New Zealand Herald on Sunday featuring Auckland Therapeutic Massage!

We are famous !

Rachel Grunwell, reporter extraordinaire for the New Zealand Herald on Sunday has been writing a series of wellness articles in preparation of getting to the start line of the Adidas Auckland Marathon this year and each week has been trying out a new treatment from nutrition to exercise to personal training and this week it was our turn to be featured alongside fabulous paralympian-come-masseur Rob Mathews for the SPORTS MASSAGE feature and we were rated a fantastic 9 out of 10 !

The phone’s been ringing red hot ever since !

See excerpts below or click on the link to see the full story 🙂

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/health-wellbeing/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501238&objectid=11150883

Sports massage can hurt a bit if you have sore muscles but is worth the pain. PHOTO / MICHAEL CRAIG

Each week Rachel Grunwell tries a new activity to bring you the lowdown

Sports Massage

What is it? The manipulation of muscles to address sore, worked-out muscles by increasing circulation, inhibiting inflammation, releasing tension and helping with flexibility are among the benefits. Many professional and amateur athletes in many disciplines use massage, from swimmers to triathletes to rugby players.

What’s needed? You can opt to wear just your undergarments and a towel, or stay fully clothed.

The experience: If you book into a clinic for a sports massage don’t expect “the Bali experience”. You know, where you lie down on petals, breathe in the scent of lavender candles, where the lights are dimmed, music plays, and you relax half-asleep as soft hands rub coconut oil all over your skin.

The reality is that sports massage can hurt a bit if you have sore muscles.

Yes, I’ve yelped, sworn and shed a tear while under different masseuses’ hands, and whined “that hurts” on occasions.

But that is not the therapist’s fault; they are just doing their job, trying to iron out the knots with a deep-tissue massage so I can walk out of the clinic with less of a crazy limp following a long training run.

However, I always leave sports massage clinics feeling so much better and when one helped me with a persistent leg niggle a couple of months ago.

Actually, after a few of these massages I’ve become used to the pressure and I’m not such a wuss any more.

Meanwhile, Carmen Goodwin, from Auckland Therapeutic Massage, tells me that massages can be beneficial pre- or post-exercise – particularly 24 to 48 hours later – when a nice little phenomenon called Doms (delayed onset muscle soreness) can set in. She and Rob also recommend drinking lots of water after a massage and say you should be prepared to feel a bit tired.

How much? It depends who you book with. The people I’ve seen have charged $70 to $90 an hour.

Worth it? Don’t put up with niggles or pains when massage can really make a difference. To get the most out of the massage, tell your therapist which spots need particular attention.

Try it: Some Auckland-based ones I’ve seen and could recommend include: Rob,  Carmen at aucklandtherapeuticmassage.co.nz

Rating: 9/10