MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: WHAT IS IT?

At CaliUnity, we always want to keep ourselves fresh and ready for our workouts, as they

can be intense. We need to make sure our muscles and tissues are prepped and ready for

our upcoming workout, or to promote circulation post workout.

Myofascial release is a great way to warm up, cool down or free up muscles from DOMS

(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) which sounds all well and good, but what is Myofascial

Release?

Let’s start with the Fascia. Fascia is made up of various proteins that coat the entire

muscular system and individual fibres. Imagine it like cling film around the muscles.

Sometimes the fascial tissue can ‘wrinkle up’ or tense up and this process creates excess

collagen, which, without proper stretching and release, can hinder mobility, flexibility and

muscle fibre efficiency. With proper release however, these effects can be mitigated. And

Myofascial care can improve, enhance and mobilise muscle to a greater degree, as well as

helping with our mobility too.

Myofascial Release works on the Fascia across the body in various lines and chains. You can

think of it like programming a workout with push, pull and squat patterns, instead though,

the Fascial lines cross the sides, front and back of the body, with different release tools and

positions we can perform for each line. Myofascial release can be painful at first, as the web

of the fascia is released, just make sure that the pain never goes above a 7 on your pain

scale, and keep up to 2 inches away from any major joints when performing and Myofascial

or Self Myofascial Release.

Now onto the best tools and ways to use them;

1) Foam Roller – The Foam Roller is the fundamental Myofascial Release tool, and one

of the most affordable. It doesn’t matter if your roller has textured rubber, plastic

ridges or is smooth all the way round, as the pressure is applied to it by us and

gravity. The Foam Roller can be used to release all the main fascial lines. Place the

Foam Roller down on the floor and then roll along it, starting by going up the

muscles you want to release slowly with lighter pressure and then work down the

muscles slowly with heavier pressure. Slow and steady wins the race after all. This

also promotes blood flow in the correct way around the circulatory system and strips

back the fascial layers. Think about your workout and which muscle chains you will

be working or have worked and then use the Foam Roller on said muscles. For

example, compound movements, like squats, will need the Functional and Superficial

Front & Back lines as well as the lateral line. We want to roll out the whole body

front and back, working from upper to lower on each side.

2) Tennis Ball – A tennis ball is fantastic tool for Myofascial release and normally

there’s always one lying around the house, making it easily accessible. The tennis

ball can be used for specific focus points where pain or mobility is limited that a

foam roller can’t access as easily. For example, the bicep, or specific or small central

spinal musculature. We can apply pressure against a wall, the floor or just from

holding and rolling the tennis ball. Just think of Myofascial Release like kneading

dough. Don’t overwork it – pain threshold at a maximum of 7, and again, stay 2

inches or so above any major joints.

3) Theragun or a similar massage gun – As sports technology evolves, it tends to

become more accessible to those of us who aren’t elite level athletes. The Theragun

and other products like it, are one such example. Definitely the most expensive item

on our list, but with the speed, precision and power with which they can work

through the Fascial layers, and their portability, is second to none. They can also be

incredibly accurate in terms of which fascia they can release. I train a couple of

clients that swear by the massage guns they use, in both a warmup and cooldown. If

you tend to train with more frequency and are performing to a higher level, one

would definitely worth a look if you feel like splashing the cash.

4) Rolling Pin – The rolling pin is a fantastic tool for working the soles of the feet, and

again can be hand held and pressure can be applied along the quads, shins and

hamstrings, so for the lower body, it’s another great option. Using Myofascial

Release on the soles of the feet is a great tension reliever and can help alleviate

headaches. That’s how incredible, and linked, the fascial lines are.

5) Massage Balls - A slightly more specialist tool, massage balls are an upgrade to the

tennis ball as they have small nodules that stick out meaning you can circle them

clockwise and/or counter clockwise to really work on those small areas.

Myofascial Release is a great way to warm up or cooldown, relieve tension, prevent DOMS

and release fascia to improve flexibility and performance, so what are you waiting for? You

may have most of the kit you need already. YouTube is a great place to start with regards to

technique and movements for each fascial line. So, what are you waiting for? Get stuck in

and feel the benefits! We are more than happy to help and answer any of your questions, so

next time you’re in with us, just let us know and we can show you what’s what!