Well, today, massage is becoming an integral part of fitness due to something known as SMR, or Self Myofascial Release. 

SMR is a combination of self massage and stretching using your own  body weight and round styrofoam rollers.  

The primary purpose of SMR is to release "trigger points" in muscles, thereby  reducing muscle soreness and allowing the muscles to function more optimally.

Many of us don't realize that fascia (or connective tissue) is an integral part of part of muscle tissues.  Fascia (its that the see-through stuff you pull off of your chicken breast ) surrounds and winds through the entire muscle from the tiniest fiber, to the the entire surface of the muscle.  In fact, tendons (which connect muscle to bone) are made up from the continuation of this same interwoven tissue. 

When fascia has these lumps (or trigger points) muscles don't transmit and receive the neurological information they need, so they don't work properly -- and you don't move as fluidly as you should. 

That's why many trainers (myself included) are recommending that clients spend a few moments before exercise rolling their muscles out (like dough) on foam rollers.  

The technique is simple, you like on your back, side or belly with the foam roller underneath you.  You roll back and forth over the area (or areas) that are sore.  When you find a trigger point you pause and rest on the area waiting about 30 seconds or so, until you feel the area release about 50-75%.  Then you can continue rolling and repeat or move on to another area.

Just a few minutes of this before your workout makes working out more comfortable and reduces muscle tension.  A few minutes after your workouts can help restore muscle length and reduce post-workout soreness.  

What's more, SMR is a massage that you can afford to give yourself everyday.  My friend, the famed coach Michael Boyle calls SMR, "the poor man's massage".  The more you do it, the less soreness you feel and the faster your post workout recovery is likely to be. 

For more on the techniques involved in SMR, please see this excellent article on The Perform Better website by Michael Clark one of the physical therapists responsible for bringing this technique to the masses.

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