Tag Archives: fascia

Day 4 – The Tiny Conductor

Posted on May 4, 2016 | Leave a comment

I don’t know why my forearms are always sore, but I think it has something to do with barbells, pull-up bars, rings, ropes, kettlebells, dumbbells and jiu-jitsu…basically everything I do. So this is my first move when I roll out my forearms. It’s easy. You take a Yoga Tune Up® therapy ball and place it on your forearm and lean against a wall. I move around until I find a gnarly knot and then I put my weight into it because I want to Ball Fucking Harder. Breathe deeply and apply pressure. Then to really take things to the next level, I move my wrist like a tiny conductor. This pin and stretch technique is totally legit. You will love it.

Check in and check out with either the front rack or the overhead position. This technique will feed slack into your shoulders and wrists and will help alleviate some elbow and wrist pain. Roll for at least two minutes on each side.

The rules for the Ball Fucking Harder Challenge are easy. First, I recommend getting some Yoga Tune Up® balls to roll on. All you have to do is post a pic or video of yourself doing the technique and tag me (@coachpanda). Use the hashtags #ballfuckingharder #30daypandachallenge #supplepandas #pandiculation. The challenge is even better when you share it with friends so tag your friends to play along.

The Tiny Conductor from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

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Day 3 – The Childproof Lid

Posted on May 3, 2016 | Leave a comment

If you do CrossFit, then your hands are going to get quite a workout. We use our grip constantly, but how often do we take care of our hands? Most people just wait until their hands rip and then put some lotion on them. That’s not enough. The fascia in your hands is beat up. You need to resuscitate your hands with this awesome technique.

Use a small Yoga Tune Up® classic ball and place it on the floor. Kneel down and interlace one hand over the other like you’re about to give chest compressions in CPR class. With straight elbows, lean your weight straight down on the ball and then twist your hand back and forth like you’re trying to open a childproof lid on a prescription bottle. This move creates a lot of sheer force on the fascia and brings a ton of blood flow to the hands. It will release all the tension you have stored up in your hands and feed slack all the way up to your shoulders. Get the entire surface of each palm and spend at least 2 minutes per hand.

Check in and check out with either your front rack or your overhead position. You should notice a dramatic improvement. In fact, check out the difference after only rolling one hand and you should see a visible improvement compared to the unrolled side.

The rules for the Ball Fucking Harder Challenge are easy. First, I recommend getting some Yoga Tune Up® balls to roll on. All you have to do is post a pic or video of yourself doing the technique and tag me (@coachpanda). Use the hashtags #ballfuckingharder #30daypandachallenge #supplepandas #pandiculation. The challenge is even better when you share it with friends so tag your friends to play along.

The Childproof Lid from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

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The Curse of Corduroy Pillows

Posted on March 14, 2014 | Leave a comment

Have you heard about the new corduroy pillows? They’re making headlines!

Get it?

Terrible joke, but it got me thinking. What are we doing to ourselves and our bodies every day? Have you ever taken off your socks and underwear to find that they have left a mark on your skin. The ghost of their elastic bands tattoo themselves on your skin. Since it is something we witness every day, it is easy to dismiss and leave relatively unnoticed. However, it is those little things done every day that add up into net gains or losses. For example, the concept of tissue creep looks at degradation and deformation of our soft tissues and bones over time.

Is it possible that the little bits of elastic around our wastes and calves change the quality of the underlying tissues over time? As I write this in the nude, I am taking note of the fact that I just showered 45 minutes ago and the imprint of my waistband is still showing on my skin despite my attempts to loofah it away. I am not one to overstate the significance of such things, but I am curious as to how much significance these lines hold. I would guess that the health of the tissues underlying spots on my body that are constantly constricted and confined is compromised compared to the health of the tissues that are unencumbered.

How do we undue any potential harm from constrictive clothing? First thing is to walk barefoot more often. Numerous people tout the benefits of spending more time barefoot and caution against the harm of restrictive footwear. Likewise, I think it prudent to parade around your home naked on a regular basis. Free from the confining elastic, belts, drawstrings and buttons of modern clothing we should allow things to be as they were meant to be. I am not advocating full-on nudism, but rather a healthy and private dose of it as often as your living arrangement allows. I think developing a healthy relationship with our bodies starts with a good look at them. Finally, move that body. Get those tissues moving and undo any creep that is setting in on immobile and stagnant tissues. Self massage with some Yoga Tune Up® balls is a great way to bring some healing hydration and blood flow and movement into those areas that are constantly constricted.

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