Fascia Training is a new trend in the fitness world that emphasizes the connective tissues around your muscles rather than focusing solely on the muscles themselves. Before we dive into fascia exercises, let’s first understand what fascia is.
Fascia is a type of connective tissue that runs throughout your entire body, surrounding your muscles, organs, and bones. It’s actually the largest sensory organ in your body, with more surface area than your skin, and it serves four main functions. When it’s healthy, fascia is resilient, allowing you to move flexibly and be more resistant to injuries. However, if your fascia is restricted or impaired, it can cause pain, limited movement, and other issues that interfere with daily activities or exercise.
A well-designed fascia exercise program can help boost both your strength and flexibility, while reducing injuries, pain, and discomfort caused by tight or restricted fascia. You’ve probably seen people at the gym or after workout classes rolling on foam rollers or using rubber balls to massage various body parts. While these methods contribute to fascial health, there’s more to fascia exercise than just that.
There are four main ways to work out your fascia, and a comprehensive fascia exercise program should include elements from all four, taking external factors into consideration as well. Here are the four ways to exercise your fascia:
1. **Stretching:** One popular way to stretch your fascia is through yoga. Almost every yoga pose involves full-body movements, even if they target specific body parts. If you’re not into yoga, Pilates is another great option. Like yoga, Pilates focuses on whole-body movements and balances strength with flexibility, but it emphasizes the core more and offers a challenging workout. For a gentler option, consider Tai Chi.
2. **Dynamic Movements:** Fascia is designed to stretch and spring back, much like a slinky. To strengthen this ability, incorporate dynamic exercises that help your fascia return to its normal length after stretching. Activities like plyometric exercises, skipping, hopping, climbing stairs, or even dancing can train the elastic properties of your fascia, helping to prevent issues like plantar fasciitis. Try adding a dynamic warm-up with high knees, butt kicks, speed skaters, and plyometric push-ups before your workout or dedicate a day just for fascia exercises.
3. **Proprioception:** Proprioception is about knowing where your body is in space and in relation to your environment. Improving this awareness helps your fascia support and communicate better, leading to smoother, more coordinated movements, whether you’re working out or going about your daily tasks. Fascia exercises for proprioception should be done slowly and with control, challenging your balance and stability.
4. **Fascial Release:** This is probably the most well-known form of fascia exercise, commonly done through foam rolling or using other tools for myofascial release. Applying pressure and release helps stimulate lymphatic fluid and metabolic waste removal from the fascia. Foam rolling should be done slowly for myofascial release, while faster rolling can be used as a pre-workout routine to prepare your muscles. For areas you can’t reach or if you prefer not to DIY, consider getting a myofascial massage from a professional.
We’re all unique, so how we move will vary. Focus on how these exercises feel for you rather than comparing yourself to others. Also, pay attention to hydration, as water is essential for keeping your muscles and fascia healthy. Rest and recovery are crucial too, allowing your fascia and muscles to repair and become stronger and more flexible. Nutrition plays a role in connective tissue health as well. Eating a diet low in inflammatory foods and rich in vitamin C and collagen can help your body move better with less pain.
There are many benefits to fascia exercises that will help you both in and out of the gym. Once you start moving better with less pain, you’ll want to keep going.