Self-Myofascial Release
SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE
Hey SoulShiners! Every morning before leaving the house I run through a series of stretches and self-myofascial releases (also known as SMR). I foam roll my glutes and back and then hang out for a bit on my neck. I then flip and roll my quads for a sec. After that I use a lacrosse ball to target my low back and feet and then move onto my stretches, moving my bod through it’s morning time full range of motion. Sounds like a lot but I’ve been doing this series for a long time now and so I have it down to about 5 minutes. I don’t feel ready for my day until I’ve completed these exercises and I am absolutely positive that my body is better off because of it. Read on to learn about SMR and why you should incorporate it into your wellness plan, if you haven’t done so already.
WHAT IS SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE?
Self-myofascial release (SMR) may sound complex and technical, but it is really a very simple concept. The term myofascial refers to muscles and the fascia that surrounds them; the prefix myo means muscle. Therefore, SMR is a massage technique of applying sustained pressure to an area of myofascial tissue that contains restrictions, tightness, inflexibility, adhesions, knots, scar tissue, or lacks proper movement. The sustained pressure stimulates circulation to the area, reduces pressure buildup from sluggish blood flow and toxins, and improves tissue elasticity and suppleness.
BENEFITS OF SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE?
Massaging the myofascial structures affected by the most common musculoskeletal imbalances has been shown to do the following:
*Increases circulation, enabling oxygen and other nutrients to reach vital tissues, muscles, and organs
*Increases joint flexibility, preparing joins for the increased range of movement and load that accompanies stretching and strengthening exercises
*Reduces adhesions and scar tissue and improves the elasticity of muscles and other soft tissues
*Aids in the reduction of delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS)
*Eliminates stored tension in muscles
*Releases endorphins to help reduce pain
*Relieves mental stress
TYPES OF SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE
There are two kinds of SMR techniques: general and specific. Both are very effective for rejuvenating and regenerating muscles affected by musculoskeletal imbalances. General SMR techniques are those that affect large areas of the body. Foam Rollers are ideal for this type of massage, targeting large areas of the body at once. Specific SMR techniques target individual muscles and precise trigger points in a muscle or area of fascia. These more exacting forms of self-massage usually require the use of sustained pressure on a specific part of the body to help restore movement and elasticity to individual muscles and fascia. Specific SMR techniques use massage tools with smaller surface area such as golf balls, lacrosse balls, and baseballs.
Click this link for lacrosse ball SMR exercises:
https://inertiaphysio.ca/trigger-point-release-self-treatment-with-a-lacrosse-ball/
Click on this one for a SMR 10 minute foam rolling video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9DC6jcAvss
SoulShine Schedule for this week: Please take a moment to sign up for your classes. On Friday I will be gifting all of my lovely SoulShiners a ’Twas The Night Before Christmas HIIT class because I LOVE you!!! Please lock in that class as there will only be 10 in-person spots. Unlimited space for Zoomers! :):)
Monday: HIIT @ The Little Theater and on Zoom - 8:15-9:15 am
Tuesday: HYF @ The Little Theater and on Zoom - 8:15-9:15 am
Thursday: PiYo @ The Athletic Club - 12-1 pm
Friday: I love you HIIT class @ The Little Theater and on Zoom - 8:15-9:15 am
Roll it, roll it,
Jode xo
Super duper helpful reference on this one: The BioMechanics Method :)
