Tag Archives: ytuballs

Foam Rolling Isn’t Really Myofascial Release

A client just sent me this video and asked me what I thought.  I am supposed to be a mobility guy and I talk about rolling and doing myofascial release and this videos says that’s BS!  Or does it?

First, watch the video.  It’s an excellent primer on fascia which is the scaffolding of the body.  Fascia is the soft tissue that we try to manipulate when we do mobility work.  When we say we are stretching muscles what we are really talking about is changing the length and tension of the fascial tissues.  The muscle tissue lives inside the fascia and doesn’t really stretch.  The knots or adhesions that we poke and rub are in the fascia not the muscle.  So fascia is really what most people mean when they say “I need to stretch this muscle” or “I have a knot in this muscle.”

Second, as to the claim that rolling or instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation (‘IASTM’) is not myofascial release. He is being too simplistic or perhaps making a broad claim for a bit of shock value to get people to click.  But if you listen to the actual explanations he states that deep pressure and rolling over the skin with a roller or instrument does not cause relative movement between the tissue layers (which I call ‘Shear’ or you can think of as ‘slide and glide’) and is therefore not myofascial release.  Yes and no.  It is true that a traditional foam roller works like that and does not create shear force.  The same is true for some IASTM tools like theracanes or Graston.

One of the reasons I love Yoga Tune Up® therapy balls and recommend all my clients use them instead of foam rollers and lacrosse balls is because they are designed to be grippy and catch the skin and to help create a lot of shear force and create a truer myofascial release than with a foam roller. In the Yoga Tune Up lexicon there a couple of techniques that we use to create more shear force:  Pin & Stretch and Pin, Spin & Mobilize.

In the first two videos below, I use two different Yoga Tune Up balls to create a pin & spin shear on my bicep and on my belly respectively.  Using the ball to spin and catch all the skin and pull it across the fascial layers underneath just like Dr. Spina demonstrates in his video.

In the third video, I use a pin & stretch technique on my quad by tacking down the skin with the Alpha ball and moving the knee joint  creates shear as the muscle lengthens and shortens under the ball and relative to the skin that is pinned down.

So if you really want to create a true myofascial release, you need the right tools and the right techniques.  Get some Yoga Tune Up® balls and play along with my videos and give your foam roller away as a gift.

Day 22 of 30. Gun Maintenance. from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Day 15 of 30. The Twister. from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Day 10 of 30. The Quadzilla from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Day 11 – Pocket Pool

Your hip flexors are tight and you know it. You sit in your car while you drive to your job where you sit all day, then you drive home and sit in front of the tv. What did you expect would happen to your hip flexors? Now it’s time to undo some of that tightness. Today we are going to play some Pocket Pool to release the tensor fasciae latae with a Yoga Tune Up® Alpha ball. You begin laying on your side with the Alpha under the side of your hip. You should be propped up on your elbow and bend your top leg and place the foot on the floor for extra support. Take a deep breathe and turn your chest and hips toward the floor going almost totally prone. The goal is take the Alpha across the TFL fibers by trying to roll it into your front pocket. Breath slowly and take your time because you have many hours of sitting to undo.

Check and recheck your standing posture and your squat before and after balling both sides of the hip. You should feel like you’re standing straighter with better posture and you should feel much more comfortable in the bottom of your squat as well.

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.

Day 11 of 30. Pocket Pool from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Day 6 – The Mermaid(man)

Today we are going after the abdominals. We are using a Yoga Tune Up® Coregeous ball. If you don’t have one, grab an inflatable dodgeball or something from your kid’s toy chest. You are going to lie on your side like a mermaid or merman and place the ball to the side of your belly button. The reason I have my shirt off is that the ball in contact with the skin will create some nice warm shear forces also because I’m a crossfitter and we don’t wear shirts. You should feel like your abs are being pushed to the other side of your torso. Breathe big belly breathes into the ball and exhale slowly and completely and let the ball sink in more on each exhale. Stay relaxed and soft. Occasionally change your position slightly to get a different vector on the pressure.

This technique has a huge down-regulating effect. You will most likely be very sleepy and relaxed after doing this. I recommend doing it before bed to get a restful sleep. That will be the best test of whether this was effective. However, a word of caution, some people get very uneasy and emotional doing deep abdominal work. That’s perfectly fine if that happens. Take some quiet time to yourself if you start catching all the feels.

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.

Day 6 of 30. The Mermaid(Man) from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Day 5 – The Oompa Loompa

I don’t know anybody that doesn’t carry tension in their upper back and traps. This rolling technique is just the ticket to loosen up that tension you’ve been carrying around all day. I suggest using a Yoga Tune Up® Alpha ball for this. Start with your back against a wall and squat down a little. Place the Alpha ball behind your back to the right or left of your spine up between the shoulder blades. Bridge your hips away from the wall so you can press your weight into the ball. Now start to bob up and down like an oompa loompa as you push with your legs. The real money maker is rolling the ball up onto your shoulder like a parrot. In order to do this you have to turn slowly as you lower into your squat. The ball will cross the muscle fibers of the levator scapula as well as the upper trapezius. It’s very intense. Move slowly and deeply and with purpose. Breathe deeply.

Check in and Check out with either your overhead position or simply look at your posture in the mirror between sides. I often see a visible difference in the height of my shoulders after doing this for just a few minutes. The side you just rolled will often be lower than 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.

Day 5 of 30. The Oompa Loompa from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Day 4 – The Tiny Conductor

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.

Day 3 – The Childproof Lid

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.

The Ball Fucking Harder Challenge

I am really excited by how the #stretchfuckingharder challenge went last month.  So many people played along and posted pictures.  Even more people told me that they loved the stretches and did them and had their friends and clients doing them too.  Before I lose momentum, I am issuing another challenge: The #ballfuckingharder challenge. For the next 30 days I will be posting a new myofascial release/ball rolling technique each day.

If you want to play along I recommend getting some Yoga Tune Up® balls to roll on.  The large majority of the techniques I’m going to show will utilize the Classic, Alpha and Coregeous ytuballs but I will also show some techniques using other props as well.  The Yoga Tune Up® balls are soft, grippy, pliable and affordable.  Unlike lacrosse and tennis balls, ytuballs are designed for self massage and will greatly increase the effectiveness of the techniques.

The rules for the Ball Fucking Harder Challenge are easy.  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.

Day 1 of 30.  The Foot Schmear.  We are on our feet constantly and, if you are an athlete, you are running, jumping, kicking, squatting and generally applying high amounts of force through your feet.  Additionally, wearing shoes all days pretty much laminates your soft tissues into a tight mess.  The Foot Schmear will unglue your feet and make you feel refreshed and relaxed like a good foot massage.  As a bonus it will also improve your flexibility.

Check in/Check out: Bend down and try to touch your toes with straight legs.  Notice how far you get and notice how tight your hamstrings feel.  You should feel looser in your hamstrings and be able to stretch farther after rolling your feet.

The technique:  Place a Classic Yoga Tune Up® ball under the sole of your foot.  Step on it like you want to flatten it and then drag your foot slowly from side to side.  You want to imagine you are schmearing cold cream cheese on a bagel with your foot.  A new ytuball will be a little stiff, but after doing this technique a few times, you will break-in your balls and they will get nice and soft.  Inhale as you press down on the ball and schmear as you exhale.  You want to do this for 2 minutes on each foot and try to get every inch of the sole of your foot.

Day 1 of 30. The Foot Schmear from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Hip Helpers

I got a request from a friend in Canada that has some hip mobility issues. She is missing some range in abduction and external rotation. My first thought is to address the soft tissues and see if we can make some change in her range of motion that way. This video addresses the muscles of the glutes and external rotators. I am using a Yoga Tune Up® Alpha Ball.

Basic Butt Roll from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Treat While You Train DVD Set Review

“Treat While You Train” DVD Set Review
Starring: Jill Miller and Kelly Starrett

If you ask Jill Miller and Kelly Starrett they will tell you that every person should be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves. Just like you brush and floss your teeth everyday to take care of your oral hygiene, you should roll, floss, stretch, mobilize and stabilize your muscles, joints and soft tissues to optimize your physical health and performance.

TWYT_DVD_Front_Web

If you have not visited Jill Miller’s Yoga Tune Up® website or Kelly Starrett’s mobilitywod® website, then you are behind the times. You absolutely must go and immerse yourself in this world because there is so much vital information there to help you with not only your aches and pains, but your performance and posture as well.

However, the downside to websites and youtube videos is that they are relatively short and cursory in their details. That is why someone that wants to go in depth and learn more has to buy books or DVDs to get more information and knowledge.

Enter the “Treat While You Train” self-care DVD. This 2-DVD set is a must have in your reference library. Jill and Kelly go step-by-step through the body and show you powerful and effective ball rolling techniques to address the 3 Ps: eradicate Pain, improve Posture and enhance Performance. Along the journey they drop a lot of knowledge on you about how the body functions and how to live, breathe and move optimally. You can purchase the full “Treat While You Train Self-Care Kit” where you get the DVDs and 6 Yoga Tune Up balls of varying sizes ($79.95) so that you can do all the exercises on the video. You can also just purchase the DVDs separately ($34.95) if you already have the Yoga Tune Up balls.

TWYT-Full-Kit-CompositionAs someone that already watches a lot of these videos and teaches these techniques, this DVD set is a valuable reference source for me. If I am asked about how to treat a certain area or I am looking for ideas for my next class, I can quickly pop in the DVD and watch a section to get some ideas. For the general practitioner, the DVD is well-organized and thorough and extremely easy to follow. The DVD is visually stunning and the quality of the recording is great. The best part is that they utilized a clear glass wall and table for the demonstrators to demonstrate on to be able to show the viewer exactly where the balls go. This increases the likelihood of doing the techniques properly and getting the best results. Another wonderful thing about this DVD is that they work from broad to specific and show you basic self-massage techniques that you can use anywhere and then apply the techniques to specific areas of the body. So if you are like me and think in big pictures, having some basic guidelines for you to improvise with will serve you well. If you are the more recipe-oriented type, then you can learn each technique on each body part. Either way it is a win!

The best part of this DVD is that you can do it at home at your own pace. I know in the class and workshop environment where I often teach, it is difficult to allow people enough time to fully explore all these techniques to optimal effect. With this DVD set you can bring the high quality instruction home with you and take your time exploring these techniques at your leisure. The goal is to educate and empower you, the end user, to treat yourself. The only way to do that is if you take the time to explore and learn your own body. Practicing along with these DVDs will allow you to find your own body blind spots and map the areas of your body that need attention. You don’t have to be perfect, but you have to practice. Get the Treat While You Train DVDs and let the treatment be a treat for your whole body.

Forearm Blast: Part 4

Grip strength is important to health and fitness and if the tissues in your forearms are knotted up, then it will impact the ability of those muscles to fire properly. I have been doing Ido Portal’s 7 Minute Hang Challenge and it’s been kicking my butt. Without these Yoga Tune Up® therapy ball exercises, I would not be able to function.

See also:
Forearm Blast
Forearm Blast: Part 2
Forearm Blast: Part 3

Forearm Blast: Part 4 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.