e. stretching, massage, ice, chiropractic, acupuncture etc.), the more effective each workout will become. The recovery phase of training is equally as important as the training phase. Of course getting massage, chiropractic etc. is good for you generally speaking, but when you are training, it can be the difference between a plateau in your training vs. a spike in your performance; an injury set back vs. achieving a PR. Regular bodywork can allow you to be more confident about the limits you choose to push yourself. After a few treatments, a Bodyworker can become familiar with your body and be on the lookout for issues that may be creeping up.
What makes the Boston Body Worker different?
The Boston Bodyworker prides itself on its ability to staff the most competent, educated professionals in the area. All of our staff must be Nationally Certified, complete an Orthopedic Massage training certification (6 month course). We are consistently learning new techniques, current research and findings through our Boston Bodyworker University training program.
Why do you think some people avoid regular body work?
I think the majority of people out there still view a massage as a luxury. Many types of massage are just that. However, over the past 10 years or so, more and more people are starting to understand either by personal experience or via friends or media that a “clinical” massage is more of a necessity, especially if you are in training. Even those that don’t train, typically have occupations or everyday activities that may create undue stress on their bodies. Receiving regular bodywork will allow you to avoid those common aches and pains that so many of chalk up to “getting old”. We encourage our patients to be proactive vs. reactive when it comes to self care. As a society, we have grown accustomed to popping a pill at the first sign of a headache or perhaps even icing immediately after an injury. These are certainly not noxious types of behaviors, however, if you consistently stretched more you may avoid that headache from ever occurring or a consistent massage regimen may have prevented the injury you are icing to never creep up.
What are the major benefits to regular body work and massage?
For someone who trains, receiving regular body work will give you a greater sense of body awareness and enhance your overall performance. While working with your therapist, we will commonly have you participate in the treatment by engaging certain tissue, asking about any level of discomfort you may be feeling when palpating tissue or if any pain may refer into other areas. All of this will allow you, the patient to be more aware of the signals your body is sending in both the training and recovery phases of your regimen. Having a better understanding of “types” of pain will allow you to better understand if you can “train through” the pain or your should cease activities before you do more damage to yourself.
How can people find out more about Boston Body Worker and schedule an appointment?
We try to make our services as accessible as possible. You may go to our web site at www.bostonbodyworker.com to review our staff bios, services, pricing etc. From there we have an on-line scheduling system that allows ease of access to any of our staffs’ schedules. We do not allow same day bookings on-line, so you may also contact us (617) 778-7344 at any time to book your next treatment at The Boston Bodyworker. Don’t forget, unlike most places we have offer a 20% discount if you have Health Insurance AND we have a NO TIPPING policy. The favor of your business and the referral of your friends is the best tip you could give.
Callie back here again. I just wanted to reiterate that the 20% discount and no tipping policy is huge! It takes the awkwardness out of the end of the massage and just lets you enjoy your experience. Everyone at BBW is so great, right down to the front desk staff.
I don’t want to pitch you with something that I don’t believe in. This is something that I 100% believe in for myself and for my clients. It’s amazing and I really encourage you to head over to Copley and check it out.