A young entrepreneur from Portadown has put her passion for fitness and wellbeing into the opening of her first business.
Always having a strong interest in the world of fitness, 19-year-old Rebecca Anderson, is currently studying a course in Personal Training and Gym Instructing at Armagh SRC alongside the opening of her new business, Sports Massage RA.
After completing a previous fitness course in SRC, it was the sports massage module that Rebecca found a deep interest in. Feeling like she wanted to expand more in the masseuse end she decided to join the Personal training and Gym Instructing course which combined all her favourite things.
This summer, she also completed an intense crash course on sports massage in Newry SRC to help further her knowledge and is now a fully qualified Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist and additionally, received training in First Aid.
An avid rugby player her whole life, Rebecca is currently struggling with an ongoing injury and has hung up her rugby boots for the foreseeable but she is focusing on strength training and conditioning with the hope of returning to the pitch soon.
Speaking to Armagh I, she said: “I have had injuries myself over the years, I have played rugby my whole life and have regularly received sports massages and treatments. and they have always helped aid my recovery quicker. My background and interest in sports made me really want to go into a role incorporating sports and helping others.”
With a strong educational background now built, it was time to put her knowledge to use! On October 1, Rebecca opened the doors to her new business Sports Massage RA, located in a unique shepherd’s hut in Richhill.
At Sports Massage RA, services offered include: Sports massage deep tissue, pre, maintenance and post massages. Three different sessions are also available depending on your desired length of treatment: half an hour, 45 minutes and hour long sessions.
Each appointment starts with a consultation to assess where your discomfort is, how this pain came about and what level of pressure will work best to treat your pain. In this time, any new client will also fill out a medical form. If you are slightly nervous going into your first appointment, Rebecca assures that she will work to your comfort.
A sports massage can help you reset your body and mind, with Rebecca claiming there are many benefits to regular sports massages which include: reduces stress and muscle tension, improves circulation and flexibility, aids recovery, prevents injury, helps posture, boosts recovery, helps mindset and helps enhance performance.
With a strong, return client base built up already, Rebecca would like to highlight that it is not just athletes she treats.
“People assume that you have to be playing sport to get a sports massage but that’s not the case. Most people come for general tension, I treat a lot of people who work in offices and are sitting hunched over at a desk all day and find the massages release the tension.”
For sports massages, every person is different, depending on your training load, recovery goals, and lifestyle. For some, one session is enough to release the pressure but others may require a few sessions to fully relieve the pain. Rebecca also recommends regular maintenance massages to keep any long-term pain away.
Rebecca’s dream doesn’t stop at her hut, with the hope to build on her experience and knowledge and to one day open a recovery centre to offer the ultimate recovery and reset package.
And now is the perfect time to relax your body and mind with an exclusive Black Friday offer. Running from today (Thursday, November 27) until Monday, December 1, any appointments booked between these dates will receive £5 off any treatments in December, January and February [£10 deposit required upon booking].
Gift vouchers are also available to purchase in the hut- the perfect gift this Christmas season!
For more information, click here to follow RA Sports Massage on Facebook
