IOL Strength and Conditioning

Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA

If you’re not stretching your fascia, you’re not really stretching.

How would you like to…

•    Increase coordination?
•    Reduce muscle tension?
•    Increase Range of motion?
•    Prevent injuries?
•    Improve posture?
•    Develop body awareness?
•    Heal from chronic pain?

The good news is…..YOU CAN!

If you exercise regularly, you are considered an athlete, and as such, you must follow certain guidelines to enhance performance and prevent injury. One of the most important missing components for many athletes is regular stretching, but not just any type of stretching—not the type you are probably used to seeing or are perhaps even doing. Most athletes who stretch usually do so ineffectively, performing the same old-style stretching exercises most coaches have used and fitness magazines have promoted for decades.

These programs often consist of holding the familiar boring positions to stretch the groin, hamstrings, hip flexors and low back at the same intensity and for the same duration, day in and day out, regardless of the sport or activities the athlete will engage in during that day. These athletes are likely to be worse than they would have been if they hadn’t stretched at all! Why? When stretched for too long, muscles will inherently tighten up as a self-protective mechanism. They are protecting themselves from potential tearing and injury. Unless you learn how to bypass this protective mechanism, your body will never allow an increase in flexibility.

So what then is the secret? FASCIA.

Fascia is the most overlooked system in the human body when it comes to rehabilitation, pre-habilitation, and the recovery phase of athletics or injury. Fascia is the missing element to unleashing our athletic and healing potential.

The traditional medical system treats every system other than the fascial system when an athlete gets injured or when treating chronic pain. Although there are several forms of work that specifically address fascia, most people are unaware of the different types of fascial work that can be done to facilitate healing, optimize performance and provide the answers to many questions when it comes to dealing with chronic pain.

What is Fascia?

Fascia is a specialized connective tissue system that plays a critical role in the support of the body. Fascia is a very dense tissue that envelops every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as all of our internal organs. It’s an intricate, 3-D web supporting the organs and joints from head to toe, as it acts as a shock absorber to the body.

The fascial system is actually one structure that exists from head to toe without interruption. When there is tightening or restriction in one place, we can feel pain and dysfunction in another seemingly unrelated location.

Most people stretch a painful area and experience little lasting results while neglecting to stretch the actual site of dysfunction. Always stretching and never improving! Sound familiar? The secret is learning the most effective system of fascial stretching.

How do you stretch fascia?

A.    Myofascial release with foam rolling
B.    Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) with ropes and bands
C.    Dynamic movement prep

Foam rolling is a technique of self-myofascial release using body movements rolling on a compressed foam tube. It is a type of deep tissue massage during which we can stretch all the fascial lines. Athletes will notice a significant and profound improvement in tissue elasticity—how the muscles move—in just a few sessions. Foam rolling is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stretch.

Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) uses the principle of multiple repetitions holding stretches for no longer than two second with assistance from ropes or bands. It works muscles, joints, ligaments and soft tissue. There is no need for a partner, thus making it easy to actively stretch difficult-to-reach muscles. Just a few sessions of AIS is equal to weeks of old-school stretch-and-hold programs. Technique is of key importance; taking a class or lessons is highly recommended.

Dynamic Prep teaches our muscles how to move and hold the new length of stretched muscle, preventing the body from getting stiff and returning to a pre-stretch tightness. Athletics and fitness is all about proper movement, and dynamic prep ensures that the body has optimal healing and restorative power before, during and after workouts.

Let’s take a closer look at active isolated stretching.

Created by Aaron Mattes, AIS is based on the principle of Reciprocal Inhibition, which states when you contract one muscle, an opposing muscle will relax. When this occurs, we have an opportunity for a more effective stretch of the relaxed muscle.

In AIS, we hold the stretch for a maximum of two seconds to prevent the stretch reflex from occurring. This reflex occurs when a muscle is stretched for too long and too hard—the nervous system actually tightens up that muscle in anticipation of an injury. In reality, the muscle becomes tighter, not more flexible.

We do 10 two-second repetitions per movement.

What are the top benefits to AIS stretching?

•    Promotes muscle and tendon growth by increasing nutrition and oxygenation to the tissues
•    Helps eliminate metabolic waste from cells by stimulating and pumping the lymphatic drainage system
•    Increases muscle health and elasticity so you burn more body fat and become symmetrical
•    Breaks down fascial gluing between the muscles. (See website for more info on fascia)
•    Breaks down fibrotic scar tissue adhesions and reduces inflammation.
•    Realigns collagen fiber matrix in muscle and fascia, the building blocks of soft tissue
•    Reduces muscle spasm and functional tightness
•    Reduces the risk of muscle strains and tearing
•    Increases recovery and regeneration between workouts so you can train longer and more frequently while reducing the risk of overtraining
•    Increases peak performance and response time for movement, prolonging your athletic career.

I recommend rope stretching prior to every workout session as part of the warm-up. It takes just five minutes and can make you feel incredible. It takes a little practice, but just like everything in life, the more you stick with it, the better you will get. To learn more, purchase the book Active Isolated Stretching by Aaron Mattes.

Every one of my clients learns the rope technique. The change in hip movement and function can be astounding.

Check out my videos on YouTube to see more stretches,channel name njlaserdoctor.

Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA
www.stopchasingpain.com