Sports massage is not a relaxation massage. It is firmer, more specific, and aimed at a particular problem — a tight hamstring that keeps threatening to go, a shoulder that will not move freely, legs that are not recovering between sessions.
What it involves
Working directly on the muscle and the connective tissue around it, using pressure and movement to release tight areas, break down adhesions and restore normal range of movement. Depth is matched to you and to the tissue — deeper is not automatically better.
Does it hurt?
There is often a “good pain” — a strong, specific ache when a tight area is worked. It should never be so painful that you tense up against it, because tensing defeats the purpose. Tell me and I adjust. Some soreness for a day or two afterwards is normal, particularly after a first session.
Who it suits
Anyone training regularly, but equally anyone whose muscles are tight from sitting at a desk all day. The tissue does not know whether it got tight from squats or from a chair.