Massage Gift

Massage, probably my favorite treat in the world, even more than peanut butter or chocolate!


A friend gave me a gift of a massage quite some time ago. I placed the certificate in a "safe place" and couldn't remember where that was. Until now!


"J" gave this to me before I left Courtside, it meant a lot to me. Not the gift necessarily, but the reason, the thought behind it. She knew I loved massage, I write about it all the time. She wanted to show me appreciation, and she knew that although I like chocolates, or other treats, this is what I would really, really love and it would fit right in with my goals of striving for a healthy and balanced mind body connection.


She thanked me for taking the time to do what I like to do. To write my blog, and explain what has worked for me and what hasn't, to share diet and exercise, and to answer all her questions over email. I enjoy doing it, and so to be recognized makes it even more special.


I scheduled my massage for Monday, I was off for the week. My left glute and hamstring are really causing me some issues, sitting at my desk or sitting in a car are painful. The only relief is when I am not sitting, so I end up kneeling at my desk half of the day. I cannot drive like this though.


I was hoping and praying that this massage therapist would work on my glutes, some will not. Those are therapists I never return to. I find it very odd as this is the largest muscle in the human body, it needs work! I have also encountered some who will not massage the stomach area....it's all just so puzzling to me.


At 12:30 I walked into Chuck Worley's office, just down the street from my house, I was looking forward to this. I had been to the gym in the morning, hit the stairmill for 30 minutes then some posing before the yoga folks descended upon the room, and off to hit the calves. My entire posterior chain was sore, I can only guess it is due to the kettlebells I have been using lately, whenever something new is thrown into the mix it causes soreness.


I explained my dilemma to Chuck, and yes, he would work on my glutes. He has quite a comfortable set up, he is very thoughtful in ensuring that the table and room is set up the way the clients want it. He gave me some tissues, my nose always gets stuffed when I have a massage, and I like having the tissues on hand.


He worked on my calves, I didn't realize how tight they were, it felt like the fascia was tightly encased all around the muscles and it wasn't gliding back and forth as it should, I will need more work here soon I can tell. 


Chuck asked if he could work on me longer than the 60 minutes, no charge, he wanted to make sure he addressed my complaint, included the rest of the body and that I left happy. Ah, I was thinking heaven, simply heaven.....

Chuck worked on the glute and it took a while but he found it! He said I have a contracted GOGO muscle! I laughed when he told me, I said "only I could hurt my GOGO muscle!!", who on earth has this much fun when they get a massage! 


GOGO muscles are the  Gemellus Superior, Obturator internus, Gemullus inferior, Obturator externus. Chuck actually emailed me the following day to check on me and said that he did a bit more research and he thinks my problem is not the Gemellus pair but more likely the Obturator internus or Quadratus femoris. Both laterally rotate the leg. He said that he anticipated that DOMS would set in on Wednesday morning, two days after the massage. 


So, I didn't "strain" my butt as I thought, it's just a bit "tight" I suppose....


Chuck works on a lot of tri-athletes, and a lot of professional athletes. He said I was the most muscular woman he has ever worked on, I love hearing stuff like that. This just confirms that my training is going well, I am moving in the right direction to add more lean mass. We talked about my competitions a bit, he pointed out that my right erector spinae is bigger than my left. Well I didn't know that, but it doesn't surprise me, my right deltoid is bigger than my left, I am stronger on one side than the other, so I have been doing uni-lateral training to help alleviate that. He also remarked at what a great back I had; I do work on it quite a bit, and for the last two months have only been training it once a week, wait till I get back to the twice a week sessions!


Chuck was familiar with Dr. Leahy and said he was surprised I wasn't in there having A.R.T. done on the glute, but I explained I had scheduled the massage before I was told about the imbalance, so I was there ready to try the massage anyway.


Chuck finished the massage with a full body relaxation massage, so not only did he work on the glute but the rest of the body as well. It was great, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will definitely go back. 


Is this "cheating' on Rachael? No, I have room in my life for more than one massage therapist, just as I have room for different friends, wines and food. I can enjoy them all. 


He reminded me to ice the glute when I got home, that way blood would rush to the area to bring healing nutrients. I could easily go home and lay on some cold stuff!


Here I am on the bed reading, I have an ice gel pack on the offending glute. I am reading a great book, I love this! It shows illustrations of people performing exercises, but they have no skin, so you see the muscles! It explains which muscles you target and how to preform the exercise. It is Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier. I refer to it when I need to concentrate on a specific area, and when I need to change up training on my own a bit. Take a peek inside to get an ide of the wonderful anatomical illustrations. 

Chuck sent me away with what he called "homework", he loaned me a Thumbby and advised me to use it anywhere I needed, my glute, my tight rhomboid, any place! He said I could just drop it by when I was done, or I could buy it if I decided to keep it.


I went home to try it, it sticks to the wall! I was excited to try this instead of my lacrosse ball. I pushed it against the guest room door.

Got down and looked for those darn GOGO muscles. 

Got 'em! This thing is great! I can apply a lot of pressure and it stays against the wall. 

Like it, like it, like it!!! Fun all over again! I did this for a while longer. I worked on my rhomboid too.

Virginia stopped by, since we are off for the week there has been a whole lot of nothing going on, it's nice for a change. "Wow! This feels great!" she said. She said she was going to go get one herself! 

You know when you scratch a dog in the right place and their foot goes "thump, thump, thump, thump" really fast? That's what she was doing here, we all laughed hysterically! 

I was done, I had to go train with Roy and it was.......Hamstrings! Oh boy. A little update, as I write this on Tuesday afternoon, I feel a slight tightness, but have not experienced the pain as I had been. I sat in a  restaurant for lunch with the boys, I am at my computer (but I am sitting on my Thumbby) and I have been in and out of the car. This may have just done the trick! 


Give Chuck a call, tell him I sent you and that you want to try a Thumby too! It works for just about any bodypart, I think you will be pleased. 


And "J"- Thank you so much, I will never forget your thoughtfulness.


Be strong and train hard!