During a training block
Regular sessions while mileage or load is building, aimed at the areas that tighten every week: calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes and the upper back.
Massage in Chico
Sports massage
Sports massage
in Chico
For the legs, hips and shoulders that do the work: during a training block, before a race, and in the weeks after it.
Who it's for
Built around your training, not a routine.
Sports massage is therapeutic massage organized around what an active body is doing: the miles, the load, the event on the calendar. The techniques are the same family as deep tissue and myofascial release. What changes is the timing and the goal.
Isaac's table regularly sees trail runners, in the weeks before a race and the weeks after it. The same approach suits cyclists, lifters, climbers, and anyone whose sport leaves them tight in the same places every week.
“A trail running friend referred me to him to work out some temperamental and nagging pain in my right hip and leg, and I have been seeing him for several months leading up to and after a big race.”
Timing
When to book a sports massage
The same hour does different jobs depending on where it falls in your season.
Before an event
A lighter, shorter session a few days out, to loosen without leaving you sore. Race week is not the time to try deep work for the first time.
After an event
Once the first wave of soreness has settled, usually a few days later, to work through what the race or the game left behind.
Around an injury
Alongside physical therapy rather than instead of it. Bring what your physical therapist or doctor has told you, and the session works within it.
Where the work goes
The usual suspects.
Every sport loads the body differently, but the same areas come up again and again on the table.
- Calves and feet. Hills and trails load the calves hard, and tight calves tend to travel with sore arches, so the two get worked together.
- Hamstrings and hip flexors. Shortened by sitting all day and then asked to lengthen on every stride.
- Glutes and the outside of the thigh. The IT band itself barely stretches; the muscles around it do, so that is where the work goes.
- Low back. Often the area that complains when the hips and glutes stop doing their share.
- Shoulders and upper back. For lifters, climbers, swimmers and cyclists who spend hours in the drops.
Pricing
Pick a length that fits the job.
Book any massage length and say it is for training or an event at the intake. Sixty minutes covers the legs and hips properly; ninety gives time for the whole chain, from feet to shoulders.
7.25% sales tax is added at checkout. No deposit, and no membership.
Reviews
From people who train
5.0 stars across 91 Google reviews.
“I've been seeing Isaac regularly for almost a year now, and it's been one of the better things I've done for myself. He is professional, knowledgeable, and experienced, and he understands how to meet you where you are, whether you're recovering from physical demands or need to slow down and release tension. I leave each session feeling restored.”
“Thank you Isaac for being such a wonderful human being and healer. He is a master at his craft and seems to truly love what he does and loves sharing the plentiful benefits of massage. He has a special kind of touch that carries that perfect weight and pressure without sending you off the table. He's great at listening to my needs and tailoring each session accordingly.”
“Therapeutic. Great bodywork. Isaac is a healer.”
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Questions
Sports massage, answered
They overlap heavily. Sports massage is organized around training and events, so timing matters: lighter before a race, more thorough during a build or a recovery block. Deep tissue describes the depth of the work, which a sports session may or may not need.
For a first session, leave at least a few days before the event so any soreness has time to pass. Regular clients who know how their body responds can come in closer to the day.
Deep work straight after a hard effort usually isn't a good idea. Rest, food and water come first. A few days later, once the initial soreness has settled, is the most useful window to work through what the race left behind.
It can help the tissue around an injury and the compensation patterns that build up while you favor it, and many people use it alongside physical therapy. It does not replace a diagnosis: anything swollen, sharp or getting worse should be seen by a doctor or physical therapist first.
Nothing special. You undress to your level of comfort and are draped throughout, with only the area being worked uncovered. If you'd rather keep shorts on for leg work, that's fine.
Chair massage for race days, offices and events is arranged directly rather than booked online. Email the date, the headcount and the hours you'd want covered.
Related
Often combined in the same session
Every massage is tailored, so these are tools rather than separate bookings. Most sessions use more than one.
Deep Tissue Massage
Slow, specific pressure into the deeper layers that hold chronic tension, warmed up to rather than forced.
Myofascial Release
Sustained work on the connective tissue that wraps every muscle, for areas that feel stuck rather than sore.
Cupping Therapy
Suction that lifts tissue instead of pressing it, worked into a massage when an area calls for it.
Book
Book around
Book around
your next race.
Choose a length and mention your training or event at the intake. Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
or call (530) 715-1180