Rollers and balls can be used to release fascia and improve your 'irrigation' (as I talked about yesterday - Here's Where We Start With Fascia). But before you grab a hard ball or roller and start pummelling away at your fascia, let me help you understand how to respect your fascia by sharing a few of its likes and dislikes.
Fascia likes slow. It requires patience to work with your fascia. Less is most definitely more, and slow slow slow is the way to go! That means slowly in terms of the work that you are doing at the time, and slowly in terms of making it a long term project. You can get wonderful relief quickly from fascia release, but remember that the whole body is connected and adjustments in one place will have effects elsewhere, so you may become aware of others areas needing treated once you start the process. Trust me it will be worth it!
Fascia likes a smooth move. Once you make an initial connection with your fascia then keep hold of the connection and work smoothly in the direction you are taking it. So, if you are for instance using a roller then keep working smoothly in that one direction, not changing about and lifting the connection off and back on again. Make decisive moves each time you roll, confident, yet caring.
Fascia likes consistency. Keep a consistent pace and pressure if you can. If you find the pressure becomes painful then back off gradually, but keep the connection. Similarly, you may find that you naturally get a little faster as you roll, but make any changes in pace gradual.
Fascia likes soft! I wince when I see people rolling their legs or feet with a hard blue roller or a golf / hockey ball, grimacing and gritting their teeth (possibly even priding themselves in their ability to bear it). Soft is the way to go! Soft rollers, soft tennis balls, soft squash balls. More powerful than you can imagine. If you make a slow smooth consistent connection with something soft then your fascia will respond!
Fascia doesn't like pain. Refer back to my wincing at folks rollering themselves to a pulp! Pain is fascia telling you that what you're doing is not what it needs! Our culture has a tendency to view that if we can't feel it then it can't be doing anything, or that we must work through pain. Not when it comes to fascia! Many believe (myself included) that fascia is a physical representation of our overall belief system. What better way to challenge your core beliefs by trying a pain free approach and being open to what changes can actually be made this way!
Fascia doesn't like surprises. Refer back to consistency and smoothness. Fascia likes to be approached considerately and given time and space to release and make changes. If you jump in quick, press hard suddenly, prod, poke, make sudden movements, change direction etc etc, your fascia is going to lose its 'thought process'. For your fascia its like being in meditation and then quickly jolted out of it. Its just a no no!
Approach your fascia like ice cream. Good quality creamy ice cream has that firmness but softness to it when it comes out of the freezer. When you put the spoon or scoop in, you make that first connection and then you glide through the ice cream - with just enough pressure to determine the direction, but in some way the ice cream is already guiding you through it. Give your fascia the same respect you would give good quality (organic!) delicious ice cream! Savour it, let it melt, enjoy and don't overdo it!
With this list of essential guidelines now at your finger tips then try rolling!
The best rollers to use for releasing fascia, are soft white rollers, or even better are soft springy rollers (a little like swimming 'noodles' that are often used in aqua classes, or with children). With the right roller you can work throughout your body and roll away the larger areas of tissue. For example you can sit on a roller and roll down the back of your legs, or your calves, or the tissue on each side of your waist, or your arms, even your neck and back of your skull.
Soft balls are better for 'nooks and crannies'. The best soft balls are cheap tennis balls (and I do mean the cheap ones, as these ones are softer and more pliable) or squash balls. Smooth is better than spiky as it keeps a consistent pressure almost moving the fascia like a wave. You can use these on feet, hands, shoulder blades.
One of the best places to go to learn what and how to do this, is the monthly fascia workshops held by Improve With Pilates in Stirling. Kirsty hold these 2 hour workshops monthly and guides you through your whole body. It's a total treat for the body - even better than ice cream!
Til tomorrow..... :-)
CT :-) x
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