Natalie Green, Massage Therapist at COACH MEDICAL, shows us how massaging your legs prior to running a long distance race, such as a half marathon, will help to warm-up your muscles. Fast invigorating movements, using techniques such as rubbing, shaking, hacking and cupping, will help to increase blood circulation in your lower limbs as well as increase your flexibility. It is also a great way to prepare yourself both mentally and physically for the race ahead.

A post-race massage will help to progress your recovery after intense exercise. It will also help to reduce inflammation in your muscles and will decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by relaxing your sore muscles and helping to prevent injury. When preforming a massage after vigorous training it’s is important to apply light to medium pressure to relax the tissue, for best results this can be combined with soft tissue release stretches.