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Figure 1:

If You Think SportsMassage is Easy, ThinkAgain!

In order to be a sports massagetherapist you have to go through

several years of school including pre-and post-event sports-massagetraining. You will learn the basics ofsports massage such as learninghow to prepare athletes for a sportingevent by using short, quick andinvigorating strokes to stimulate theirmuscles and how to use positiveimagery, suggestions andreinforcements to ensure the athletesare psychologically prepared as well.(Pete Pfannerstill, 2008) When an

athlete is finished their sport ortrack event, you also learn how

to treat by using longer, slower,more sedating strokes to flush outmetabolic wastes from the muscletissue and begin the repair and-restoration process. (PetePfannerstill, 2008) (see more onpage 2)

practice for as long as you wouliked. If an athlete is having aparticular problem or if an injurexists, the therapist will work thspecific area for the entire sesshelp normaize the damaged tis(Pete Pfannerstill, 2008) Thetherapist might offer routineexercises so that the athlete wikeep up to shape.

An Athletes BestFriend!

Lets Get It Started, Sports

Have you ever wondered whatit is like to have your ownpersonal massage therapist?!Have you ever wondered whatit would be like to be atravelling massage therapist

for athletes?! Well you arereading the right newsletter!Continue for more fabulousinformation!

More about Sports

He who hashealth has hope,

and he who has

hope has

everything.

(Arabian Proverb)

Figure 4:

Figure 3:

What you will learn..

Getting started

with sports

massage

Inside scoop

from an athlete

Traveling with a

massage

therapist

How to connectwith a sports

team

Figure 2:

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Being a massage practitioner on the road like Brad Hiskins is very tough.He works for the Australian Institute of Sport. Even though this job soundsand looks glorious and glamorous, the schedules and workload that thesepractitioners take on is enormous which leaves less time for free time andrest, and more time for work and traveling. (Massage Australia, 1999) Atthe end of the day, the work output is very rewarding and is a greataccomplishment as it creates a great impact on the sporting teams. BradHiskins toured South America with Australias Olympic Soccer team, theOllyroos.

Figure 6:

The team is full of many talented players. (Massage Australia,1999) Even though they are that talented, they still had to work hard andpush for the Olympic gold medal. Brad Hiskins explains that most of hiswork includes acute type injuries and first aid treatment. Their sportstrainer skill are in high demands because with soccer, there are manyblisters, abrasions, cuts, and scrapes that need to be looked after andmaintained. (Massage Australia, 1999) An average day that Brad Hiskinsdescribed consisted of at least two 2-hour training sessions. (MassageAustralia, 1999) This included stretching and strapping treatments.

Their sports trainer skill are in high demands because with soccer, thereare many blisters, abrasions, cuts, and scrapes that need to be lookedafter and maintained. (Massage Australia, 1999

In order to be able to work onathletes and to understandhow what muscles to work on,a sports-massage therapistworks on only those musclesan athlete uses for his or hersport and the movementsinvolved in the sports theywork with. (Pete Pfannerstill,2008) Sports massagetherapists sepcialize in areas ofthe body such as stretching,neuromuscular therapy andmyofascial therapy. You alsomust be fit yourself in order tohelpathletes stay fit. You haveto practice what you preach.If you dont have propertraining, your hands as well asother parts of your body will

start to tense up and youwont be able to do your

Being an athlete in the world today is very stressfulon the body. Without the proper care of tissues andmuscles injury can occur, which can be detrimentalto a career. Colin Russell a competitive swimmer for

most of his life recently had the opportunity to goto the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Ever since he was a little boy he haddreamed to go the Olympics one day. With all theintense training that took place in Colins career heoften found himself sore and tired after longworkouts. When travelling to Beijing in the summerhe was able to experience the care of the massagetherapists that travelled with the team.

The Canadian Olympic Team consisted oftwo travelling massage therapists, both of whichwere available any time of day for treatments.

Colin utilized the massage therapists before hisrace, to loosen his muscles, in between his races toflush out his muscles in order to prepare for hisnext swim, as well as after his race. As acompetitive swimmer Colin has had to overcomemany injuries. In 2007 Colin underwent surgery tohis shoulder. With the help of the massagetherapists hired to work with the athletes in BeijingColin was able to have treatment done on hisinfraspinatus, deltoids, latissimus dorsi,subscapularis and trapezius muscles.

Wisdom is to themind what healthis to the body.

(Francois De La Rochefoucauld)

An Athletes Savor: ASports Massage Therapistby Anastasia Clarry

Colin told me that the massages he received by thetherapists were very helpful and allowed for him torecover between his races.

After the swimming portion of the Olympics wascomplete, Colin was able to use the massagetherapists for the duration of his stay in Beijing. Icontinued to use the massage therapists after

swimming was complete because I was still sore fromracing, and injured and I was still part of the team butpriority was for those that still were competing Colinsaid. Being a travelling massage therapist for a sportsteam is a very demanding job. Therapists need to beable to know their clients and their clients bodies inorder to treat them and make them feel better for theirevents. Being a massage therapist for the CanadianOlympic Team is a big responsibility, but with thesuccess of an athlete comes the satisfaction ofknowing that your knowledge and your hands helpedprepare them for triumph.

Figure 5:

When dealing with world triathlochampionship in Switzerland, theof the jobs of a medical team incin workload which includes workiwith more chronic type problemsWhen he was in Switzerland, themornings consisted of stretchingsessions, training massages and tissue work. (Massage Australia)it assured the athletes range ofmotion to swim, and aerodynam

positions on their bicycles in thetriathlons. (Massage Australia, 19At the end of the day, this job to Hiskins is awesome. It is very hawork, long days and early morninis all worth it though. The feelingvery rewarding and seeing an athbring home their glory feels just good to the massage practitioneBrad Hiskins. (Massage Australia1999) ) An average day that BraHiskins described consisted of at

two 2-hour training sessions.(Massage Australia, 1999)Thisincluded stretching and strappingtreatments. All of the medical teaincluding massage practitioners,physiotherapists, and doctors wotogether to create and achieve tbest fitness ro rams for the ath

Conquering the World: Life on the Road with the A.I.Sby Alana Fettes

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Bibliography:

Figure 1: https://reader010.{domain}/reader010/html5/0628/5b349ccce10e2/5b349ccf932Figure 2: http://www.amtamassage.org/journal/win02/profsports_connect.htmlFigure 3: www.massagemag.com, Jonah SutherlandFigure 4: www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/CTVnews/20080812/BEIJING_relay_080812Figure 5: www.cbc.ca/gfx/image/sports/photos/2008/06/16/392russell_colin080402cp.jpgFigure 6: http://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpg

ana Brown, a massage therapist for the Lowell Lock Monsters of AHL (NHL minor leagues) has several suggestions for anyone

o is aspiring to become a massage therapist with a professionalorts organization. Joana emphasizes one very important thing toople wishing to make this their goal. She stresses that you mustyour goals strategically. In order to do this she gives theowing keys to help:

Put it to paper. What organization(s) are you interested incontacting?

Prioritize. Put your goals in numerical order.

Break it down. Make each goal into smaller pieces to dofirst.

Set deadlines. Give yourself a time frame, even if you haveto readjust later.

Begin. Take action; you must do something every day.

o, Brown has the following 10-step blueprint to help guide you in right direction:

ep 1: first you must contact the athletic trainer of the team you interested in. They are the ones who make the final decision onng a massage therapist.

ep 2: introduce yourself to the trainer, and ask if they have aw minutes for you to speak to themep 3: have a clear but short explanation of why you are callingm. By being clear, you are letting the trainer know that you

derstand how valuable their time is.

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How to Connect with a Sportseam

Step 4: be prepared to hear from the trainer ido have time to talk to you, and can speak witnow. Ask them if they have anyone working fothem at this time.

Step 5: if the answer is no, ask to make anappointment to meet with them personally to over how you may benefit the team. If they alhave a therapist, find out their specialty. You mhave a style that differs from the other therapwhich you can use in conjunction with the othetherapist.Step 6: ask the trainer if you could at all possgive the employed massage therapist a call.Sometimes, a therapist may be looking to hiretherapists and you calling them and introducinyourself shows good ethical respect.Step 7: once a meeting is scheduled, you mus

out a detailed list of the topics or questions yowish to cover.Step 8: have a business contract in mind topresent. You may want to look at the companymarketing plan, and ask for advertisementcompensation.Step 9: begin to present your proposal. You walso be gathering information about the compas you go along, and what is important to theathletic trainer.Step 10: locking in the contract. Once you antrainer have decided on the final details, let thknow you will be submitting in writing what watalked about. If you prefer to have a signed

http://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpghttp://www.amtamassage.org/journal/win02/profsports_connect.htmlhttp://www.massagemag.com/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/CTVnews/20080812/BEIJING_relay_080812http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/image/sports/photos/2008/06/16/392russell_colin080402cp.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpghttp://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpghttp://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpghttp://www.massagemag.com/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/CTVnews/20080812/BEIJING_relay_080812http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/image/sports/photos/2008/06/16/392russell_colin080402cp.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpghttp://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpghttp://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpghttp://www.amtamassage.org/journal/win02/profsports_connect.htmlhttp://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/CTVnews/20080812/BEIJING_relay_080812http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/image/sports/photos/2008/06/16/392russell_colin080402cp.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpghttp://www.dorsetsportsmassage.co.uk/images/massage-therapist.jpghttp://www.amtamassage.org/journal/win02/profsports_connect.htmlhttp://www.massagemag.com/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/CTVnews/20080812/BEIJING_relay_080812http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/image/sports/photos/2008/06/16/392russell_colin080402cp.jpghttp://www.performancemax.com.au/images/existing_elements/brad_hiskins.jpg

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Futral, K. (2002). How to Connect with a Sports Team. How to get involved in ProfessionalSports.Conquering the world: life on the road with A.I.S. (1999). Massage Australia, 26 (27).Pete Pfannerstill, P. (2008). Get Started in Sports Massage . How to Target Athletes as aSpecialized Clientele , 50-55.