Sports Massage or Deep Tissue?

[quote]stumpy wrote:
weed plus a tennis ball is fucking magical. I’m sure allot of the tight ass anti fun people will poo poo the idea. But once you’ve gotten high and laid on a tennis ball you can thank me later. [/quote]

Lol
At first I read this as: But once you’ve gotten high and laid(sex)[pause] on a tennis ball[pause] you can thank me later.

The key to foam rolling is getting the target muscles as relaxed as possible so I can see where weed could come in handy.

Bonez-

I would seek out deep tissue work and let them break up all the shit that has accumulated over years of lifting.

Earlier in the year was the height of pain in a long nagging shoulder (rotator cuff) pain. I didn’t bench for a few years because of it.

Had 4 ART sessions. That helped a little.

Went to a ‘shoulder doc’ who took xrays, found no bone issues or tears (good), and suggested a few PT sessions. That helped.

The best thing I did during this time was seek out a “message therapist” who billed themselves as ‘sports oriented’ and ‘deep tissue’. I found a guy who contracts with a couple colleges in the area (his wife is a local college track coach)— best money I’ve spent in 10 years-- $35 per half hour, $55 whole hour

My shoulder was frozen, and I walked out of there almost pain free (temporarily). I think he managed to get his whole hand under my subscapularis.

Suggestion: Call your closest college’s/school’s athletic departments and find out who they use for their deep tissue work. That person(s) is likely to be athlete oriented and will know that you’re not there for ‘aroma therapy message’, but to break up adhesions, gain flexibility, reduce inflammation, etc.

re: tip – I never even thought to tip the guy. Good, now he doesn’t expect it from me. Sometimes ignorance IS bliss.

Male vs Female

I first started seeing a female who knew her shit and then she left, and I saw a guy that works at my gym. I thought it would be weird, but it wasn’t and it actually felt better with deep tissue. Not sure if it’s because he had more experience or because he could apply more pressure.

Thanks for the advice, all good stuff.

I guess the hardest part will be finding a good person to go to. All the places I’ve seen in my area are salon/spa type places. Hopefully I’ll find a quality therapist.

And I do use a tennis ball on the bottom of my feet. It really doesn’t do enough when I try to use it elswhere.

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
Thanks for the advice, all good stuff.

I guess the hardest part will be finding a good person to go to. All the places I’ve seen in my area are salon/spa type places. Hopefully I’ll find a quality therapist.[/quote]

It will really be a trial and error on that end.

[qupte]And I do use a tennis ball on the bottom of my feet. It really doesn’t do enough when I try to use it elswhere. [/quote]

How hard is this tennis ball? When you get a chance go to the pet store and have a look at toy balls there. I have one that feels like concrete, it is much much harder than a average tennis ball. Or even a sports store and get a lacrosse ball. I would imagine the pet store would be cheaper and just as good as a lacrosse ball.

[quote]Fuzzyapple wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
Thanks for the advice, all good stuff.

I guess the hardest part will be finding a good person to go to. All the places I’ve seen in my area are salon/spa type places. Hopefully I’ll find a quality therapist.

It will really be a trial and error on that end.

[qupte]And I do use a tennis ball on the bottom of my feet. It really doesn’t do enough when I try to use it elswhere.

How hard is this tennis ball? When you get a chance go to the pet store and have a look at toy balls there. I have one that feels like concrete, it is much much harder than a average tennis ball. Or even a sports store and get a lacrosse ball. I would imagine the pet store would be cheaper and just as good as a lacrosse ball. [/quote]

It’s a regular tennis ball. I dont really like the idea of a tennis ball only, in the first place. I know I cant get to all of the places that a quality therapist can get to. I don’t think I want to loosen up some ares but leave other areas tight.

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
Fuzzyapple wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:

It will really be a trial and error on that end.

And I do use a tennis ball on the bottom of my feet. It really doesn’t do enough when I try to use it elswhere.

How hard is this tennis ball? When you get a chance go to the pet store and have a look at toy balls there. I have one that feels like concrete, it is much much harder than a average tennis ball. Or even a sports store and get a lacrosse ball. I would imagine the pet store would be cheaper and just as good as a lacrosse ball.

It’s a regular tennis ball. I dont really like the idea of a tennis ball only, in the first place. I know I cant get to all of the places that a quality therapist can get to. I don’t think I want to loosen up some ares but leave other areas tight. [/quote]

That is understandable. A tennis ball is good tool for temporary relief before going to a masseuse if a problem persists and does not straighten out on it’s own. When I foam roll and say I have sore quads I usually hit everything from bottom of my foot to lower back even my shins.

[quote]Fuzzyapple wrote:
I get massages time to time as well. I got a a male masseuse and I once asked him what a deep tissue massage felt like. Well, holy ballz…The pain is tolerable but not like any other “regular massage”. Some people actually bruise when they get a normal massage but imagine a deep tissue. I’m glad I do not bruise very easily.

BONEZ, get a male masseuse like Ponce said and get past the “thinking” it’s gay part. [/quote]

A male masseuse isn’t necessarily superior to a female masseuse … When I was stationed in Korea I used to go to a sports massage place right off base about once every other week and had a male masseuse. They were good.

Then when I was in Florida I had 2 different masseuses; this girl I dated and, when her and I broke up, I went to this place in Destin and had a guy. The guy gave a better massage than the girl.

Now, I have this girl in Massachusetts who used to work at my sister’s salon who gives the best deep tissue massage I’ve ever had. Matter of fact I think I might call her to make an appointment right now :slight_smile:

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
And I do use a tennis ball on the bottom of my feet. It really doesn’t do enough when I try to use it elswhere. [/quote]

Get a lacrosse ball to roll around on your upper back.

[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
Male vs Female

I first started seeing a female who knew her shit and then she left, and I saw a guy that works at my gym. I thought it would be weird, but it wasn’t and it actually felt better with deep tissue. Not sure if it’s because he had more experience or because he could apply more pressure.[/quote]

Usually, I prefer massage from a man because I want to know that whomever’s doing the work has enough upper body strength to apply serious pressure. I’ve had massage quite a few times and only one female was able to really get in there and work out the knots.

I’ve had massages before, but I wasn’t working out at the time, so I don’t know if that makes any difference. I went to a place called Cornelia in Manhattan, since you asked for a place in NY. They got some kind of 5 Star Diamond Award or something, so I’m guessing that they only hire the best, but perhaps they don’t. I don’t really know. I didn’t request it, but only women worked on me, and the second one had very strong hands, despite her small size. She asked me how much pressure she should use on a scale of 1-10 and I think I said 7 or 8, but I sort of wish I’d said a lower number in the middle of the massage. I didn’t say anything, though, cause I didn’t wanna look like a pussy. =P It’s a really relaxing environment, too, if you want a miniature vacation.