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Massage is a critical part of my training program, and I don't believe I could be successful without it. Massage can find [[Trigger Points]], as they can be felt as hard knots and are painful to the touch. Massage can also treat the trigger points, by applying pressure to them until the [[Muscle|muscle ]] relaxes. The pressure can be continuous or repeated pulses. There are other treatments for trigger points, such as ultrasound, lasers, injections, etc., none of which I've tried.
=Types of Massage=
Massage can be provided by another person, or you can do self-massage. Self-massage can use your hands, or in limited situations, another body part, such as using a knee on the opposite calf. Using [[Injury prevention using 'The Stick'|The Stick]] or [[Foam Roller]] is often more effective however.
* '''Calves'''. [[The Stick]] works well on the calves, but requires a lot of force to get deep enough. Using your knee or elbow can get quite deep with good control, but can be awkward. The [[Thumper]] also works well on the calves.
* '''Hamstrings and hip adductors'''. [[The Stick]] works best here, but make sure the knee is bent and the foot supported so that the hamstring is relaxed.
* '''The quads'''. Use the [[Foam Roller]], but take time to go deep enough to work the full muscle. [[The Stick]] can help, but it's hard to go deep enough. The elbow is great for going deep with lots of control. Be careful using only the Foam Roller, as this tends not to get to the [[VMO ]] (see below for details).
* '''The Glutes'''. A softball is the best approach I've found for the glutes. I use a [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UIA128 16 inch circumference softball]. (Thanks to Charles W for this tip!).
** Be careful near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piriformis_muscle Piriformis]. The Piriformis lies over the sciatic nerve, so massage in this area can be quite painful. Problems in the Piriformis muscle can cause [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piriformis_syndrome Piriformis Syndrome].