Self myo-fascial recovery is time well spent. Whether you want to warm your muscles up or treat a specific area, it has been shown to help keep your muscles healthy and take pressure off nearby joints. All you need is a lacrosse ball, yoga block and a foam roller for some pretty incredible results.
There are various methods of “rolling” that can be applied depending on the desired outcome. A roll out to warm up for your workout should be done in fluid motions with medium pressure. Non stop, slow motion rolling like this can be done when the muscle is not yet warm. The purpose of this method is to bring blood and circulation to the muscle surface. This is the more common technique you will see, but today, let’s discuss how to recover with deep self myo-fascial release (SMFR).
The painful “lumps” in the tissue you feel when you do a warm up style roll are called anchors, which require deep Myo-Fascial recovery techniques to release. These are areas where the tissue has been injured or over used, and has taken on a plastic state. The intent of deep SMFR is to change plastic fascial texture and quality to a more viscus state. Your muscles should be warm for deep SMFR, so post workout is a great time to apply it. This method goes below the surface fascia, deep into the muscle tissue toward the bone, where many of our injuries have roots. This type of rolling is more painful, but incredibly effective. Sit for 2 or more minutes on a given area and apply a fairly high amount of pressure without moving. This will press the thickened plastic tissue into a thinner, more viscus state, allowing water, blood and energy to get to the area and promote healing. I have attached some videos below where I perform the releases with you. Don’t just watch, get your equipment and do them with me!
Other notes on rolling:
• Roll every day for best results.
• Never roll ON an injury – an acute injury is best left alone for a few days.
• Drink 1/2 your body weight in water every day to deliver hydration to deeper tissue.
• Warm up rolling is fluid, slow and non stop.
• Recovery rolling is deep, still and targeted to the point of pain for at least 2 minutes. Chase the pain and then breathe!
• After rolling, 5 minutes in Recovery Posture is ideal.
To your health,
Coach Michelle
Recovery Releases:
For stiff ankles, try the Anterior Tibialis Release
For a tight low back try Backside 45 or Gluteus Medius Release
For tight Achilles try the Calf Release.
Sore chest and shoulders try the Chest Release or Lat Release or Scapular Release
For knee pain try the IT Band Release or Pes Anserinus Release