Yoga and Massages
Both massage and yoga are practices designed to help the body relax and heal, making them highly complementary. Many people enjoy incorporating one or both into their routine, especially while on holiday.
In Ayurveda, it is common to gently massage the joints, muscles, and other body parts before morning yoga. This practice stimulates blood flow and improves circulation, preparing the body for the day ahead. Conversely, Hatha Yoga practitioners often prefer to self-massage after their practice to avoid slipping from oily palms and feet.
While a massage right before a yoga session can be beneficial, having a massage the day before can also prepare the body for deeper relaxation and flexibility in your practice. By allowing the body time to recover from any lingering tenderness, a massage taken the day prior can still enhance circulation, release muscle tension, and leave you better prepared for your yoga session the next day.
Breath Awareness During Massage: Whether your massage is before or after yoga, paying attention to your breath can amplify its benefits. Deep, slow breathing during a massage helps relax the body, improves oxygen flow, and prepares or reinforces the mind-body connection. This breath awareness carries over into your yoga practice, helping you stay more mindful of tension release and body sensations during poses.
Lymphatic Stimulation: A pre-yoga massage, especially when focusing on gentle strokes, can stimulate the lymphatic system, encouraging the movement of lymph fluid. When followed by yoga poses that encourage lymphatic drainage (such as twists or gentle inversions), this combination can optimise detoxification and improve overall circulation.
Gentle Yoga After A Massage: If you opt for a massage before a yoga session, consider practising gentle restorative yoga rather than vigorous energising sequences. The body may be more receptive to slower, deeper stretches after a massage.
Hydration: It’s crucial to stay well-hydrated before and after both yoga and massage. Hydration helps flush out toxins released during the massage and replenishes the fluids lost during yoga practice, supporting overall recovery.
Use of Essential Oils: In Ayurveda, specific oils such as sesame or coconut oil are often used during massages to balance doshas. Practitioners might want to explore these oils and their effects depending on the season, time of day, or their individual needs.
Body Awareness: Both yoga and massage enhance body awareness. After a massage, practitioners can tune into subtle sensations during yoga practice, observing any areas of the body that feel more open or relaxed.
Before or After?
We typically suggest massage after yoga especially if neither practice is regular for you. After yoga, the body is often more relaxed, with joints and muscles already loosened. This allows you to be more aware of your body's limits, making it easier to gauge and communicate your preferred massage intensity. Stretching during yoga also helps reduce the risk of overstretching or causing discomfort during a massage.
Additionally, after a yoga session, practitioners might feel more connected to their bodies, which can make it easier to identify areas of tension or soreness they want the massage therapist to focus on.
This approach provides a safe, intuitive way for newcomers to ease into the combined experience of yoga and massage without overwhelming the muscles.
Further Reading
Stress Triangle : The First To Get Tense
A Back Strengthening Sequence : Spinal Strength
Our Daily Practice : Balancing The Doshas
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