Cupping Therapy
by Bailey Dawn on April 22, 2022I remember laying on the beach with my fellow figure competitor bestie. We made a much needed trip to the OBX from Columbus, Ohio, driving overnight and arriving early in the morning.
Eager to put on our bikini’s and soak up that Vitamin D, I freaked out to see disturbing dark purple marks going down both sides of her spine.
“What the heck happened to you!?”
“Oh, a therapist friend was practicing cupping therapy on me.”
It was so dark, and my ignorant mind could only manage to say, “That can’t be good for you!”
But I just didn’t know, yet.
Cupping Therapy Used on Olympians
I saw those same marks again on Michael Phelps as he completely dominated the Olympics smashing some records. The announcers spoke briefly of cupping that he supposedly used religiously for his performance.
So I started researching and gaining experience in cupping.
Professional athletes from around the world embrace this alternative therapy, and although the marks may look disturbing, the feeling isn’t as intense as it looks.
Physiology and Cupping Therapy
Between your muscles and your layer of skin, you have a layer called fascia. It’s very much overlooked, yet can be responsible to pain, tightness, and stiffness over your body. We often think we have sore traps, tight lower back, stiff thoracic area… but it’s worth a try to see if fascia is what is holding you back.
Fascia is a layer of connective tissue covering your entire body. The best visual for it, is thinking of it like plastic wrap stretched over a bowl. Sometimes your ‘plastic wrap’ is so tightly stretched over your body, the blood can’t properly circulate, or the muscles can’t properly move or glide like they are supposed to. This tight ‘plastic wrap’ inhibits movement and recovery, thus affecting your performance.
When the glass or silicone cups are applied to your skin, the suction pulls the skin within the cup where it can remain there, or use a gliding technique where you move the cups while gliding on the skin. The skin is pulled away from the fascia, inviting fresh blood flow to the tissue that speed up recovery and help with overall physical performance.
Bailey Dawn
High-Performance Coach
Licensed Massage Therapist
2 Sport National Athlete
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I’m an author, athlete, entrepreneur, mom, and wife. I love helping people live their best life and get three times more done in half the time! I obsess over how to juggle it all while being balanced and not burnt out. Trust me, I’ve already been there! So I live it, teach it, lead events, and write about it so you can do it too. I even show you how to simplify training and nutrition.