Massage treatments are by no means a modern practice. The technique has been traced back to ancient Chinese and Egyptian cultures as early as 2700 BC and legend has it Julius Caesar was rather partial to the occasional massage. The word itself comes from the Greek word 'masso' meaning "to handle, touch or work with the hands to knead dough".

There's a reason massage therapy is still hugely popular today. In fact, there are multiple reasons, which we'll go into in more detail below, but in a nutshell, massages are used to treat stress and pain and who wouldn't want that?

But the big question is whether it's best to get a massage before or after a workout? Let's take a closer look.

BENEFITS OF A PRE-WORKOUT MASSAGE

Getting a massage before working out allows the muscles to get warmed up and stretched out so you're more flexible. It also helps get you in the right frame of mind to work out.

A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that the psychological benefits of a pre-workout massage, including reduced stress, tension, and anxiety, leaves you relaxed and focused to get the most from your workout.

The key thing to bear in mind is that the massage should be gentle with light strokes and not deep tissue, which, pre-workout, can cause muscle soreness and tightness.

BENEFITS OF A POST-WORKOUT MASSAGE

Receiving a massage once you've finished working out helps reduce muscle soreness by reducing inflammation and reduces your recovery time by speeding up cell recovery.

The key thing to bear in mind is that the massage should take place as soon as possible after exercising. According to a study in the Journal of Athletic Training this can reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMs) by a massive 30%.

So there you have it. The answer is there are huge benefits to having a massage both before and after a workout, just be sure to get the right type of massage to set your body up for success.

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN GET A MASSAGE AT PURE FITNESS?

Enjoying a massage doesn’t have to break the bank or involve going to a spa. We have hydro sports massage chairs available at Pure Fitness so you can train and relax like a pro.

Rather than standard mechanical chairs, our new state of the art massage chairs use heated water to apply pressure, at a level you chose, where you want it. So whether you want to warm up to work out, recover afterwards or simply relax, they're the next best thing to a physical massage.

Just five minutes in the chairs will help:

• Relieve stress
• Ease muscle soreness
• Lower blood pressure
• Boost energy

If you'd like to enjoy unlimited use of the massage chairs whenever you want, simply upgrade to Plus.

As a Plus member, you'll also get these fantastic benefits:

• Instructor-led classes
• Bring a guest 4 times a month
• Unlimited sports water
• Freeze your membership for up to 3 months at no additional cost

Upgrading to Plus couldn't be easier. Simply log into the Members' Area, click the 'Manage your memberships' tab and select the upgrade your membership option. Then, when you next come in, simply use your PIN to activate the massage chair…and relax!

As to whether you have a massage before or after a work out, well, that's up to you!