Sports Massage Therapy & Deep Tissue Massage in Reading, Crowthorne and surrounding areas

Personal Fitness Trainers in Reading, Thatcham, Tadley, Wokingham, Fleet, Yateley, Sandhurst, Bracknell, Henley, Wallingford, Didcot, Newbury and Basingstoke. Personal Fitness Trainer Ryan Phillips provides one to one Personal Fitness Training, free fitness program, exercise program and workouts routines, free consultation, group fitness training in Reading, healthy eating, weight management and nutritional advice to help lose weight, tone up, get fit, build muscle, sports specific training in Reading, Tilehurst, Berkshire.

 Are you suffering from sore muscles, knots, tightness, aches and pains...?

If "Yes", then a Professional Sports Massage with either Phil Chalmers or Sadie Lee is a simple and easy way to solve your problem! Guaranteed to ease off all your painful areas that get knotted up and tight after months of hard training or poor posture. Phil and Sadie are both renown for their ability to get rid of your muscle knots, tightness and stiffness so you too can be one of the many satisfied clients in and around Reading and Crowthorne who have benefited from their excellent sports massages.

In fact, we are 100% confident in our ability to help you and are entirely confident that you'll be completely happy with your sports massage, so much so that we even offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. That's right, if you are not entirely satisfied with our service for whatever reason simply let us know there and then and we won't ask you to pay single penny!

Book your sports massage online now or for a sports massage today call Ryan on 07801 556 778

About Phil Chalmers: 

Phil is a fully qualified Sports Massage therapist, through the highly respected Premier Training International. He has provided pre & post event sports massage services for major events such as the Flora London Marathon, Asics Reading Half Marathon and Reading Rowing Club Amateur Regatta to name but a few.

Phil Chalmers

He has practiced sports massage since the beginning of 2005 and has used his skills & experience to compliment his Personal Training expertise, enabling clients to overcome short- and long-term injuries & to boost their performance.
The service he provides can be performed at the private studio in Tilehurst, Reading or in your own home, whichever is more convenient or comfortable for you. See the areas Phil covers.

Book your sports massage with Phil

"During my running training sessions over a period of a few months, I found that I would suffer cramp in my left calf almost every time I ran.  This wasn't just painful, it seriously limited the progress I was able to make.  When I discussed this with Phil he started out by making sure that some of the basics were covered off, such as making sure my fluid and salt intake were appropriate for my exercise regime.  He then recommended a sports massage session to see if that would alleviate the problem.  I took him up on the offer and was amazed by the results.  It's hard to believe how big a difference it has made.  I've not had cramp since and my running has improved beyond measure."
Kieran - Reading

 

"On behalf of our running team at Cancer Research UK, thank you so much for giving your time to massage our runners at this year's Flora London Marathon. After a gruelling 26 miles on a hot sunny day, our runners were delighted to be met at the post-race recetion with a reviving massage, so thank you very much. By volunteering to massage them, you definitely helped us give our runners an unforgettable experience."
Barbara O'Sullivan (Cancer Research UK)

Book your sports massage with Phil

About Sadie Lee: 

Sadie1

Sadie is a fully insured member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists. Her diploma in Holistic Therapy incorporates Anatomy & Physiology, Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Swedish Massage. She is qualified in Sports Massage and holds diplomas in Nutrition, Indian Head Massage, On-site Acupressure and DSE Risk Assessment. She has massaged a number of celebrities such as Simon Cowell and Lenny Henry along with busy professionals, sports people and those with chronic conditions that have all benefited from her expertise. You will be amazed at how relaxed and refreshed you will feel after one of Sadie's massages! Sessions can be performed at the private studio in Crowthorne or in your own home, whichever is more convenient or comfortable for you.

"I was actually going to call to say how pleased I was with the massage. I woke up the next day feeling a little bruised then the following day felt AMAZING ! Whatever Sadie did WORKED ! So just wanted to say Thanks and will be in contact in due coarse to re-book.
Kind Regards
Craig"

Book your sports massage with Sadie


Q & A's:

What is sports massage?

Basically, it’s a corrective massage technique, generally using firmer techniques than therapeutic massage, (which primarily focuses on relaxation & well-being). How deep the massage is applied depends on the reason for the sports massage & the desires of the recipient. For example, sports massage can use a pressure-release technique known as trigger pointing which can be used to relieve “hyperirritable spots” often responsible for long-term (chronic) aches & pains.

Who could benefit from sports massage?

The simple answer is practically anyone. You don’t just need to have an injury to benefit from it. Sports massage is indeed an ideal way to help you minimise the risk of developing injuries, aches & pains whether you’re active in sport or are confined to a fixed position in your workplace. It also plays an important (and often forgotten) part in injury rehabilitation, whether recent or longer-term.

What benefits can sports massage provide?

These can be physical, physiological or psychological. Below is a short list of reasons why you might consider sports massage:

  •  Injury prevention – optimise condition of tissues, reduce risk of overuse injuries
  •  Improved posture/flexibility – address muscular imbalances, increase range of motion
  •  Ache/pain relief – relieve muscle tightness, improve blood flow
  •  Accelerated injury rehabilitation – breakdown scar tissue, restore normal/painfree mobility
  •  Pre- sports event – prepare body physically for an event, increase alertness
  •  Post- sports event – reduce muscle tension, remove waste products accumulated in blood

Book your sports massage online now or for a sports massage today call Ryan on 07801 556 778

How can I be sure that sports massage is safe for me?

This is a very important consideration. Though the benefits can be huge, there are important factors to consider before undertaking sports massage. The factors that may exclude you from initially receiving any form of massage are known as contraindications. These may range from observable conditions (eg. open wounds, varicose veins) to medical conditions that need clearance from your GP (eg. severe diabetes, stroke/heart disease) or precautionary conditions for which particular care may need to be taken (eg. pregnancy & low blood pressure). If you’re unsure, our team will be able to advise whether it would be appropriate & safe to conduct sports massage. In most cases, there will be no issues.

>>> A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BOOK ANY KIND OF SPORTS MASSAGE <<<

I've had massages before and felt looser straight after but the pain and tightness I was suffering from came back a day or so later, why is that?

There are certain circumstances when your muscle tightness will not be solved by stretching and deep tissue massage. In these circumstances these modalities may provide temporary relief but not long term relief.

This is because your body is tightening up that muscle for a reason; because your body is sensing instability and weakness in another area and in response to this instability it will tighten up the surrounding muscles to limit range of motion to prevent you from moving into that unstable/vulnerable position. This is known as compensation and it is your body's own protective mechanism. You can do all the stretching in the world and massage that tight muscle all you like but that muscle will keep on tightening right back up again if you do not address the root cause of the problem (the weak or inhibited muscles).

In these instances, by stretching or massaging a tight muscle you will be violating your body's own protective mechanism and enabling your joint to move into a position of vulnerability. This can lead to increased tightness and injury; your body is tightening that muscle up for good reason! 

So, here's your solution... a form of therapy called MAT® (Muscle Activation Techniques). MAT® gets to the root cause of pain or injury by addressing muscle weakness rather than muscle tightness. This helps to restore normal body alignment, thereby, decreasing pain, reducing muscle stiffness, reducing your risk of injury and improving your physical performance.

"I recently commenced personal training with Ryan and, after implementing his advice on diet and water intake, very quickly felt the improvement in my general wellbeing.


However, I did initially struggle with part of the routine as I found it difficult to get into the safe position to carry out exercises like the deadlift. The problem was that certain muscles were too tight and inflexible and I just wasn’t able to manipulate joints in the right way. This was no great surprise as a previous personal trainer had discovered the same thing years ago. Stretching exercises had done little to help and I had gotten used to the frequent feeling that I could do with a massage.


After a couple of training sessions and an assessment with Ryan he suggested that the tightness might well be the result of counter weakness in opposing muscles. He explained about Muscle Activation Technique and how the solution was to identify the weak muscles and re-engage them, rather than simply try and force the tight muscles to stretch.


I decided it to give the MAT sessions a try. A month onwards and the sessions have helped tremendously. Some results were virtually instantaneous, while others are taking a bit more patience! However, the overall outcome is that I became able to confidently perform the resistance routine that Ryan formulated for me. Plus, now I can properly complete my workout, without the fear of injury, I am seeing steady, week-on-week weight loss and gain in strength. Not only that, but I have definitely experienced an easing in the general discomfort to which I had become accustomed.


Ryan has put together a well thought out programme that really suits me well; I always come away from his sessions feeling challenged and highly motivated; my diet is much improved and his MAT expertise has proved totally invaluable.

All in all, I am left in no doubt that I was lucky to find Ryan when looking for the right personal trainer and look forward to continued success with his help."

James Bishop - Reading

Owner and developer of MAT®, Greg Roskopf, explains the principles behind MAT®

Greg Roskopf MAT1

>>> Further reading about MAT® <<<


So, if you have had deep tissue and sports massages in the past and have been performing lots of stretching but your tightness is not getting any better or maybe even getting worse then contact Ryan for an MAT® treatment now. If you are unsure whether you would benefit best from a sports massage or an MAT® treatment please feel free to call Ryan on 07801 556 778 and he'd be happy to discuss your options.

"I had been suffering from pain in my Achilles tendons, calfs and legs for some time. I was stretching out my muscles after every run but things just seemed to be getting tighter even though I was doing even more stretching! Eventually I had to stop my running due to the pain becoming unbearable. I went to see a physio and they did some deep tissue massage and treatments and gave me some stretches to do for my Achilles and calfs but my symptoms of pain and tightness just didn’t get any better; in fact things seemed to be getting progressively worse! The physio told me that I would have to give up running for good!!

After all that, I was willing to try anything different. I booked an MAT session with Ryan and within this first session I noticed some improvements, less leg pain and not as much tightness. Ryan found lots of muscles around my hips that were not working properly and explained that when muscles are inhibited due to trauma or injury, other muscles tighten up to compensate for the weak ones. This all made so much sense, as I was involved in a terrible motor bike accident about 20 years ago where I suffered serious damage to my leg and ankle so much so that the doctors said I’d never be able to exercise again! Luckily I did manage to eventually get my leg working again so that I could continue to exercise but my body had been compensating for this injury for all these years and things were just tightening up protect these weaknesses from the injury. This is why the stretching and the physio I was having wasn’t working.

I’ve been seeing Ryan once every fought night for about 14 weeks now and during that time I’ve been able to get back to my running at least 3 times a week and can now do so completely without any pain! Thanks to Ryan’s MAT treatments I have eliminated all the weaknesses in my legs which results in me being able to finally do my running pain free.

Thanks Ryan for helping me get back to doing what I love to do – RUN! :)"

Caroline Sowter from Reading

 

What happens before, during & after a sports massage appointment?

The appointment will be conducted in a professional & ethical manner either in a private studio or in your home. Every effort will be made to ensure you feel comfortable and at ease, as relaxation is crucial to effective massage treatment.

An initial assessment will take place, that may examine musculo-skeletal symmetry & range of motion as well as any specialised tests that ensure suitable treatment is given.

During the appointment, appropriate sports massage techniques will be used to maximise the benefit of the appointment. A variety of different massage oils are available to cater for any specific allergies (eg. from nuts). Our therapists are happy to explain the techniques & their benefits during the massage.

Before you leave, you’ll also be advised on appropriate strength & flexibility exercises to compliment your needs and help you achieve improved function, whether it’s prevention or recovery from injury.

Do I need a 30 mins or a 1 hour sports massage?

This depends on the area of your body that you need massaging. If for instance it is just your neck then 30 mins would be enough but if its your back you would need 1 hour as there are more muscles to be massaged. 30 min treatments are only available at the studio, as set up times during home visits require the full hour.

How much does sports massage cost?

Phil Chalmers:

£20 for a half hour Sports Massage - at the studio in Tilehurst, Reading

£40 for a one hour Sports Massage - at the studio in Tilehurst, Reading

£45 + for a one hour Sports Massage - home visit (Price may vary based on your location)

Sadie Lee:

£30 for a half hour Sports Massage - at the studio in Crowthorne

£50 for a one hour Sports Massage - at the studio in Crowthorne

£55 + for a one hour Sports Massage - home visit (Price may vary based on your location)

We accept cash or cheques only and session fees must be settled on the day of treatment. 

How much does an MAT® treatment cost?

Ryan Phillips:

£60 for a one hour off peak MAT® treatment - at Fitness First, Reading

£65 for a one hour peak MAT® treatment - at Fitness First, Reading

(Peak rate is from 6pm onwards Mon-Fri and all day Sat, subject to availability)

What if I wasn't happy with my sports massage?

Please be rest assured that we are 100% confident in our ability to help you, and that you'll be completely happy with your sports massage, so much so that we even offer you a 100% satisfaction guarantee. That's right, if you are not entirely satisfied with our service for whatever reason simply let us know there and then and we won't ask you to pay a penny! Please be aware that in extereme cases of muscle tension or injury, it may take several treatments to make significant improvements, however even in extreme cases you should experience noticeable improvements even after your first treatment. Phil or Sadie will be able to assess your current situation and advise you accordingly. If however you suffer from chronic pain or tightness then an MAT® treatment would be more appropriate. If you are in any doubt please feel free to contact me or call for advice on 07801 556 778

Where are the studios based?

Phil Chalmers: Partridge Drive, Tilehurst, Reading, RG31 4SX 

Sadie Lee:  Bay Cottage, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 6JP

Ryan Phillips: Fitness First, Reading


I still have some unanswered questions?

If you’re at all unsure whether you’ll benefit from sports massage, please feel free to contact us to discuss your circumstances. All discussions will be completely confidential. Click here to submit your questions, queries or concerns.

Book your sports massage or MAT® treatment online now

or for a sports massage today call Ryan on 07801 556 778