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Swedish massage…deep tissue massage…sports massage…soft tissue therapy… what does it all mean?!

I totally get it, potAto…poTATo…RIGHT?

Unfortunately, it is a bit confusing and it can be a struggle to understand the differences and…the terminology just doesn’t help, and neither does Google!

Of course, it is important to know exactly what you are getting from your treatments.

After all, you are spending your hard earned cash on an investment into your health…

You NEED to know what it is that you’re investing in to ensure that you get the BEST TREATMENT MOST SUITED TO YOU.

Basically, these are all courses designed to coach practitioners on certain methods of working on the body.

I would call each of these…a method of teaching, which are essentially tools added to the practitioner’s toolbox.

In basic terms:

  • Swedish massage techniques include long strokes, kneading, friction, tapping, percussion, vibration, effleurage, and shaking motions.

  • Deep tissue massage include applying continuous pressure using slow, deep strokes to target the interior layers of your muscles and connective tissues.

  • Sports massage/Soft Tissue Therapy (used interchangeably) includes the management, manipulation, and rehabilitation of soft tissues of the body.

You can see where the confusion is, can’t you?

There’s basically a huge overlap in the descriptions of each.

Which leads me to my next point.

Does it even matter?

My personal opinion? I’d split things 3 ways:

  • Option 1 – Treatments that work on the surface ONLY and don’t go deep – aiming to ‘relax’ (whatever that means to you)

  • Option 2 – Treatment that works deep ONLY (you know the ones, you might come out looking red raw

  • Option 3 – Treatment that do both surface level, deeper and everything in between

So, if you can find someone who does incorporate both soft tissues above, deeper and everything in between, it means that this person has made time to further their knowledge – i.e. more tools in their toolbox, i.e. more likely to have something that can help you ease your pain.

AND because not everyone needs the extremes.

Safest bet? – choose Option 3 – a practitioner who has the ability and willingness to cater their treatment plan to your specific needs.

Option 3 is best because they can adapt their style if they are skilled enough to identify problem areas that need more attention…and not just gloss over it.

Ultimately, every practitioner is different.

I trust that further developing my own skills by studying has helped me immensely with giving the best treatments.

…this is what gives me the edge in identifying issues quickly and allows me to build a personalized approach that isn’t just a bog standard sequence of techniques blindly.

So, forget about the titles. Instead…look into your practitioner and what they’ve done extra.

Are you in pain or discomfort that you just can’t seem to shake off?

Book in one of our treatments where they will ALWAYS be tailored to your specific needs.

Protein Intake – How Much Do You Need?

The benefits of eating protein

Protein is an essential macronutrient and is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. In addition to that, the body uses protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals.

So it’s fair to say – it’s pretty important!

It take longer for your body to break down protein because of the thermic effect (the amount of energy require to digest, absorb, transport and store protein) is a lot higher than that of carbohydrates and fat. Good news if your goal is to lose the belly fat!

To find out more about protein check out this article.

How much protein do you need?

I have put together the recommendations from some of the most respected nutritionists in the health and fitness industry.

However here is the general gist:

The optimal protein amount depends on your goal.

Want to slim down without resistance training? Aim for 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilo of body weight, per day.

For a 60kg individual they’d have to eat 72-132 grams per day.

Split into 3 meals that’s 24-44 grams per meal.

For protein-dense foods like meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or beans, use a palm sized serving.

20~30g of protein looks like the palm of your hand. Add more palms for more protein…a handy reference tool!

Want to build muscle? Aim for 1.6-2.2 grams per kilo of body weight, per day.

So for a 60kg person, that’s 96-132 grams of protein.

Split into 3 meals that’s 32-44 grams per meal.

For the research, click this link.

I encourage you to do your own research on the topic if you are interested to find out more 🙂