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Can a Sports Massage Make You A Better Runner?

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If you’re a runner, whether that be a beginner or a pro, and you’re thinking about getting a Sports Massage but not sure if it will be beneficial towards you, think no further! A Sports massage may just help you beat your best time.

Feel as if you have tense muscles whilst running? A Sports Massage will help get rid of that unneeded tension and improve your movement, and even improve your range of motion, resulting in a run that feels good on your body. Sports Massage does not only benefit you before a run, but helps after your sprint as well, as it helps greatly with recovery and stretching sore muscles.

A major overlooked benefit of Sports Massage for runners is pain relief. Greg Lehman, an award-winning physiotherapist and chiropractor, says the following:

“Pain changes how we function and can even inhibit healing. Massage may also help with recovery after a workout and may help get us out of a stress dominated state of our nervous system.”

This brings forward a commonly overlooked part of training: relaxation. Stress can greatly affect your running performance. According to the Health and Safety Executive, up to half a million people in the UK have work related stress, and up to 5 million people in the UK are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressed through work. By receiving a Sports Massage, your body is bound to be relaxed and improved, ridding your body of unwanted stress and making for a healthy and enjoyable running experience.

When is the best time to schedule a Sports Massage?

A day or two before a big race or a scenic run with friends is a great time to get a Sports Massage. Your therapist will leave you feeling light and energetic, and ready to take on any running challenge that comes your way. If you prefer receiving a Sports Massage after your big run, that’s fine too! However, it’s important to wait a couple days, as your body has just undergone a major workout. Your Massage will be on the lighter side, as to not strain any muscles further and help speed up your recovery time.

Want to get the absolute most out of your Sports Massage? Warming up your muscles right before receiving a Massage is ideal for your body and helps your therapist begin therapeutic work quickly, making for less shock and strain to the muscles. Kim Davis, CEO of RunLab, says the following:

“Think of your muscles like gum; the warmer they are, the more pliable they are, and easier to work with and you’ll get more bang for your buck out of your Massage session.”

The best way to warm up your muscles before a session is either a short jog or walk.

Every runner has different Sports Massage needs, and it’s always important to keep in mind that maintenance is a must. Whether you’re training for the London marathon next year or simply going on a quick run around your block, Sports Massage can help with your running needs, prevent future injuries, and help make you a faster runner with no extra stress weighing you down.

Our therapists are here for your running needs, and here to meet you, anytime and anywhere, to improve your running experience.

We want to treat you to 20% off your first single session*

Promo Code: WELCOME19

Your TruBe Team

Show Your Body You Love It With A Sports Massage

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“The body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” – Buddha

To celebrate TruBe turning 3, we have extremely exciting news to share.

Sports and Thai massage is now available at TruBe! We’ve hand selected a range of highly qualified therapists who are ready to deliver excellence to help your body relax and recover. A massage is the perfect addition to your workout, a great way to enhance your day, and helps benefit your mind, body, and soul. Our therapists will leave you feeling brand new! What exactly is a Sports and Thai massage? Here’s what you need to know.

What is a Sports massage?

Sports massage is a common style of massage, specifically used to train athletes and treat any type of injury. It’s beneficial to athletes of every kind, ranging from pro boxers to weekend joggers. Sports massage is the perfect combo of assisted stretching and massage techniques. Not only does this type of massage help your body recover from injuries, but it improves your performance and helps prevent future injuries. This is the perfect massage for anyone participating in daily physical activity!

Interesting Fact: The Ancient Greeks combined massage and exercise in their athletic training, but Sports massage did not become a formal practice until the 1960s. Overtime, Sports massage became a crucial part of professional athletes training regime!

What is a Thai massage?

Thai massage involves multiple dynamic stretches and compressions, and your muscles will be stretched simultaneously during a session. Thai massage greatly improves energy circulation, which is the natural flow of energy within your body. It does so by helping loosen muscles that tend to tighten and restrict your blood flow. This process is called ‘clearing chakras,’ and by clearing your body’s ‘chakras,’ your energy flow is restored throughout the entire body.

Interesting Fact: Thai massage is an ancient massage art dating back to 2,500 years ago, and the ancient form of it is found in Nepal and northern India. It is even believed that the origins of Thai massage can be traced back to Buddha’s personal doctor!

You’re bound to benefit from a Sports or Thai massage and we’re thrilled to offer this new service to you! Book with us today! 

Use Code: WELCOME19 for 20% off your first session

Your TruBe Team

How I beat my Personal Best at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, by Tashi Skervin-Clarke

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Tashi Skervin-Clarke at Royal Parks Half Marathon 2017

The Royal Parks Half Marathon is one of the major highlights in every runner’s race calendar. It’s a flat and fast course with a huge crowd turnout, which means that at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, you’re almost guaranteed to run a PB. I ran my first ever half marathon last year at the Royal Parks and got my PB at another race earlier this year but I felt like I still had more to give. So I turned to TruBe on a quest to run a sub 1:40 minute half marathon and achieve a new personal best.

When it comes to running, I am actually quite disciplined in the sense that I can do the miles that my body needs to do and I lift weights to ensure my body is strong, but what I struggle with is getting in all of the other sessions that will help me become a better runner. Like yoga and pretty much any form of stretching. This in turn has limited my mobility and I have the tightest hamstrings in the world! This flagged up in a running assessment that I recently did so I knew that if I was going to run a half marathon PB, something had got to change. I needed to improve my mobility and flexibility as this in turn would improve my running efficiency.

Tashi Skervin-Clarke training in studio

What I love about TruBe is that along with their yoga and Pilates workouts, they also have stretching sessions which can be booked too! This meant that I was able to dedicate entire sessions to stretching out the muscles I use the most during running and I also learned which stretches worked best too. Long gone are the days where I considered touching my toes as the only hamstring stretch I needed! I now regularly perform what has been dubbed The World’s Greatest stretch (because it is) before runs and I have also added moves such as bear crawls and walk outs to my pre-running routine. It might sound strange stretching before a run but these stretches help to improve your mobility and essentially wake your muscles up so that when you actually start running, your body is ready.

Tashi Skervin-Clarke weight training for Royal Parks Half Marathon

Believe it or not, I didn’t even increase my mileage in the lead up to the Royal Parks Half. I continued with my usual workouts and runs. And instead of clocking up the miles as a bid to run faster, I started focusing on using mobility to get my body in PB shape.

Before I knew it, race day arrived and I crossed the finish line in 1:38. A 2 minute PB and well under my goal of running a sub 1:40 half marathon.

If you’re looking to run your first half or full marathon or even a 10km, make sure you have a good stretch and mobility routine in place. It’s something I completely overlooked and if you don’t know how to stretch or improve your mobility, book a session on TruBe to find out how. Your session will be completely tailored to your needs and you’ll walk away with exercises that you can do on a daily basis to help improve your running.

Download the TruBe app and take a look at the website.

Introducing Shaolin Kung Fu Fighter and Martial Artist Dom D

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Dom is a 5 x British National Sanda Kickboxing Champion who has a 3rd Dan black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu as well as being a 35th generation Shaolin fighting disciple. As well as this, he is also a qualified personal trainer specialising in strength and mobility, martial arts and gymnastics and full body workouts.

How long have you been training in martial arts and what do you love about it?

I started Western style kickboxing and then switched to Taekwondo which felt like a more holistic style of exercise with emphasis on breathing, forms and tradition. I then went along to a Shaolin Monk’s class in London and although it was impossibly hard, I decided to keep going until I could finish a session without dying. Over the years I began to train there more and more which lead me to fighting at the World Games. Now I’ve been studying martial arts for 22 years and I’ve met my best friends at training. I’ve faced some big fears and challenged myself, pushed myself and found out what sort of person I could be.

What is your biggest client success story?

My most rewarding client story is when I trained an 87 year old man who had suffered serious falls and therefore found it difficult to walk. I taught him to get up off the floor unassisted and he can now move with more confidence which has given him back some of his independence.

What is your top tip for someone just starting out in martial arts?

Find a good teacher. You can learn a technique from anyone but real martial arts training should be inspiring! Find a bad teacher and they might put you off training for life!

How do you keep a balanced diet?

Generally I follow the rule that if my great grandparents wouldn’t know what it was I’ve got no business eating it, i.e. processed foods. I dip in and out of a keto diet to keep myself healthy but I’ve found it doesn’t support my level of activity enough to sustain it for extended periods… having said that, ‘Everything in moderation… including moderation!’

Where is your favourite place to travel?

South East Asia always works. Good food, friendly people, culture and amazing landscapes.

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers can come to you right in the comfort of your own home!

To book a session with Dom, download the app and find him as one of our featured trainers.

 

Introducing Pietro L: Personal Trainer and Movement Specialist

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Pietro is a personal trainer and movement specialist with expertise in lower back pain and workout routines for weight loss and fat loss. With over 6 years experience in group fitness classes and one to one personal training, he is an expert in providing a full body workout and creating workout plans to achieve your fitness goals.

What is your background in fitness?

I always been passionate about endurance sport and “body movement”, with many years of experience as a master swimmer and triathlon participant. I have completed several regional and national Olympic distance triathlon events in Italy. I have always been keen on helping friends and as many people as possible  to improve their movements and to “understand” their body and take cake of it. This is my life, I can’t imagine another way to live my life!

What is your top tip for someone just starting their fitness journey?

Explore the elegance of your body. No matter who you are, what your age is, or your background. There is always space to improve and discover something new in your body as well as in your mind. Keep moving forward and have fun!

How do you keep yourself motivated?

I always try to remember the reasons I started doing what I do and the effort I put in to get here. This gives me so much motivation and inspiration to keep going.  Another thing I like to do is to reward myself every time I achieve a particular goal which spurs me on to achieve more.

What is your favourite thing to do to unwind?

I love to be around people, especially the people that I love! I always try to make time during the week to enjoy cooking and practising Vinyasa yoga. These are activities that help to centre myself.

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers can come to you right in the comfort of your own home!

To book a session with Pietro, download the app and find him as one of our featured trainers.