Massage For Cyclists

February 16, 2009

A question that I often get is "who do you get to do your massages?". My answer – "no one". I haven’t had a massage in over 5 years. I always figured that I didn’t train hard enough to really need it. I also thought that I couldn’t afford it on a regular basis. As it turns out neither of those things are true. Lately I’ve been finding myself asking everybody else who their massage therapist is and looking for recommendations. I’ve tried massage therapists in the past who weren’t familiar with cyclists and really didn’t do a good job. If you’re going to pay the money, you should see someone who has worked with cyclists before and preferably who is a cyclist. A rare combination to find.

As it turns out I’m fortunate to know a fellow cyclist named Andy Naylor. He’s back after a few years in Europe being a soigneur for the British U23 National Team and has a Massage Therapy practice in Melbourne. Andy was able to fit me in today and showed me what I was missing in my training regime. It was extremely interesting chatting with Andy while he worked as he’s massaged top PROs such as Mark Cavendish, Matthew Wilson, Jeremy Hunt and Matt Lloyd to name a few. He’s also been a top level cyclist and still rides every day, so he knows exactly how to asses common cycling injuries and treat them through massage. He found knots and imbalances in my legs that I never knew existed! He knows exactly what type of massage to give to improve your cycling.

There’s lots to know about massage if you want to get your moneys worth. Who to see, when to get it, when not to get it, what type to get, where you need it, what to expect in terms of how your body will react, etc. I roped Andy into writing some CYCLING TIPS to give us the scoop on massage for cyclists that I’m looking forward to reading.

Andy currently has space to take a few new clients. Give him a call sooner rather than later or you won’t get in. He can be reached at [email protected] or at 0430 204 707 and is located in Brighton (Melbourne).

If anyone else has recommendations for massage therapists in your area of the world feel free to post the details in the comments section. Not everyone is as fortunate to live in Melbourne!

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Rob

If you get Andy talking he’ll also tell you stories that you only read about on cyclingnews or velonews. Very experienced and excellent massage. Highly recommend him
Rob

If you get Andy talking he’ll also tell you stories that you only read about on cyclingnews or velonews. Very experienced and excellent massage. Highly recommend him
Rob

If you get Andy talking he’ll also tell you stories that you only read about on cyclingnews or velonews. Very experienced and excellent massage. Highly recommend him
steven

They do great work at Stillpoint Massage in Frisco Colorado. This is where I get my weekly massage. (970) 668-1310
steven

They do great work at Stillpoint Massage in Frisco Colorado. This is where I get my weekly massage. (970) 668-1310
steven

They do great work at Stillpoint Massage in Frisco Colorado. This is where I get my weekly massage. (970) 668-1310
kane

Don’t forget to check your health benefits. Many insurance policies include massage therapy if you have a doctor’s note (which is easy to get). This will pay for a good portion of your massage
kane

Don’t forget to check your health benefits. Many insurance policies include massage therapy if you have a doctor’s note (which is easy to get). This will pay for a good portion of your massage
kane

Don’t forget to check your health benefits. Many insurance policies include massage therapy if you have a doctor’s note (which is easy to get). This will pay for a good portion of your massage
Tom

If you don’t have much money to spend a good way to do it is to visit a massage school. They’ll massage for next to nothing, however the students really don’t know what they’re doing. It’s much better to spend the money and get someone who’s familiar with your specific sport if you want to get the most out of it.

I also recommend getting a male therapist. Sorry homophobics – this isn’t about the enjoyment factor – it’s about having strong hands that can get into all the spots where you need it most. I find that many women don’t have strong enough hands to do a good job on me. I’m sure that’s not always the case, but it’s my experience.
Tom

If you don’t have much money to spend a good way to do it is to visit a massage school. They’ll massage for next to nothing, however the students really don’t know what they’re doing. It’s much better to spend the money and get someone who’s familiar with your specific sport if you want to get the most out of it.

I also recommend getting a male therapist. Sorry homophobics – this isn’t about the enjoyment factor – it’s about having strong hands that can get into all the spots where you need it most. I find that many women don’t have strong enough hands to do a good job on me. I’m sure that’s not always the case, but it’s my experience.
Tom

If you don’t have much money to spend a good way to do it is to visit a massage school. They’ll massage for next to nothing, however the students really don’t know what they’re doing. It’s much better to spend the money and get someone who’s familiar with your specific sport if you want to get the most out of it.

I also recommend getting a male therapist. Sorry homophobics – this isn’t about the enjoyment factor – it’s about having strong hands that can get into all the spots where you need it most. I find that many women don’t have strong enough hands to do a good job on me. I’m sure that’s not always the case, but it’s my experience.
Greg

Charlie at Pro Motion Cycle (in Melbourne) is excellent. He does Simon Gerrans. Highly recommend him
Greg

Charlie at Pro Motion Cycle (in Melbourne) is excellent. He does Simon Gerrans. Highly recommend him
Greg

Charlie at Pro Motion Cycle (in Melbourne) is excellent. He does Simon Gerrans. Highly recommend him
Scott

Definitely interested in when and when not to get a massage. You see PROS getting massaged after every ride in a training camp, then they back it up with another 4-6 hour ride the next day. My experience is feeling sluggish the day after massage.
Scott

Definitely interested in when and when not to get a massage. You see PROS getting massaged after every ride in a training camp, then they back it up with another 4-6 hour ride the next day. My experience is feeling sluggish the day after massage.
Peter

I got a massage once before a race and it was the worst thing I ever did. I thought it would help, but it felt like I had just ridden hard for 100kms. I’m interested in hearing “when to get a massage” as well
Peter

I got a massage once before a race and it was the worst thing I ever did. I thought it would help, but it felt like I had just ridden hard for 100kms. I’m interested in hearing “when to get a massage” as well
Peter

I got a massage once before a race and it was the worst thing I ever did. I thought it would help, but it felt like I had just ridden hard for 100kms. I’m interested in hearing “when to get a massage” as well
Steven

Came across this article again and wanted to mention that the name of the company where I get my cycling massages in the late spring/summer in Summit County actually changed — it’s now Anew You Massage in Frisco, Colorado. Same phone number though (970) 668-1310. Just thought I’d give a heads up because the other company name doesn’t even exist anymore. Seriously — I can’t even tell you how much starting to receive regular treatments has helped my seasons.
Dan

Scott and Peter — typically Swedish & Deep Tissue massage (the two most common types) aim to relax & lengthen muscles. That is not what you want pre-performance. You need Sports massage — specifically Pre-Even Sports massage — which livens your muscles and clears up things like adhesions, but keeps the natural spring & tension which help performance. It gets blood flowing, clears out lymph fluid, and feels good too.