Components of Training - Self Myofascial Release

• Why and How

  • With the self care practices there will be times when they are not necessary and times where they are the only thing that should be practiced and every combination in between. I recommend including a bit of each in each session (see "Planning a Training Session" here) or possibly devoting a day or more each week, or a week after each training cycle. Results and requirements will vary depending on the individual.

  • Sometimes its best to put on muscles mass (and bone density) regardless of addressing tension and imbalance with these techniques. In these cases I highly recommend the guidance of a professional.

    • It’s tough to make general recommendations on how much self care is required before focusing on strength training because in my “perfect” world everyone would have time for the ultimate self care and strength routine (or maybe even not need it because life is so perfect) but such is not the case. Your mileage may vary but I would likely recommend becoming not weak, then bringing mobility and balance to your body, THEN becoming strong.

      • Two quotes I like from leader in this industry that relate here are:

      • “Don’t build put on top of dysfunction.” - Gray Cook

      • “Strength is never a weakness, and weakness is never a strength.” - Mark Bell

      • It’s tough to balance these ideas because weakness may be the dysfunction and the only way to improve it is building strength so it may be necessary to go back and forth between building strength and improving balance and mobility. Spend time becoming “not weak” then bring some balance and mobility to your body (where this is necessary will become more apparent during strength training), then build more strength, more balance and mobility, and repeat until dead or sufficiently strong.

  • SMFR will help bring awareness to areas of your body where you are holding tension that may not need to be there anymore. I consider it like a form of self massage and it helps to release that tension as well as promote blood and fluid flow through the muscles.

    • Initially this may be uncomfortable and even painful. If it is painful that’s a sign that you should go a little easier and or use a softer tool. In either case, as you progress through this practice your body will let go of the tension and this practice will become relaxing and even enjoyable.

      • As you continue to progress you will get diminishing returns and while it will still help with blood and fluid flow, other practices will become better uses of your time. How long this takes will vary for every individual.

      • At a certain point this will mostly become a practice of maintenance, something to do before and or after a training session to warm up and or begin the recovery process, as well as address minor “injuries” such as knots in muscles that may develop from lifting weights.

    • Like the breath developing this habit will aid in recovery thus opening up more potential for performance.

      • Tight muscles restrict blood flow which reduces your body’s ability to bring nutrients to those areas and waste out of those areas. This is also true for tightness in your neck and fluid flow in and out of your head and brain. Despite this I do not recommend rushing to “release” all of the tension in your neck right away. It is very possible that tension developed as a compensation for something else happening in your body.

• How and What

  • Can be done before a training session with corrective stretches to help align the body for performance and longevity, after a session to relax the body and promote recovery, and or any other time of the day when time is available.

    • I personally perform MFR on my glutes, hips, sternum/ribs, and sub-occipitals before bed and find I fall asleep much faster when I do

    • This can be overdone and you should not feel excessively sore or tender during or after a MFR session.

      • I have overdone this myself and like having sore muscles from exercise give them a break and then resume at a reduced intensity and build back up much like resistance training.

  • Different approaches start in and emphasize different areas of the body

    • The following are sources that aren’t necessarily MFR but have guided my selection of areas to work

      • Stop Chasing Pain Big 6 from Lymph Mojo and the other SCP Mojos

        • Emphasizes high flow areas of lymphatics and blood

        • The collar bone, the angle of the jaw, between the chest and shoulder, the abdomen and around the navel, the crease of hip and thigh, behind the knees

      • Reflexive Performance Reset/Be Activated

        • A variety of reflex points throughout the body and emphasizing an approach that leads to creating motion starting from the hips and moving out (glutes then hamstrings then calves for triple extension)

    • Sources of information on MFR

      • Rolling Along the Anatomy Trains and Tune-Up Fitness

        • Guides along the Anatomy Trains and provides a variety of techniques for using the Tune-Up fitness MFR balls

        • By guiding through the anatomy trains it becomes evident that many of the trains overlap in the feet and cross in the hips

      • Functional Patterns

        • Emphasis on the muscles around the hips, and shoulders, with attention later in the program on the calves, plantar fascia, the rest of the core, and the sub-occipitals

        • Emphasis on hydration

      • Fascia Flow from Musical Breathwork

        • Emphasizes starting with the feet and working up through the body

    • Where they seem to overlap

      • Hips and feet seem like a common area of focus closely followed by the shoulders and associated musculature, and then the core and occiput

  • My recommended order of priorities based on time required, the potential return on that investment, and the overlap

    • Depending on time allotted and individual injuries and postural compensations my priorities would be:

      • Zone 1 RPR

        • This can be done in less than 1-2 minutes

      • SCP Big 6 (can be found on YouTube and other Stop Chasing Pain online media)

        • This can also be done in less than 1-2 minutes

      • The rest of RPR

        • This can be done in less than 2-3 minutes

      • Deciding between the hips and feet will be personal/professional preference. Listen to your body here.

        • Then dig in to the hips and explore (there’s lots of layers here)

        • Visit the feet and hang out for a while (these muscles get tight and there’s lots of connective tissue)

      • Work your way back up or jump to the shoulders and neck

      • Fill in the gaps and revisit tender areas found in RPR, particularly the diaphragm reset and ribcage/between the ribs.

      • Please listen to your body and rearrange as desired, or extend the time in one area or another, some people’s feet may need more work than their hips, some may hold extra tension in the neck or shoulders, and so on.

  • My “go-to” techniques

    • Find a spot of tension and hold for 2-5 minutes.

      • May choose to “warm up” an area first by rolling gently around the area for a minute or so before settling in on the spot of most tension.

      • May include iso-ramping (from the Functional Range Systems) by slowly isometrically contracting the targeted muscle while inhaling and then doubling the length of the exhale while releasing the contraction. Repeat.

      • May also include Oxygen Advantage Recovery breathing and or “Breathe Light” exercises to increase blood flow and relax the nervous system.

      • May also move joints around the targeted tissue with emphasis on rotational movements unless moving the spine then emphasizing moving into flexion and extension.

        • CARs and capsule CARs provide great examples of movements that can be done during MFR.

        • I try to move to my end range of motion and feel the targeted tissue work. Then continue to do end range isometrics (PAILs and RAILs) focusing on both the target area and the possible antagonist muscles. Contracting the antagonist muscle (example: biceps and triceps) helps by taking advantage of reciprocal inhibition.

        • Reciprocal Inhibition refers to the fact that one muscle will (usually) while it’s antagonist is contracting

        • For example the triceps will relax while the bicep is contracting during a bicep curl otherwise your arm wouldn’t move

        • By contracting the antagonistic muscle, the muscle/tissue your are targeting will be more likely to relax

    • Other techniques consist mostly of massaging the area with the MFR tool with varying amounts of pressure and time, as well as the direction of force

  • Tools

    • Can be as simple and affordable as a tennis ball or a lacrosse ball depending on the pressure required and tolerated or a PVC pipe or basketball for larger or more sensitive areas

    • There are also MANY different tools available for sale. I have used many and would recommend the Rollga Foam Roller and the Tune-Up Fitness Therapy Balls, Alpha Ball, and Corgeous Ball. I am not affiliated with them at the time of writing this, I’m just a fan of their products.