Sports Massage vs Active Recovery – Which Works Best?

Sports Massage vs Active Recovery: The Truth About What Actually Works

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Recovery is one of the most misunderstood aspects of training. Clients often ask me whether a sports massage or an active recovery day is better. The answer? It depends on what you’re recovering from and how intense your training is.

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1. Sports Massage – Deep Tissue Restoration

‍Sports massage works by improving circulation, breaking down adhesions, and reducing muscle stiffness. A 2022 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed regular massage can decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness by up to 30%. In practice, it keeps you training consistently, especially during strength or hypertrophy phases.

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2. Active Recovery – Light Movement, Big Benefit

‍Low-intensity movement - cycling, mobility drills, or even a long walk - helps flush metabolites from hard sessions. It doesn’t replace massage, but it’s excellent between sessions for keeping tissue supple and joints mobile.

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3. When to Use Each

• Sports Massage: every 3–4 weeks during heavy phases, or after deloads to reset tissue health.
• Active Recovery: 1–2 times weekly on non-training days to improve circulation and prevent stiffness.

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Final Thoughts

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Both approaches work best together.
That’s why many of my clients combine private training and sports massage sessions under one roof at Core Fitness it’s the most efficient way to train hard, recover properly, and keep progressing.

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📍 Core Fitness Personal Training Studio – Sports Massage and Private PT in Leeds city centre.

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Read more about my approach to one-to-one coaching on the Personal Training Leeds page.

Check out the Top 5 Benefits of Personal Training in Leeds and why it could change your approach to fitness.

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Want to book in for a sports massage in Leeds?

For more information check out my sports massage page here:

Sports Massage Leeds - At Core Fitness Personal Training in Leeds city centre

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