Cheers to Muscle Tears!

In order to really understand the impact you can have on keeping your body fit, it’s important to understand how it works. As massage therapists, we are geeks when it comes to the structure and function of the human body. However, our patients often have limited knowledge about just what is happening. In our mission to help you to ‘Feel Better’, we not only provide you with excellent bodywork, but also with some education, so you can be in more control of your wellness.

One of the biggest misnomers is that when we go to the gym, we are building our muscles. The fact of the matter is that what we are REALLY doing is tearing them down. Every time you place increased stress on your muscles, you’re causing micro tears in the connective tissue. The result of this is a response from your immune system to send in the troops to repair the problem and essentially make the muscle stronger so it can handle the demand on it the next time.

Recently, as I was ‘geeking out’, I came across a fantastic video that illustrates my point and provides the viewer with a clear understanding of the muscle building process and the importance behind why we should constantly be ‘tearing’ our muscles.