How To Improve Your Overall Fitness Training Experience

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By Joburg Post

SMFR - Self myofascial release – a form of flexibility training that focuses on the fascial system in the body.

Looking for a way to enhance your overall training experience? Or a method to assist in lactate removal? Or merely a way to ensure less risk of possible injury? A ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions makes this article important reading material to you.

To many informed individuals, carrying a small foam roller or trigger point ball, has become part of the gym bag. Myofascial release is used to release tension but also measure tension/tightness in the muscle. The massaging effect on these tools do away with restrictions in the body’s soft tissue and normal muscle length and balance can be restored. It not only reduces pain and tension but also lead to prevention of possible injury – cumulative injury cycle

 

 

Many top athletes globally use myofascial release before and after training. Many studies have proved how injury gets reduced within sports teams. It is not always possible to have enough masseuses to loosen up an entire team before they train or compete. With SMFR the player gets to know his/her muscle structure much better and with multiple usage the many benefits start paying off.

Some of the benefits of SMFR and corrective flexibility :

• increased circulation to assist in relaxing and ultimately healing muscles


• improvement in muscle/tendon extensibility


• correction in joint function and ROM – range of motion


• releasing muscle tension which allows for correction of muscle length tension rates


• reduction in muscle soreness


• strengthening of the weak/lengthened muscle groups


• improvement in posture and body shape


• increase in dynamic stabilization, function and strength


• encouragement of better breathing

If you are still one of the bodies that have not discovered this amazing self massage, then here are a few helpful starting hints :

• choose a roller that fits your pocket and into your gym bag so it becomes part of your every day routine


• most rollers and trigger point balls are made of a very durable and pliable material. Test it when you buy it cause its yours


• introduce it gradually to your body


• place the roller or ball on or around the muscle groups that are overactive/tight. Roll up/down or across the muscle until a tender point is found. Muscles are three dimensional.


• Stop on this point until discomfort decreases by approx. 75% where pain is felt, stop rolling and rest on the painful area for 20-30 seconds.


• Continue rolling the muscle for more tender points


• Do not roll back and forth on the muscle continuously – this will activate the muscle spindle and cause tightness of that muscle. Resting on the painful areas stimulates the GTO and autogenically inhibits the muscle spindles, reducing muscle tension and pain


• Maintain proper core control by activating abdominals and gluts to provide stability to lumbo-pelvic-hip complex during rolling


• Make use of SMFR before training, before a match or event, after sitting for long periods (in plane or office), after intense lactate build up and for recovery

SMFR is part of a systematic approach to correcting muscle imbalances. If this gets combined with other important components, success will be achieved.

Assess and identify the tight/overactive muscle groups. Then release and stretch those groups with appropriate routine. Lastly strengthen the weak/lengthened muscle groups.

“The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”

 

 

Elsa Storm – Fitness Coach

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