Gym Junkie Recovery

Gym Junkie Post Event Recovery using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

1 Copyright 2008 Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com/the_gym_junkie_muscle_recovery.html

Gym Junkie Post Event Recovery

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation-massage-lite the green alternative

Look in any gyms in any city and you will find the gym junkie who is there every chance they get-they are doing weights, using rowing and cycling machines, and are running on the treadmill

At any time in the world there are people trying to break personal best times and distances against themselves and other people and even trying to break world records

Gym junkies have to go and workout at the gym, they become addicted to the endorphins exercising releases-to them it is as addictive as drinking, smoking and manufactured drugs-only it is cheaper!

Gym junkies have similar problems to ultra marathon runners and walkers

Gym junkies are pretty competitive people just like my ultra marathon runners and walkers who get on the road or track for many hours/days/weeks/years of distance, and unlike other sports people, they get out there every day rain hail or shine

Both groups have to perform on a daily consecutive basis without recovering properly before going out to do it all again!

No matter how much tightness, stiffness, muscle soreness or injury there is they do not let it stand in the way or affect their activity they have planned at the gym or or running track

Ok they do not look like gym junkies but their motivation is the same

The man in the red top ran himself into the ground before this was taken but we recovered him so

he could get out and run again!

http://aching-legs-relief.com/the_gym_junkie_muscle_recovery.html



How did we recover him? We used knowledge and my hands to facilitate his bodies recovery-but his body did the work Recovery

There is much information on the internet and organisers have top athletes and trainers discussing equipment, training, and tactics-but there is one tactic for enhancing performance that is totally legal and can be done without drugs-that is to increase the speed of recovery

My philosophy on recovery

Having worked in ultra marathon running and walking for many years, and having had an input into many world distance records during that time under the most extreme conditions, I have worked out that no matter how good the therapist who is helping the athlete, they are only facilitating the body’s ability to recover itself

The moment the muscles stop being used dynamically, and long before the therapist touches them, the body is well into its repair and recovery cycle at a micro-cellular level-the secret to a faster recovery though is having the knowledge to assist this process without interfering with its progress or causing further damage to the already traumatized muscle tissues

Minimal interference in the repair and recovery process will result in a faster recovery

Interference in the repair and recovery processes going on in the muscles by an outside force will result in a retarded recovery time frame because the body has to start work repairing the micro-damage all over again!

Recovery is important for anyone who uses their muscles aggressively-and the quicker it is started on the faster the recovery-the most effective time to get onto this is in the 'window of opportunity'-while they are still warm and pliable

In the normal course of events there is very little injury other than small micro-tears in the over used muscle tissues-unless there has been a problem from an exterior sources such as impact or bio-mechanical causes (the running shoes, surface, blisters) to increase muscle stress

Trained muscles are not injured in the conventional sense–so there is no need to use conventional fingers into the muscle tissues to recover them

Gently assisting the muscles to get rid of by-products and wastes that have formed-as the by-products are removed, allows fresh blood to enter the tissues and enhance healing-allowing the gym junkie to get back to the gym without the inconvenience they would normally associate with after-effects of intensive exercise

Working on the muscles Vs working with them

After aggressive use the muscles will be sore and fatigued-later after they have cooled down they may also be stiff-working on them using conventional recovery systems at this stage may do more harm than good because it interferes with the bodies own recovery processes




This is a result sheet when the World Run Recovery System was developed and shows the gradual changes from working on the muscles to working with them-if this was translated to the Gym Junkie with fatigued muscles they would recovered in a short time

Results from 1995 Coburg 6 day footrace

Name Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6A Krouglikov 237.2 113.6 130 106 126 108 Kilometers

539 284 325 365 315 270 Laps

T Rusek 215.2 98.8 98 139.6 138.4 122.4 Kilometers538 247 245 349 346 306 Laps

M Taylor 174.4 128.8 143.6 123.6 138.4 122.4 Kilometers436 322 359 309 302 223 Laps

B Beauchamp 180.4 133.2 124 117.6 110 93.2 Kilometers451 333 310 294 275 233 Laps

P Gray 150 134 105.2 94.8 111.6 106 Kilometers375 335 263 237 279 265 Laps

D Parris 138.4 108.4 106.8 116.4 106 107.2 Kilometers346 271 267 274 265 268 Laps

I Davis 168 119.2 90 116.4 106 107.2 Kilometers420 298 225 291 180 247 Laps

G Watts 132.2 96.4 99.2 104.4 92.8 133.6 Kilometers328 241 248 261 232 334 Laps

C Young 142 91.2 90 97.6 88 92 Kilometers355 228 225 244 220 230 Laps

D Kettle 138.2 86.8 90.8 95.2 94.4 84.4 Kilometers332 217 227 238 236 212 Laps

R Hill 128 80.8 99.2 70 95.6 96.6 Kilometers320 202 248 175 239 241 Laps

K Fisher 164 91.6 50 115.2 49.6 81.2 Kilometers410 229 125 288 124 203 Laps

G Pollard 120 74.8 73.6 68.4 69.6 61.2 Kilometers300 187 184 171 174 153 Laps

The above group came in for Light Manual Muscle Relaxation The below group did not or had their own recovery people

T Rafferty 141.6 112.8 104.8 101.6 98 96.4 Kilometers354 282 262 254 245 241 Laps

G McConnel 145.6 110.8 126.4 113.6 108.4 106 kilometers363 277 287 284 271 265 Laps

G Audley 152.8 110.8 126.4 113.6 114.8 95.2 ki lometers

S Scanlon 140.8 82 84 34 0 0 Kilometers352 205 210 85 pulled out-blisters Laps

J Timms 127.2 98.4 74.8 0 0 0 kilometers




What makes Light Manual Muscle Relaxation so different from other recovery systems? It is a massage-lite recovery system

Massage-lite is a stripped down no frills basic recovery system developed for ultra marathon runners and walkers

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation combines a sound medical physiological based theory with simple movement to offer a practical ongoing system for self recovery

Dr Guyton offers the theoretical solution to the problem of aching legs and Light Manual Muscle Relaxation offers the practical, tested, simple, oil free, environmentally friendly version 'Pumping caused by external Compression of the Lymphatics' Guyton-Textbook of Medical Physiology eighth edition-1991 W.B. Saunders Company-ISBN 0-726-3994-0 (p. 182)

Michael Gillan developed, tested and researched Light Manual Muscle Relaxation at many ultra distance events both in Australia and internationally

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation is a Do-It-Yourself method based on

encouraging the muscles and tissues to assist with their own circulation

• It is not a massage system

• It is not invasive

• It is not aggressive

• It is not time consuming

• It does not need disrobing

• It does not need oil applied to the skin

• It does not need strong hands and fingers

• It does not need hand/brain coordination

• It does not need equipment

• It does not work on the muscles

• It does not work on any specific injuries

• It does not threaten the integrity of the muscles

• It does not use force on the muscles

• It does not need more than a few minutes to do

• It does not require a long course or workshop




It makes it easier for someone who has to become their own physical and

muscle therapist-and they have to learn how to do this with a minimum of education and training

Recovery is a subject that is difficult to deal with for many people because there is so much mystique about it and much of it is scientific that most gym junkies can’t understand or do for themselves

I trained as a massage therapist and did hours of work at fun runs, triathlons and marathons using conventional hands on working on the muscles and thought we did a good job of things while there-but it was not until I got into ultra events that I found out that what we did was not working too well

It took 2 Colac 6 Day ultra events for this to sink in-(when you are trackside for 6 days straight and get to see the long term effects of what you did 24 hours before showing up in the athlete going slower-you see the 24 hour result sheet-you have to realize that it is not working)

The reason was we were trying to fix something with our hands by working into the muscle tissues-it was not until I accidentally changed my approach on my 3rd Colac 6 Day (there were only 3 of us students to cover the whole 6 days so something had to change) did the results of this change of approach show up (see 1995 Colac result sheet)

What had I done differently?

I did not have the time to spend with each runner and walker trying to ‘fix’ things so rather had to just give them the least time I could and do as little as possible with them-so I went for the minimalist approach

On table time went down from about an hour and half to 15 minutes because I used the muscles to do their own work rather than me doing it-this meant that I did not use any oil so no disrobing-the muscles did not get cold or stiff

I also changed the approach to stretching from a hard sports stretch used to make the muscles lengthen to a light one aiming for relaxation-this also reduced the cramping problem-more on that in a different article

I also reached the conclusion during this time that if someone is complaining about problems they are experiencing with muscles, they have not trained enough or trained too much-the damage was not done during the run-the problems are showing up because the muscles are under stress

The most important change in my approach though was to accept that in the recovery phase, most of the time there is no injury to fix-but with a little help the

body can be assisted to recover itself




the muscles being enlisted to assist in their own recovery

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

Offers an alternative way of assisting the body to recover without interfering with the healing processes that are already occurring-and it does this without putting the muscles at risk of being injured by too much pressure generated by the ends of the fingers working into the tissues at this early stage of recovery.

The system works by using the bodies own mechanics of bones, joints, and muscles to push used blood and toxins from the lower legs-these can then be replaced by fresh blood-oxygen filled blood which will enhance recovery time and speed the recovery of the sportsperson

Enhancing recovery quickly and easily using the principles of

• Simplicity

• Predictability

• Consistency Using these 3 principles it is possible to not only enhance recovery times, but to do it without the inconvenience of disrobing or using oils or equipment such as massage table towels or needing the handskills or techniques of modern massage practises.

This places easy recovery for anyone to use with very little training and without any equipment to buy or maintain

My only equipment for 24 hour run consisted of a chair next to the bottles to maintain the leg recovery of 20 people when I looked after the Danish team at the world championships in 2007




What they say about Light Manual Muscle Relaxation Michael’s methods of massage and blister care helped me to stay mobile throughout the race and to recover quickly afterwards. His techniques are safe and gentle.

Unlike some treatments, which put the runners and walkers at risk of muscle tears or infection, Michael’s techniques are gentle, safe, reassuring, and highly effective. They enhance comfort and flexibility, build confidence, and promote success. This booklet will help others to learn and practice Michael’s methods. It is recommended reading for everyone who walks and runs and who wants to go further, go faster, or just to enjoy life more!!' SANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder 1999 Ladies 100 mile Race walking World Record Holder

“I know that your massage kept a number of competitors in the event. The cold weather of Saturday afternoon and night certainly got to many of the walkers and your prompt action had them back in the race after a short stop. In years past, that would have ended up as a non-finish. A number of walkers were able to keep going for the full 24 hours on the basis of your expert help.” Tim Ericson Secretary Australian Centurions Club

'I have known Michael Gillan for many years and have always got quick relief for my aches and pains from the stretching he performs'. CLIFF YOUNG-75-80 24 Hour World Record Holder (150.07 kilometers)

A word from Jesper Olsen World Runner about The World Run Recovery System “If I hadn't had the qualified help from the excellent masseur Michael Gillan, taking several thousands of km out of my legs, I could spare myself the effort!” “My crew for the current stages, Michael Gillan, has proven to have other talents than the quite taxing job of taking care of all the requirements of a really tired ultra runner! He has since years back been working on a new approach to stretching and muscle-rebuilding for ultra runners. I have the last two days tried his careful stretch and massage, and a bit to my surprise the muscles are beginning to feel like before the start back in Greenwich, London!! Usually I doesn’t take massage as the legs of an ultra runner will often be quite sore during the long time events (and especially in an multi-year event like this...), and getting a massage can at times cause more injury and cramping up than good. For example my last massage was some 12 000km ago when I ran the 12-hour competition in Finland. And so far that has been the only one. But Gillan came with best recommendations from my main contact in Australia, Phil Essam, who besides being vice president in the Australian Ultra runners Association has heaps of good knowledge to share. And this new kind of mild massage for ultra runners is definitely one of the good tips! There should be a fair chance that I actually get fresh enough to do some decent running at the 6 Day Race that I have coming up in Colac from the 21.November. I quite look forward to that, even though I can’t expect to make a top class result :-)”

He won! 756.2 kilometers (Jesper holds the record for the longest run in history over 26000 kilometers and the first person to run around the world




Taken from www.worldrun.org Light Manual Muscle Relaxation is a simple system that is easy to use without the

need for equipment other than the hands Resource Box

Michael Gillan is an Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist who has been a masseur around many ultra long distance events both in Australia and internationally since he was a student in 1993

In 1995 while working at a 6 day run, he changed the approach to recovery of the athletes from the conventional way of working on the muscles using the hands and fingers to increase muscle blood circulation, to working with the muscles and making them work on themselves

The results from this changeover can be seen on the Coburg result sheet on page 5

In 1996 Michael went to the Nanango 1000 Mile 16 day event where it was tested and helped the worlds 4-5 and 11th to achieve their distances

Other notable events the World Run Recovery System was tested on was World Run 1 with Jesper Olsen www.worldrun.org and the World Run 2 training camp in Denmark in 2007 For other events see www.aching-legs-relief.com

*References and citations PubMed-Manual massage and recovery of muscle function following exercise: a literature review.

PMID: 9007768 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention. PMID: 15730338 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/92/101950.htm SOURCES: Hinds, T. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, August 2004; vol 36: pp 1308-1313.



http://www.worldrun.org/

http://www.worldrun.org/

http://www.aching-legs-relief.com/


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