Pre-Event and Post-Event Muscle Release

Pre-event and post-event muscle release serve opposite physiological purposes and require different techniques. Pre-event work is not the place for deep tissue massage. Sustained, heavy pressure on muscles in the hours before competition reduces explosive force production and is a physiological liability for performance athletes. Pre-event massage at this practice is directed at activating muscles, improving local circulation, addressing specific areas of tension or restriction that might limit performance, and preparing the nervous system for the demands ahead. Techniques are lighter, faster, and targeted at the specific muscle groups most loaded by the event.

Post-event work, by contrast, is directed at accelerating the tissue repair and metabolic clearance processes that follow heavy exercise. Reducing residual muscle tension, addressing the micro-trauma of heavy loading, flushing metabolic waste products from fatigued tissue, and maintaining range of motion through the tissue shortening that follows intense effort are all targets of post-event massage. For athletes with short turnaround times between training sessions or competition days, post-event massage is one of the most time-efficient recovery investments available.