Thai Massage for a Fitness Program
Posted by on April 23, 2009 under Exercise, Fitness Therapy, Thai Massage, fitness, stretches, stretching | 
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I have found that Thai Massage can be an incredible component to a fitness program as it is almost more similar to yoga than a massage. Thai Massage is unique in that it involves various stretching movements as well as deep tissue massage. I’d personally call it assisted yoga. Thai massage can assist in a rehabilitation program. No oil is used, clothes remain on, and it is usually done on the floor on a padded mat or cushions.
The most important thing to note when using Thai Massage for fitness is that you will need a talented person to do the massage each time. The person doing the massage will stretch muscles, use acupressure, compress muscles, mobilize joints, move blood throughout your muscles and joins, and relax tired muscles. The massage therapist uses his or her legs, knees, hands, and feet to move the body into a series of stretches. It is more rigorous and energizing than most kinds of massage. This helps muscles repair and heal faster.
Originally, Thai Massage was done by monks as part of Thai medicine. This kind of massage originated in India and was based on Ayurveda and Yoga. It was brought to Thailand more than 2500 years and is practiced quite a lot in Thailand as well as throughout the world.
When using Thai Massage for a fitness program, I feel it is one component. It is used to stretch, circulate blood, and heal muscles and joints. This means the next exercise workout can be done with optimal results since muscles have been given such assistance in repairing and lengthening. Search for thai massage on Amazon.com.
is a DVD featuring Ravi Singh and Ana Brett. I thought this was a very good DVD, and pretty long for the money spent. You will need to have some time on your hands to do these workouts, as they are not 10 minutes each. The total time of this DVD runs 80 minutes. This fat free yoga DVD is meant to help you change your body, energize, and improve your mood. There are four segments on this DVD which can be done one at a time or altogether. The first one is about warming up and opening up so that you can improve your flexibility and help your back. The second section which is about firming and affirming, and is meant to help your stomach tighten and improve your digestive system. The third section is about burning calories to increase the speed of your metabolism. The fourth section which is titled raise yourself up, is meant to help your thyroid and decrease depression. This is good if you want to stay more positive in life and work on depression issues.
is a spectacular DVD that is designed to give you 10 minute stretches. The instructor, Annette Fletcher, has a good mood and personality as she instructs in this DVD. This DVD has five workouts so that you can lower your stress and increase your flexibility. There are many pieces of equipment that people often think that they need to purchase to stretch. The same goes for working out. Often people think they have to do everything or nothing, meaning in this case stretch for 30 minutes to really do well. This DVD really helps with the fact that 10 minutes of stretching can be better than zero minutes of stretching. No equipment is needed to use this DVD. Anyone at any fitness level may be able to do parts or all of this DVD in any location. Not only can stretching help flexibility, stress reduction, and mood, but it can also help your posture and burn calories! One section of this DVD has stretches that are done standing, lying down, or leaning against your wall. The next section are less active where you can stretch even while sitting in a chair. There’s a sports stretching section which will help you with various fitness activities. If you want a deeper stretch there is also an intense stretching section. Some stretches are active while others are passive. The five segments on this DVD assure you that it will be an important part of your collection for quite awhile.
is my favorite DVD so far for Pilates. I think the idea of 10 minute workouts to target exactly what the person exercising wants is genius. Not everyone has 45 minutes for a home workout, or an hour and a half to drive to the gym and back. I have tested sessions with personal trainers, trips to the gym, and many other kinds of exercise. It really all does end up depending on the person exercising. If you can set 10 minutes a side to do one or more of the workouts on this DVD, you’re all set. The workouts on this DVD are meant to get your whole body in shape. This includes your abs, buns, thighs, and rest of your body. You can gain flexibility, sculpting, and that famous Pilates burn from this DVD. The instructor in this DVD, Lara Hudson, is well-known for her fitness DVDs. The workouts featured on this DVD include Pilates for abs, Pilates for buns and thighs, Pilates for sculpting, plus Pilates burn and Pilates for flexibility. The bonus on this DVD helps you create a custom workout where you can program any of the five DVD segments that you choose.
is a great DVD. If you want to get good exercise, stretching, breathing, flexibility, restoration, relaxation, and stress relief, this DVD will really help get you there. This crunch workout is from crunch fitness. The instructor, Sara Ivanhoe, is from Los Angeles and is a certified yoga teacher. In this yoga DVD you’ll find that the 30 minute set of yoga postures and poses help your body health, balance, and flexibility. Although breathing and meditation are often part of yoga, this DVD keeps up the pace. The instructor on this DVD is beautiful to watch, and really gives the owner of the DVD of their money’s worth. This DVD not only includes the candlelight yoga workout, but a 15 minute bonus yoga workout for energizing as well. We were impressed and so happy that crunch created such a professional environment for this video shoot and that the package that the owner of the DVD gets when they buy it is a worthwhile one. Thanks crunch!