Fascia training

definition

Fascia are the sheaths of our muscles and consist of connective tissue. Fascia training used to be dismissed as "not necessary" and not taken seriously. According to the latest findings, it is now known that fasciae contribute significantly to our athletic development.
The aim of fascia training is to loosen adhesions in the fascia, to loosen tension in the muscles, to stretch the fascia, to optimize the development of strength and to improve the perception of the muscle receptors.

How do I loosen the fascia?

If the fasciae are stuck together through a training session or several units and pain occurs, the adhesions can be removed with a Fascia roll to solve. By working with the roller, the fibers of the fascia are stimulated to replace old fibers with new ones. In addition to using the fascia roll, you should pay attention to this enough rest breaks in his training plan and to integrate soft dynamic movements into the training.
By using a fascia roller, adhesions and hardening of the fascia can be loosened and the Formation of new fascia fibers is stimulated. The painful, sticky tissue is now processed with a fascia roller. It is important not to roll on bones and joints. The pressure of the roller compresses the tissue and removes the water and lymph fluid. On the one hand, this causes the tissue to tighten, and on the other hand, the pressure massages and kneads the tissue, which slowly relieves tension. The loosening of the glued fasciae not only tightens the tissue, which is an interesting effect especially for women, but also promotes the regeneration of the fasciae, blood circulation and mobility.
In addition to these areas of application, the loosening of the fascia is used in more and more degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Fascia can be loosened through different approaches. The fascia training with a role is also called Fascial release designated. At the Fascial stretching the fascia tissue is stretched through dynamic, slow or fast-springing movements. Rebound elasticity is a method in which the fascia is worked through contractions and counter movements. At the Sensory refinement it is about the self-perception of the tensile stress on the fasciae in the body.

Fascia roll

If you want to buy a fascia roll, you can now choose between many different colors, shapes, degrees of hardness and sizes.
A classic fascia roll is between 30 and 45 centimeters long and has a diameter of fifteen centimeters. With the large selection of different roles, it is easy to lose track of things. The classic shape of a fascia roll is a circular roll with a hole in the middle. The surface of the roll is very smooth and it has no pattern or knobs.
For beginners, it is also recommended to use a softer role at the beginning and not to start directly with the hardest level. More advanced fascia athletes already use harder roles, or roles that are equipped with patterns and grooves.
Grooves, knobs or other patterns on the surface of the roller also give it a massage effect. However, there is not only the classic roll shape as a circular cylinder, but also other shapes with which you can work and train specific muscle groups more effectively. This includes, for example, a so-called double ball, which looks like a short bone. With this bulge in the middle of the double ball, you can massage the lower back and neck particularly effectively and gently. There are similar modifications of the role for the Achilles tendon, the sole of the foot, the calf and, in the form of a ball, also for various trigger points on the body. Individual hardened points in the muscles can be specifically "triggered" with a ball and thereby relieve tension and cramps.
When choosing a role, as a beginner, you should always pay attention to a smooth surface and a rather soft role. A medium-hard role is then already a challenge and is more recommended for advanced athletes. The really hard roles are mostly used by competitive athletes and / or pain-sensitive people.

Read more information at: Blackroll

Exercises

Almost all muscles of the body can be worked with a fascia roller. The rollers are available in different sizes, degrees of hardness and profiles. You should start with softer roles and roll out the desired muscles without encountering structures that are too soft or too firm (bones, joints).
If the fascia of the calves, feet and Achilles tendon are to be trained or loosened, then this is recommended "Elastic Jumps" over a period of about one minute. The jumps should be initiated from the calf and are welcome to be varied and creative. It can be varied, for example, between jumping jacks, alternating jumps and one-leg jumps. When performing, you should make sure that the jumps are as dynamic and gentle as possible, with the ball of the foot playing the decisive role here.
A fascia roller cannot be used for fascia training in the hips and the back of the thighs. Here is one dynamic stretching exercise (see also: stretching) to stretch and loosen the fascia. A chair or table is required as an aid. The starting position is a hip-width stand in front of the back of the chair. The hands are placed on the backrest and the hip joint is directly above the heels. The tailbone points towards the sky and the back is in a horizontal position. Although the legs are slightly bent, a slight stretch should be felt in this position.
Now the right and left knee are alternately stretched to the side and the leg is placed on the heel of the foot, whereby the fasciae in the hip and in the back of the thigh are stretched.
The "Power Shoulders" are an exercise that works with the principle of countermovement. The starting position is standing in front of a wall about one meter away. Now you begin to slowly let yourself fall forward towards the wall and then push yourself off the wall again with your hands, like a push-up. After a certain number of repetitions, the hand or foot position can be varied.
Jumping movements are another form of exercise with which you can loosen and train the fascia. This type of exercise in which explosive jumps and jump variations are performed is called plyometric exercises. These exercises can consist of jumping forwards and sideways, jumping rope or push-ups with a stretch jump (burpees).
Another way to train the fascia is that sensorimotor training in which primarily coordinative exercises play a role. In this form of exercise, the attempt is made to exclude external stimuli (for example, close eyes) and under difficult conditions to improve one's own body awareness and to train the perception of the body and one's own limbs.

Strengthening the abdominal muscles

With fascia training you can also strengthen your abdominal muscles. However, one rule applies when using a fascia roller, it shouldn't be rolled directly on the abdominal muscles, because the organs are located directly under the muscular cover at this point.
An abdominal exercise begins sitting on the floor. The roll is placed above the tailbone and the body only touches the ground with the feet. Otherwise, hands and legs should not be in contact with the ground. The tips of your feet are drawn in and you may feel a little pain in your lumbar spine. This position is held for about a minute, followed by ten exercises Crunchesto tire the muscles even more and to increase the training stimulus.

For more information, see: Abdominal exercises

For which injuries / illnesses can fascia training be used?

With the training of the fasciae you can treat a variety of symptoms and clinical pictures. Back pain are the most common pain in the world and can have different causes. They are often caused by weak muscles, sticky fasciae or poor posture. Training the fasciae can ensure that the pain disappears, the body is tightened and one becomes more flexible again little by little.
After operations or injuries Fascia training is also a good option because this type of training has a similar effect to lymphatic drainage and eliminates the body's breakdown products more quickly.

For more information, see: Exercises for back pain

How often should fascia training be done?

In order to set up a holistic training program, it is best to combine strength, endurance and fascia training. Since many people are already under time pressure during their strength training due to their job and other obligations, athletes are now wondering when and how they should include fascia training in their daily schedule.
Fascia training is not necessary to the extent that it is known from conventional strength training. It is important to use fascia training regularly. Ten minutes per unit are already sufficient to bring about a renewal of the collagen fibers in the fascia for the next 72 hours. People who can invest ten minutes a day will quickly notice better strength development and flexibility, as well as a more stable gait and a more upright posture.
The frequency of use of a fascia roll also depends on the application goal that is being pursued. When it comes to loosening fascia and adhesions / hardening, a ten-minute training session can be completed every day. If the athlete wants to use the training to tighten and strengthen the tissue, an application with the fascia roller every two days is completely sufficient.

Summary

Fascia training is not just a new trend, but a very useful addition to conventional strength and endurance training. Especially the quick and easy application of fascia training, e.g. B. with a fascia roll, make the integration into the "normal" training very easy. Ten minutes a day are enough to see significant progress in training after a certain amount of time.
Fascia training not only increases the flexibility and mobility of the muscles, but can also increase muscular performance. Other areas of application for fascia training are muscle pain, injury prevention and muscle damage.
Furthermore, fascia training ensures optimal regeneration of the muscles after a workout and increases blood circulation in the course of this. The tightening effect of fascia training on muscles and connective tissue leads to an improvement in posture and gait and movement patterns over time and with regular training.
A great advantage of fascia training is that it can be carried out anywhere, and that you do not necessarily need an aid such as a fascia roller, but can do many exercises with your own body. Fascia training is a useful addition to a holistic, health-based training and should be included in the training plan.