The Muscle Inn, Sports & Holistic Massage

04/12/2025

🙌🏻 Huge thanks to everyone who has supported my small business since reopening in Erskine.
🤝 Over the last 3 months I have welcomed so many new clients over the door here at The Muscle Inn, all with different muscular aches & pains but all with the same goal - to increase mobility, decrease pain and get back to the level of activities they enjoy! Whether that’s competing at Hyrox or simply being able to climb a set of stairs. It’s all relative 👌🏻

🗓️ Limited availability before New Year and no appointments left before 23rd December.

25/11/2025

Absolutely this 💯

Training🏋🏻 + Recovery🧘🏻 = Progress

Take rest days 😴
or risk injured days 🤕

Too often, we focus only on the stress the lifts, the steps, the miles thinking that effort alone builds strength. But without recovery, all we do is accumulate fatigue. Muscles tighten. Joints ache. Motivation fades. Strength stagnates.

For older adults especially, recovery isn’t optional it’s the bridge between today’s effort and tomorrow’s capability. Sleep, rest, mobility work, and intentional deloads aren’t signs of weakness.
They are the tools that allow your body to adapt, grow stronger, and stay resilient.

Every workout is a seed.
Recovery is the sunlight and water.
Together, they grow a body that can lift grandchildren, hike trails, carry groceries, and move freely decades into the future. Strength is about preserving independence, vitality, and freedom for the years ahead.

23/11/2025

SUNDAY MUSINGS ......

💭 Why do you feel a sense of calm after therapeutic massage?

🧠 Well, there is a mix of biological, neurological, and psychological effects during a massage treatment. Safe, therapeutic touch creates a sense of safety, comfort and emotional calm, thereby reducing the negative effects of stress and feelings of isolation.

👀 So what is happening inside your body?
Here are my Top 5 Takeaways:

1. 🧘‍♀️Activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System.
Massage stimulates pressure receptors just under the skin, which signals the brain to shift from stress or "fight or flight" mode (sympathetic nervous system) to relaxation or "rest & digest" mode (parasympathetic nervous system). This slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and creates a deep sense of calm.

2. 🤸‍♂️ Releases a DOSE of “feel-good” chemical messengers such as:
Dopamine – boosts feelings of motivation, concentration and comfort
Oxytocin - sometimes called the “bonding hormone” and can create a feeling of emotional calm.
Serotonin – stabilizes mood, helps sleep patterns and promotes relaxation and digestion (rest & digest)
Endorphins – natural pain relievers that can also help with inflammation and boost your immune system.
At the same time, it decreases the negative effects of Cortisol, the stress hormone which affects sleep patterns, weight gain, mood changes (anxiety), motivation and brain fog.

3. ⚡ Decreased muscle tension.
Muscles hold tension from stress, posture, and overuse. During massage, localised blood flow and lymphatic drainage can improve, nerves stop sending “stress” signals, muscle fibres relax, joints feel looser and perception of pain can decrease.

4. 😌 Deep diaphragm breathing.
Most people naturally begin breathing more slowly and deeply during a massage. This increases oxygen exchange, calms the mind and helps regulate the nervous system.

5.🌱 Mind–body connection.
Lying still in a quiet environment encourages mindfulness. The brain gets a break from multitasking, which adds to the feeling of peace afterward.

🤼‍♀ So if you are busy being stuck in "fight or flight" mode, give yourself a DOSE of those helpful neurotransmitters and kick Cortisol into touch ✌

💆🏻‍♀️You'll immediately feel the benefits of "rest & digest" mode with a therapeutic massage!

Don't believe me? come try it!

image credit

19/11/2025

Another day finished in The Muscle Inn
💆🏻
Today’s menu included questions about why people think they really have Knots in their muscles.

What a Knot is NOT 🪢
Not an actual “tangled” muscle fibre
Not scar tissue
Not a “clump” of lactic acid

What a Knot IS 🔬
Localised patch of microscopic muscle fibres stuck in contraction (sarcomeres).
Often caused by static posture, tissue overload, micro trauma or high stress levels, leading to pain nerve sensitisation (nociception) within the muscle.

It’s essentially like a tiny cramp ⚡️

Mobility, strengthening/ stretching, and of course massage can help 👌🏻

This alongside managing your stress levels, adequate fuel (nutrition & hydration) and always good quality sleep will help reduce the knots which of course aren’t knots at all!

🤸🏼 🏋️‍♂️ 💆🏻‍♀️ 🥕 💧 ⛽️ 🛌
The perfect menu choices for healthy knot-free muscles! 📖 🤓

18/11/2025

This is why our massage courses are taught 100% face to face 🙌🏻

Anatomical knowledge is powerful but all therapists need to able to transfer that knowledge to practical techniques in an effective and safe manner.

11/11/2025

🎄 Is it too early to mention the “C” word?

📝 If you’re writing a list, checking it twice, trying to work out who’s naughty or nice?

🤶🏼 let me help!

💆🏻‍♀️ Why not get your nearest & dearest the gift of a wonderful massage.

🖊️ Gift Vouchers available now.

11/11/2025

🧑🏼‍🎓 Whether I’m teaching students on my massage courses or talking to clients about which muscles make the body move in a particular way, I always try to explain it in a way that they’ll understand and learn to appreciate the amazing mechanics of the body! 💪🏻
And of course how it can “malfunction” sometimes! 🔧 🥴
For those who have listened to my comparison of the 4 rotator cuff muscles to a breakfast pack 🥓 🍳 🥞 …. you’ll know how carried away I can get 🤓🤩

03/11/2025

I may not live in The ‘Shire any more but MSK NHS Ayrshire & Arran regularly share really useful information.

It’s stress awareness week and this post shares a useful graphic showing -
🚩 symptoms of stress
🏁 consequences of chronic stress
👀 changes you may notice in friends or family or YOU! 🫵🏻

💭 some tips to combat stress and increase your capacity to cope include :-
☕️ connection with others
👂🏻 take up the offer of a friendly ear
🍂 a walk in nature
🎧 listen to your fav tunes
🛀🏼 a warm bath
🧘🏼‍♀️ deep breath work
😆 even a hearty belly laugh
AND OF COURSE, MY FAV….
💆🏻‍♀️ a relaxation massage

All of these can help reduce your cortisol levels and bring a sense of calm to your nervous system ⚖️ 🧠 ☮️

😩 If you or someone close to you is feeling more stressed than usual, try some of the top tips 👌🏻 or get in touch with me here at The Muscle Inn and get booked in for a de-stress, full body, hot stones, massage!

🎁 Gift Vouchers available for the ideal Christmas present 🎁

This week is stress awareness week 2025. This year's theme is "Lead with Love" ❤

Let’s talk about pain and stress – because they’re more connected than you might think.

Ever noticed how your pain feels worse when you’re stressed out? That’s not just in your head. Stress can actually turn the volume up on pain. And when you’re living with persistent pain, it’s no surprise that stress levels go up too. It’s a bit of a vicious cycle.

But here’s the thing:
You can do something about it.
🧘‍♀️ A few deep breaths.
🚶‍♂️ A short walk.
🎧 A calming playlist.
🗣️ A chat with someone who gets it.

These small things can help calm your nervous system and give your body a break from that constant “fight or flight” mode.

You don’t have to push through or pretend it’s fine.

You’re not alone—and your pain is valid.

Let’s start with kindness—to your body and your mind. 💛

What might you do this week to lead with love for you and your pain?

30/10/2025

👻 BOO 👻

Skeletons might be scary 💀
but the nervous system⚡️is next level scary 😱

Take care out there tomorrow! 🫣 🌒
🎃 Happy Halloween 🎃

29/10/2025

🤌🏻