Another great article with pictures to show how through Cranial Sacral massage, you can change your posture!
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/1282/The-Puzzle-of-Perfect-Posture
The Puzzle of Perfect Posture
By Erik Dalton
No therapeutic approach to pain management is satisfactory until body posture is generally improved. Whatever the cause of the client's problem, special focus should always be given to posture. Overall body alignment may seem time consuming and is therefore frequently neglected because both therapist and client are often content with immediate symptom alleviation. In recent years, however, the manual therapy community has been blessed with scientific advances spearheaded by researchers such as J. Gordon Zink (Common Compensatory Pattern)1 and Vladimir Janda (Upper and Lower Crossed Syndromes)2 which has sparked renewed interest in the neuromyofascial formation of commonly seen postural patterns. As a result, new structural balancing approaches have surfaced that not only save time but also offer more satisfying long-lasting results.
Figure 1. Postural imbalances from gravitational compressive loading. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
By integrating these new strategies, the demands for structurally-trained pain therapists increases as chronic sufferers find relief from long-standing musculoskeletal ailments. This ultimately sets these bodyworkers apart in the eyes of clients and referral sources.
For today's touch therapist to gain a basic understanding of how distorted postural patterns lead to chronic head, neck and back pain, the concept of perfect posture must first be defined. Simply put, perfect posture is a condition where body mass is evenly distributed and balance is evenly maintained during standing and locomotion, i.e., "body mass is evenly dispersed in relation to gravity over a given base of support." Since our bodies are eloquently designed to react to any shift in center of gravity through sophisticated somatic mechanisms, if the normal function of any part of the mind/body system becomes overstressed, a vicious cycle of pain and dysfunction begins. Structural alignment pain therapists seek to restore normal mobility to all components of the somatic system by correcting postural imbalances to minimize compressional loading from gravitational exposure (see Figure 1).
Each of us is affected by the mysterious and potentially stressful force of gravity. If, for a moment, we assume that posture is the result of the dynamic interaction of two groups of forces acting on the human body--the environmental force of gravity on one hand and the strength of the individual on the other--then posture could be considered as the ideal expression of balance between these two groups of forces. Therefore, any deterioration of posture indicates that the individual is losing ground in the contest with gravity's unrelenting power.
Figure 2. Notice in the Type I pelvis how the cranium has successfully compensated for the short right leg and sacral base unleveling. When cranial side shift is added, the entire structure decompensates leading to pain
Proprioceptive Influence on Posture
Postural homeostatic lessons are learned early in life by the central nervous system (CNS). Visual and proprioceptive input continually supplies toddlers with the necessary information for growth and development. Normally, as a child progresses into adolescence, compressive forces on spinal intervertebral discs and facet joints are beautifully balanced through ligamentous tension allowing minimal energy expenditure from postural muscles. However, structural or functional body stressors (tension, trauma, genetics, etc.), may prevent achievement of optimum posture. Faulty posture from physical occurrences such as leg length discrepancies, cranial imbalances, and scoliosis alters the body's center of gravity which requires mechanical adjustments (compensations) leading to muscle, fascial, and osseous adaptations (see Figure 2).
If a joint's mechanical behavior is altered, flexibility and range of motion suffers. The increase in mechanoreceptor stimulation from chronically locked joints results in neuroreflexive muscular changes, i.e., protective muscle guarding. Long-standing over-activation of abnormal joint reflexes causes changes in spinal cord memory that eventually "burns a groove" in the CNS as the brain and cord are unknowingly saturated with a constant stream of inappropriate proprioceptive information. Regrettably, the brain comes to rely on this faulty information about where it is in space to determine how to establish perfect posture. The brain simply forgets what its alignment should be. Many of us have experienced the distress of standing in a three-way mirror trying on a suit or dress when suddenly a shocking profile appears. We ask ourselves where, when, and how did this protruding belly, slumped shouldered, and accompanying forward head posture develop? The silent progression of aberrant postures is all part of the reflexogenic relationship between muscles and joints.
Figure 3. Trunk stabilizers form a perfect antigravity cylinder support system that lifts the thorax with each step. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Gravity and Tensegrity
Some humans appear genetically blessed with optimal posture--where muscles are not actively working as restraining tissues, ligamentous tension is perfectly balanced against compressive and tensegrity forces--and normal, everyday activities such as standing and walking require minimal energy expenditure. Buttressed by a dynamic antigravity tensegrity system, tensional and compressive forces are evenly dispersed through the entire organism. The ligamentous pelvic bowl is a key structure and part of an eloquent myofascial web designed to transmit forces from above and below during locomotion.
When working properly, trunk stabilizers such as transversus abdominis, thoracolumbar fascia, multifidus, and pelvic/respiratory diaphragms form a perfect antigravity pump that lifts the thorax with each step (see Figure 3). In the presence of normal spinal curves, the body's bony framework is effectively supported and moved by this remarkably elastic myofascial network. As the person walks or runs, the antigravity springing mechanism decompresses intravertebral discs and facet joints allowing lubricating synovial fluids (metabolic substrates) to be sucked in (see Figure 4).
Gluteus medius and minimus are excellent examples of the power generated by tensegrity muscles. Regrettably, they are possibly the least appreciated and most important of all of the body's antigravity structures. When firing in proper order (during the stance phase), these primary hip abductors must elevate the contralateral ilium to allow the leg to swing through preventing the foot from dragging the ground (see Figure 5).
Figure 4. During locomotion, the antigravity springing system decompresses and hydrates intravertebral discs and facet joints through a process called imbibement. Acland's Video Atlas of Human Anatomy, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
Figure 5. In the normal walking cycle, the right gluteus medius/ minimus must fire first to elevate the contralateral ilium (right pelvic sidebending) so the left leg can swing through. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Wasted Energy
Ideally, during the static act of standing, postural muscles are in a state of normal tonus and not actively contracting. In reality, however, most people have less-than-perfect postural balance and as a result, active muscular contraction is required to redistribute body mass and effectively hold it in place. Muscles are now working against gravity and performing the job of ligaments as they are forced to stabilize the spine. If a person's homeostatic threshold has been violated, tonic postural muscles tighten and shorten while their phasic antagonists become overstretched and weak. Asymmetric patterns develop and soon the antigravity function of the body's myofascial system collapses, sending warning alarms to deep intrinsic structures such as spinal ligaments, joint capsules, and intervertebral discs to brace against the onslaught of overbearing compressional loads.
Figure 6. Vladimir Janda's upper crossed
Because locomotion requires the controlled loss and regaining of balance, movement of any body part with respect to the rest of the body shifts its centerline of gravity, causing an inevitable change in overall balance. Muscle and ligamentous tension is maintained by negative feedback from sensory receptors located in joint capsules, ligaments, fascia, and intervertebral discs. Structural asymmetries increase sensory information to the CNS which is then interpreted and reflected in predictable asymmetrical postural patterns such as Vladimir Janda's upper crossed syndrome (see Figure 6). An enormous amount of information can be gleaned by manually and visually assessing for these postural irregularities (see Figure 7). Observation of posture provides the clinician with the first and most important clues to the client's overall physical, emotional, and psychological condition.
Figure 7. An enormous amount of information can be gleaned by manually and visually assessing for asymmetries such as forward head postures. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Compensation
For the body to sail smoothly through life, it must have the ability to repair, regulate, and protect itself. Humans possess a complex self-regulatory mechanism that allows for adjustments to environmental stresses while maintaining homeostasis in all systems--myofascial, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, endocrine, etc. These compensatory mechanisms work to keep the body in balance regardless of what works upon it or what happens around it. Although innate compensation is obviously a much needed protective device for repairing worn out parts and maintaining bodily homeostasis, its role in maintaining posture is often confusing as overlapping strain patterns accumulate.
In simple terms, compensation is the counter-balancing of any defect of bodily structure or function (see Figure . Compensated postures are the result of an individual's homeostatic mechanism working smoothly even though they exist within a body exhibiting less than ideal posture. Fortunately, this neurologically hard-wired compensatory mechanism allows the person to operate as efficiently as possible in less than perfect circumstances. Most clients entering our workplace are compensated in one way or another. In the early stages, the individual with structural compensation appears to function normally despite some occasional aches and pains. When physical injury occurs, local myofascial structures tighten (splinting reflex) allowing the body to compensate and continue on its journey--safely, healthfully, and productively. Regrettably, as time passes, these compensations accumulate and integrate into myofascial, osseous, and visceral systems. Repeated traumatic physical episodes also leave emotional scarring that buries deep within our self-regulating energy system. Micro or macro traumas never leave the body but infiltrate and integrate into every cell and system of the organism. In time, these compensations surface and are visually reflected in every step.
Figure 8. Compensated posture from sustained compressional loading. MediClip, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
Decompensation
When an individual's homeostatic thresholds are overwhelmed, decompensation occurs. The most destructive postural adaptations occur at the four transitional zones (cervicocranial, cervicothoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral). These critical cross-over junctions are areas where anatomical structural changes create the greatest potential for neuromyoskeletal dysfunction (see Figure 9, page 3. By developing acute visual and palpatory skills, therapists can quickly become proficient in monitoring and correcting regional zone asymmetry in clients. Many find that assessing and correcting transitional zone decompensations alone produces surprisingly dramatic postural improvement and helps attune therapists to the visual art of unraveling complex strain patterns. Because of an accumulated history of genetic, traumatic, and habitual processes requiring compensations--in the real world--few clients actually present with ideal posture.
Figure 9. Critical cross-over junctions portend the greatest potential for neuromyoskeletal dysfunction. Reprinted from Ross Pope with permission, 2003.
The Battle Between Intrinsics and Extrinsics
Deep intrinsic postural muscles such as the iliopsoas, quadratus, transversus abdominis, and multifidus contain more slow-twitch fibers and prefer burning oxygen for fuel (oxidative metabolism). These tonic muscles have a higher capillary density than extrinsics (rectus abdominis, rhomboids, lower trapezius, gluteals, etc.) and are better designed to withstand sustained compressional loads during normal activities such as standing and walking. Since tonic (postural) muscles have more high-density slow-twitch fibers, they react to functional disturbances by shortening and tightening. Problems appear when the muscle shortening process compresses and twists spinal joints. In the presence of joint dysfunction, the muscle spindles' gamma system can neurologically weaken the transversospinalis and erector spinae muscles creating scoliotic patterns. As deep intrinsic muscles become spasmodic, their fascial bags react by forming contractures. This leads to a loss of oxygen fuel causing muscle fatigue and eventual collapse of the body's antigravity system.
The compressive load must then shift to the extrinsic (phasic) muscles. Phasic shoulder girdle muscles such as the rhomboids, lower trapezius, posterior rotator cuff, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii are usually the first to respond. Since these tissues contain a greater number of fast-twitch fibers, they are dynamic and emit bursts of energy. However, their reliance on glucose for fuel (glycolytic metabolism) causes them to fatigue easily. As the supply of glucose diminishes, the extrinsics "give-out" and reluctantly shift the load back to the already overworked and exhausted intrinsics. Many aberrant postural patterns entering our practices belong to bodies screaming out for help--either because they are in an intrinsic or extrinsic stage of collapse (see Figure 10, page 3.
Figure 10. The progression of aberrant strain patterns and their effect on structure. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Athletics and Posture
The issues of faulty posture are often magnified in athletic clients. Imbalances such as short-leg syndromes resulting from a tilted innominate or pronated foot can dramatically reduce speed, strength, coordination, and endurance. Moreover, an athlete's joints are often subjected to abnormal mechanical stresses. Alterations in joint function caused by capsular restriction or loss of joint play either inhibit or facilitate muscles that cross the misaligned joint.3
Muscle imbalances occur as the length-tension relationship surrounding a given joint is disrupted. Therefore, when treating muscle imbalances in athletes, the primary goal is restoration of length, strength, and control of muscle function. Many of todayexercise programs address length and strength, but few deal with the issues of motor control. Any successful exercise program must focus on restoring proper central nervous system control. Muscle firing order sequencing is of particular concern to today's sports therapist. The following myoskeletal approach has proved
successful in restoring muscle balance, reducing nociception, and improving proprioception in competing athletes and the general population as well.
- Lengthen short, hypertonic muscles, and their enveloping fascia.
- Strengthen weak, inhibited muscles through specific hands-on spindle techniques and Thera Band retraining exercises.
- Correct aberrant hip hyperextension, hip abduction, shoulder abduction, and neck flexion firing order patterns.
- Restore proprioceptive motor balance (mini trampolines, yoga, etc.).
- Maintain a good aerobic exercise program.
Electromyographic studies have repeatedly demonstrated how alterations in the proper sequence of muscle activation (firing order) adversely affect speed and coordination in competing athletes. Clinically, it has been found that in some athletes, inhibition of dynamic extrinsic muscles--commonly due to joint dysfunction--may be so great that attempting to strengthen the inhibited muscles through resistance training may only serve to further intensify the inhibition.4 This is a vital piece of information for the sports therapist. The bottom line is to first create myofascial balance and restore proper joint function before recommending strengthening exercises. Once muscle balance, posture, and pain-free movement have improved, the client can resume resistance retraining and aerobic exercises.
Moving Forward
Because muscle contraction requires energy, postural imbalances drain energy in proportion to the magnitude of the imbalance. This is wasted energy, energy unavailable for its original purposes. Energy-drains dramatically affect the limbic system--the highest cortical level regulating muscle tone. As whole-body tension builds, therapists begin to see energy-draining symptoms reflected in conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and digestive or hormonal disorders.
It has long been known that psychological factors play a large part in creating distorted postures through selective tightening of specific muscle groups. The word "uptight" is an expression commonly used to denote that feeling of tightness, stiffness, and fatigue. The power mantra: Poor posture is always perpetuated as tight muscles become tighter--weak muscles become weaker--and CNS motor control becomes disrupted. If not properly assessed and corrected, this commonly seen postural progression leads to agonizing, self-perpetuating pain/spasm/ pain cycles.
Erik Dalton, PhD, originator of the Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques and founder of the Freedom From Pain Institute, shares a broad therapeutic background in Rolfing and manipulative osteopathy in his innovative pain-management workshops. Visit www.erikdalton.com to view additional Myoskeletal Alignment Technique articles and new products and to register for a free monthly technique newsletter. Call 800-709-5054 for more information.
Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, October/November 2006. Copyright 2006. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.
Showing posts with label muscles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muscles. Show all posts
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The Importance Of Regular Massage
By Alisa Smith - from OutsideOnline
Your well-tailored fitness program may be missing something important—a regular massage. Here's our hands-on guide to the right rub.
All summer long you surfed, you hiked, you all-out mountain biked. Soon enough you'll be thumping through the moguls and skidding on ice. Problem is, relentlessly redlining your outdoor lifestyle week in and week out takes a toll on the body, especially when recovery means little more than popping ibuprofen caplets like they're Flintstones chewables. What's a sore adrenaline junkie to do?
"Every day, have a massage," says Melissa Shockey, a rubdown master at Otter Bar Lodge, a white-water kayaking school on Northern California's Salmon River. "The more massage, the better."
Her prescription may require a chubby wallet and open-ended leisure time, but Shockey has a point.
No longer stigmatized as a frivolous luxury or a therapeutic detour on the woeful road to rehab, massage is now joining exercise, nutrition, and rest as a crucial component of a sound fitness plan, particularly for weekend athletes who may not take optimal care of their bodies. "Amateurs are training as seriously now as pros did 50 years ago," says Mel Cash, founder of the London School of
Sports Massage. "It's usually aches and pains that make people give up a sport. But if Joe Runner stays out there with the help of regular massage, he's going to live to be 80 or 90 years old."
What can massage do for you, besides help you stay in the game longer? Even the simplest relaxation massages will decrease stress and improve circulation. More intense sports massages and deep soft-tissue workcharacterized by pushing hard into the layers of muscle, tendon, and ligamentwill shorten your recovery time after tough workouts and races, while keeping joint injuries and other ailments at bay. But don't take our word for itconsider the evidence.
What the Pros Know
For competitive cyclists, speedy muscle recovery can make the difference between winning a stage racewhich can entail up to 20 races over consecutive daysand finishing at the back of the pack. Rest between stages is critical, but rest combined with sports massage can double or triple recovery speed.
Racing and hard training leave behind microtears in muscle fiber, while muscle metabolism deposits waste in the form of lactic acid and phosphocreatine. As your body cools, these metabolic by-products solidify, creating adhesions between muscle fibers that inhibit those fibers from contracting smoothly against one another. Massage does two things: It physically breaks down the adhesions and waste productsimagine rolling a clump of dirt between your fingers until it disintegratesmaking it easier for the body to flush out waste and restore your full range of motion. And it stimulates blood circulation, speeding up repair work by delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Of course, bike racers aren't the only people who stand to benefit from deep massage. "For recreational athletes who hit it hard on weekends and who may go three or four days without activity, exercise is even more stressful on the body than for those who work out regularly," says Bob McAtee, a Colorado Springs massage therapist who teaches sports-massage seminars around the country.
For working-class funhogs, massage may be more about injury prevention than performance enhancement, but the two go hand in hand. Unless you apply due diligence every time you bike, run, or climbstretching before and after, warming up slowly and adequately, drinking plenty of wateryou're risking strains, pulls, and tears. And you're begging for more serious problems down the road, such as tendinitis and chronic pain.
Massage shouldn't replace stretching, but since it moves muscle fibers in many more directions than a person can stretch, it can increase your range of motion dramatically. Wes Hobson, a top American triathlete based in Boulder, Colorado, adheres religiously to a regular hour-and-45-minute intensive rubdown to keep himself limber. "I'm not the most flexible person, and I hate to stretch," says Hobson. "Massage really helps me out."
How Much Is Enough?
For mortal athletes, McAtee suggests gauging how often you should get a massage by the number of training miles you log. For runners, consider a massage session every 70 miles. "If you're a recreational runner who jogs two or three times a week for short distances, that may mean one massage a month," he says. "If you're training for a marathon, you're probably looking at a massage every week." Cyclists should slot a visit every 300 miles. Since a professional massage runs between $50 and $90 per hour, weekly sessions may require some budgeting. Of course, there is also the low-budget, do-it-yourself option.
Once you've committed to time on the table, determining your pain threshold is critical. While therapists vary on their opinion about how much you should hurt during and after your session, the purpose of sports massage is to penetrate far into muscle tissue, and sometimes that work can be painful.
"In general, the more pain you can tolerate, the deeper the massage, and the more you'll see lasting benefits," says Mark Tamoglia, a massage therapist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who works with athletes of widely varying age and ability. "With a deep massage, you may feel good the day after, but the next day you'll feel even better." Your comfort zone may depend on how seriously you take your sportand your recovery. Any qualified therapist can help you zero in on the right intensity level.(To find a massage therapist near you, contact the American Massage Therapy Association, 888-843-2682 or www.amta massage.org.)
Relax, Bro
In the end, sports massage is about feeling better, not hurting more. A little extra suffering at the hands of your massage therapist pays off in the form of enhanced relaxation afterward, which may be more important than you realize. The body reacts to non-sports-related stressflack from your boss, for instanceby contracting muscles and restricting blood flow to certain parts of your body. Worse, this tension carries into your extracurricular activities, leading to bigger problems. "People bring stress into whatever they do," says Shockey. "A lot of tension in sports is emotional tension, and anywhere there's tension there's potential for injury."
Moreover, some evidence shows that relaxation is a conditioned response. Massage takes the body through the relaxation process and makes it easier to coax yourself into a mellow state when you're feeling stressed, say, at the start of your first half-Ironman or pulling through the crux of a lead climb. "Over time," says McAtee, "the relaxation you learn on the massage table can be tapped on the line."
Whether you're budgeting for a professional massage therapist or plying your squeeze with red wine in hopes of convincing him or her to take on the role, consider sports massage the most pleasurable fitness prescription you're ever going to get. Forget gulping down painkillersthis is medicine you'll take with glee.
http://www.howtobefit.com/importance-of-regular-massage.htm
Your well-tailored fitness program may be missing something important—a regular massage. Here's our hands-on guide to the right rub.
All summer long you surfed, you hiked, you all-out mountain biked. Soon enough you'll be thumping through the moguls and skidding on ice. Problem is, relentlessly redlining your outdoor lifestyle week in and week out takes a toll on the body, especially when recovery means little more than popping ibuprofen caplets like they're Flintstones chewables. What's a sore adrenaline junkie to do?
"Every day, have a massage," says Melissa Shockey, a rubdown master at Otter Bar Lodge, a white-water kayaking school on Northern California's Salmon River. "The more massage, the better."
Her prescription may require a chubby wallet and open-ended leisure time, but Shockey has a point.
No longer stigmatized as a frivolous luxury or a therapeutic detour on the woeful road to rehab, massage is now joining exercise, nutrition, and rest as a crucial component of a sound fitness plan, particularly for weekend athletes who may not take optimal care of their bodies. "Amateurs are training as seriously now as pros did 50 years ago," says Mel Cash, founder of the London School of
Sports Massage. "It's usually aches and pains that make people give up a sport. But if Joe Runner stays out there with the help of regular massage, he's going to live to be 80 or 90 years old."
What can massage do for you, besides help you stay in the game longer? Even the simplest relaxation massages will decrease stress and improve circulation. More intense sports massages and deep soft-tissue workcharacterized by pushing hard into the layers of muscle, tendon, and ligamentwill shorten your recovery time after tough workouts and races, while keeping joint injuries and other ailments at bay. But don't take our word for itconsider the evidence.
What the Pros Know
For competitive cyclists, speedy muscle recovery can make the difference between winning a stage racewhich can entail up to 20 races over consecutive daysand finishing at the back of the pack. Rest between stages is critical, but rest combined with sports massage can double or triple recovery speed.
Racing and hard training leave behind microtears in muscle fiber, while muscle metabolism deposits waste in the form of lactic acid and phosphocreatine. As your body cools, these metabolic by-products solidify, creating adhesions between muscle fibers that inhibit those fibers from contracting smoothly against one another. Massage does two things: It physically breaks down the adhesions and waste productsimagine rolling a clump of dirt between your fingers until it disintegratesmaking it easier for the body to flush out waste and restore your full range of motion. And it stimulates blood circulation, speeding up repair work by delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Of course, bike racers aren't the only people who stand to benefit from deep massage. "For recreational athletes who hit it hard on weekends and who may go three or four days without activity, exercise is even more stressful on the body than for those who work out regularly," says Bob McAtee, a Colorado Springs massage therapist who teaches sports-massage seminars around the country.
For working-class funhogs, massage may be more about injury prevention than performance enhancement, but the two go hand in hand. Unless you apply due diligence every time you bike, run, or climbstretching before and after, warming up slowly and adequately, drinking plenty of wateryou're risking strains, pulls, and tears. And you're begging for more serious problems down the road, such as tendinitis and chronic pain.
Massage shouldn't replace stretching, but since it moves muscle fibers in many more directions than a person can stretch, it can increase your range of motion dramatically. Wes Hobson, a top American triathlete based in Boulder, Colorado, adheres religiously to a regular hour-and-45-minute intensive rubdown to keep himself limber. "I'm not the most flexible person, and I hate to stretch," says Hobson. "Massage really helps me out."
How Much Is Enough?
For mortal athletes, McAtee suggests gauging how often you should get a massage by the number of training miles you log. For runners, consider a massage session every 70 miles. "If you're a recreational runner who jogs two or three times a week for short distances, that may mean one massage a month," he says. "If you're training for a marathon, you're probably looking at a massage every week." Cyclists should slot a visit every 300 miles. Since a professional massage runs between $50 and $90 per hour, weekly sessions may require some budgeting. Of course, there is also the low-budget, do-it-yourself option.
Once you've committed to time on the table, determining your pain threshold is critical. While therapists vary on their opinion about how much you should hurt during and after your session, the purpose of sports massage is to penetrate far into muscle tissue, and sometimes that work can be painful.
"In general, the more pain you can tolerate, the deeper the massage, and the more you'll see lasting benefits," says Mark Tamoglia, a massage therapist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who works with athletes of widely varying age and ability. "With a deep massage, you may feel good the day after, but the next day you'll feel even better." Your comfort zone may depend on how seriously you take your sportand your recovery. Any qualified therapist can help you zero in on the right intensity level.(To find a massage therapist near you, contact the American Massage Therapy Association, 888-843-2682 or www.amta massage.org.)
Relax, Bro
In the end, sports massage is about feeling better, not hurting more. A little extra suffering at the hands of your massage therapist pays off in the form of enhanced relaxation afterward, which may be more important than you realize. The body reacts to non-sports-related stressflack from your boss, for instanceby contracting muscles and restricting blood flow to certain parts of your body. Worse, this tension carries into your extracurricular activities, leading to bigger problems. "People bring stress into whatever they do," says Shockey. "A lot of tension in sports is emotional tension, and anywhere there's tension there's potential for injury."
Moreover, some evidence shows that relaxation is a conditioned response. Massage takes the body through the relaxation process and makes it easier to coax yourself into a mellow state when you're feeling stressed, say, at the start of your first half-Ironman or pulling through the crux of a lead climb. "Over time," says McAtee, "the relaxation you learn on the massage table can be tapped on the line."
Whether you're budgeting for a professional massage therapist or plying your squeeze with red wine in hopes of convincing him or her to take on the role, consider sports massage the most pleasurable fitness prescription you're ever going to get. Forget gulping down painkillersthis is medicine you'll take with glee.
http://www.howtobefit.com/importance-of-regular-massage.htm
Incorporate Yoga for Improved Strength and Flexibility
Incorporate Yoga for Improved Strength and Flexibility
From Active.com - Register Online For Thousands of Events and Activities
This months fitness makeover request is from 38-year-old Chris Rudin of Silverlake, Calif.
An avid fitness buff who enjoys weightlifting, swimming, and jogging, Chris’ main concern is that he’s feeling less overall flexibility than he did in his early 30s.
"I used to be able to lift weights one day and swim comfortably the next," he writes, "but more often than not these days, I’m really tight when I begin my swim and I feel totally inflexible throughout my workout."
An additional problem is that Chris finds it increasingly difficult to maintain his overall strength — he notices this in the weight room, where he does the same amount of reps as he did years ago, but with slightly less weight before "maxing" out.
Loss of flexibility and the gradual loss of strength are facts of life as we age, but there are ways to slow the process and perhaps even stop it. Recently, I’ve been facing similar issues — it’s been months since I’ve felt really good in the water, and in the weight room I struggle to lift the same amount of weight as I once did, while losing patience and motivation.
I have a solution that is currently improving my flexibility and strength, and while it’s still too early to tell how yoga will affect my athletic performance in the long run, I have a hunch it will help me greatly because it is doing wonders for me now.
I was initially a skeptic. Only a few months ago I was turned on to the yoga craze by a friend; a former swimmer who was now a yoga enthusiast. She claimed it was a great workout, strengthening her entire body while making her muscles pliable. More out of politeness than keen interest, I agreed to try a beginner’s class.
For someone who thought yoga was not really a form of exercise as much as a state of New Age mind, I was in for a rude awakening (and a pleasant surprise). Not only was the class challenging and difficult, but it left me feeling euphoric and relaxed. The next day, I had the best swim workout I’ve had in a long time. Something was definitely up with this yoga business.
I began taking classes more regularly and reading up on the subject. I found that yoga is basically defined as the uninterrupted flow of movements combined with a system of meditative breathing. This combination of movement and regulated oxygen intake creates increased body heat. It is this heat that is used to heal, tone, and strengthen a body full of tight, sore muscles.
Just as an artist uses heat to soften metal and glass into artistic forms, so an athlete can use yoga to soften and strengthen muscles to achieve athletic improvement.
In addition, the benefits of yoga extend to other areas. As your muscles expand and contract during a session, blood flow increases to areas that have formerly been blocked with accumulated toxins (toxins that build up from overuse and overtraining). These toxins are flushed out by the rush of blood that enters the blocked muscles, resulting in that euphoric endorphin-flooded "high" you feel at the end of a class.
Mental concentration and balance are required during yoga as well, elements that count toward overall athletic excellence. The more you can clear and center your mind, the more likely you are to remain focused and calm prior to an important competition.
The more capable of good balance you are, the stronger your "core" strength will be, improving your overall body position (regardless of your sport).
What follows is a very basic series of poses that you can try on your own as a warm-up before getting into the pool or going on a run.
While it is definitely recommended to learn these positions from a certified yoga instructor in a studio-class setting, the poses below serve as introductory yoga exercises that double as pre-workout stretching drills.
Some of them may even seem familiar if you are disciplined about stretching prior to athletic activity (and you should be, to avoid injury!).
1. Beginning pose: Sun Salutation
Begin by standing with your legs shoulder width apart, arms at your sides. Breathe in, and bring your arms up over your head by tracing a circle from your sides until your palms come together.
2. Folding Pose
Exhaling, bend forward at the waist and reach toward your feet. If you can't touch your toes, then touch your shins. Remember to keep a long spine, relax your neck so your head hangs, and keep feet firmly planted in the ground (heels and balls of feet support equal weight: concentrate on balance!).
3. Body Raise
Inhale and bring head up slowly, lifting your chest up so that it is parallel to the ground. Stretch your spine keep it long. Bring your chest and arms back down and touch the ground. Bend your knees if you have to.
4. Pre-Downward Dog pose
Exhale and walk or jump your legs back, lowering your body to the earth as if you were doing a push-up. Stop in the down position with your elbows bent but tucked in at your sides; your body should be as straight as a plank while parallel only inches from the ground.
5. Upward-Facing Dog pose
Inhaling deeply, push the upper body upward while pointing your toes (you can flatten the tops of your feet along the ground now). Your hips should be square and elevated a few inches from the ground so that your body is perched on your palms and the tops of your feet only (in non-yoga terms, this pose is also known as a "seal-press").
6. Downward Dog pose
Exhale, turning your toes back into "push-up" mode and bring your waist up towards the sky as if there is a string attached to the small of your back and someone is slowly pulling you upward. Your body should now be in an upside-down "v," feet shoulder-width apart, head hanging relaxed, palms firm and centered. Take several deep breaths.
7. Body Raise 2
Walk your feet back up toward your palms and reassume the Body Raise position (#3).
8. Folding Pose 2
Exhale deeply and fold downward into the aforementioned Folding Pose (#2).
As you inhale deeply again, slowly raise your body up into a standing position, arms at your sides as you bend up from the waist. When you are standing upright, circle your arms over your head again, clasping the palms together. Exhale.
Repeat this series of poses slowly and methodically three to five times.
Try to reach, or stretch, a little bit farther with each sequence. You may find that on the first round you are unable to touch your toes or reach the ground, but that by the fourth or fifth cycle you are making progress and doing poses you found impossible just minutes before!
I am finding out that mastering yoga takes time and patience. But for you instant-gratification junkies out there it's also a quick fix for sore, tight, and injured muscles. The more you do it, the more flexible and strong you will become. Even a 15-minute unsupervised session like the one above, practiced once a week, will provide the results our fitness makeover subject is looking to achieve.
My advice for Chris is to look into taking a beginning-level yoga class at least once a week from a certified instructor. It should have an immediate effect on his flexibility and he should feel the difference the first time he swims after taking a class.
In time, his strength will also increase, in ways that are simply not possible with consistent weight training. By introducing a new form of exercise into his long-established routine, Chris will use existing muscles in different ways, resulting in greater strength and improved overall flexibility.
Finally, yoga will help motivate, rejuvenate, and instill discipline by way of concentration and balance; traits any athlete should welcome with open arms — or in this case, with a Sun Salutation pose.
http://www.howtobefit.com/yogaforflexibility.htm
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This months fitness makeover request is from 38-year-old Chris Rudin of Silverlake, Calif.
An avid fitness buff who enjoys weightlifting, swimming, and jogging, Chris’ main concern is that he’s feeling less overall flexibility than he did in his early 30s.
"I used to be able to lift weights one day and swim comfortably the next," he writes, "but more often than not these days, I’m really tight when I begin my swim and I feel totally inflexible throughout my workout."
An additional problem is that Chris finds it increasingly difficult to maintain his overall strength — he notices this in the weight room, where he does the same amount of reps as he did years ago, but with slightly less weight before "maxing" out.
Loss of flexibility and the gradual loss of strength are facts of life as we age, but there are ways to slow the process and perhaps even stop it. Recently, I’ve been facing similar issues — it’s been months since I’ve felt really good in the water, and in the weight room I struggle to lift the same amount of weight as I once did, while losing patience and motivation.
I have a solution that is currently improving my flexibility and strength, and while it’s still too early to tell how yoga will affect my athletic performance in the long run, I have a hunch it will help me greatly because it is doing wonders for me now.
I was initially a skeptic. Only a few months ago I was turned on to the yoga craze by a friend; a former swimmer who was now a yoga enthusiast. She claimed it was a great workout, strengthening her entire body while making her muscles pliable. More out of politeness than keen interest, I agreed to try a beginner’s class.
For someone who thought yoga was not really a form of exercise as much as a state of New Age mind, I was in for a rude awakening (and a pleasant surprise). Not only was the class challenging and difficult, but it left me feeling euphoric and relaxed. The next day, I had the best swim workout I’ve had in a long time. Something was definitely up with this yoga business.
I began taking classes more regularly and reading up on the subject. I found that yoga is basically defined as the uninterrupted flow of movements combined with a system of meditative breathing. This combination of movement and regulated oxygen intake creates increased body heat. It is this heat that is used to heal, tone, and strengthen a body full of tight, sore muscles.
Just as an artist uses heat to soften metal and glass into artistic forms, so an athlete can use yoga to soften and strengthen muscles to achieve athletic improvement.
In addition, the benefits of yoga extend to other areas. As your muscles expand and contract during a session, blood flow increases to areas that have formerly been blocked with accumulated toxins (toxins that build up from overuse and overtraining). These toxins are flushed out by the rush of blood that enters the blocked muscles, resulting in that euphoric endorphin-flooded "high" you feel at the end of a class.
Mental concentration and balance are required during yoga as well, elements that count toward overall athletic excellence. The more you can clear and center your mind, the more likely you are to remain focused and calm prior to an important competition.
The more capable of good balance you are, the stronger your "core" strength will be, improving your overall body position (regardless of your sport).
What follows is a very basic series of poses that you can try on your own as a warm-up before getting into the pool or going on a run.
While it is definitely recommended to learn these positions from a certified yoga instructor in a studio-class setting, the poses below serve as introductory yoga exercises that double as pre-workout stretching drills.
Some of them may even seem familiar if you are disciplined about stretching prior to athletic activity (and you should be, to avoid injury!).
1. Beginning pose: Sun Salutation
Begin by standing with your legs shoulder width apart, arms at your sides. Breathe in, and bring your arms up over your head by tracing a circle from your sides until your palms come together.
2. Folding Pose
Exhaling, bend forward at the waist and reach toward your feet. If you can't touch your toes, then touch your shins. Remember to keep a long spine, relax your neck so your head hangs, and keep feet firmly planted in the ground (heels and balls of feet support equal weight: concentrate on balance!).
3. Body Raise
Inhale and bring head up slowly, lifting your chest up so that it is parallel to the ground. Stretch your spine keep it long. Bring your chest and arms back down and touch the ground. Bend your knees if you have to.
4. Pre-Downward Dog pose
Exhale and walk or jump your legs back, lowering your body to the earth as if you were doing a push-up. Stop in the down position with your elbows bent but tucked in at your sides; your body should be as straight as a plank while parallel only inches from the ground.
5. Upward-Facing Dog pose
Inhaling deeply, push the upper body upward while pointing your toes (you can flatten the tops of your feet along the ground now). Your hips should be square and elevated a few inches from the ground so that your body is perched on your palms and the tops of your feet only (in non-yoga terms, this pose is also known as a "seal-press").
6. Downward Dog pose
Exhale, turning your toes back into "push-up" mode and bring your waist up towards the sky as if there is a string attached to the small of your back and someone is slowly pulling you upward. Your body should now be in an upside-down "v," feet shoulder-width apart, head hanging relaxed, palms firm and centered. Take several deep breaths.
7. Body Raise 2
Walk your feet back up toward your palms and reassume the Body Raise position (#3).
8. Folding Pose 2
Exhale deeply and fold downward into the aforementioned Folding Pose (#2).
As you inhale deeply again, slowly raise your body up into a standing position, arms at your sides as you bend up from the waist. When you are standing upright, circle your arms over your head again, clasping the palms together. Exhale.
Repeat this series of poses slowly and methodically three to five times.
Try to reach, or stretch, a little bit farther with each sequence. You may find that on the first round you are unable to touch your toes or reach the ground, but that by the fourth or fifth cycle you are making progress and doing poses you found impossible just minutes before!
I am finding out that mastering yoga takes time and patience. But for you instant-gratification junkies out there it's also a quick fix for sore, tight, and injured muscles. The more you do it, the more flexible and strong you will become. Even a 15-minute unsupervised session like the one above, practiced once a week, will provide the results our fitness makeover subject is looking to achieve.
My advice for Chris is to look into taking a beginning-level yoga class at least once a week from a certified instructor. It should have an immediate effect on his flexibility and he should feel the difference the first time he swims after taking a class.
In time, his strength will also increase, in ways that are simply not possible with consistent weight training. By introducing a new form of exercise into his long-established routine, Chris will use existing muscles in different ways, resulting in greater strength and improved overall flexibility.
Finally, yoga will help motivate, rejuvenate, and instill discipline by way of concentration and balance; traits any athlete should welcome with open arms — or in this case, with a Sun Salutation pose.
http://www.howtobefit.com/yogaforflexibility.htm
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The start of something Great!
Massage therapy helps your mind, body and spirit.
There are many healthy benefits to receiving massage therapy on a regular basis:
◦Relieves Stress
◦Encourages Relaxation
◦Improves Posture
◦Improves Circulation
◦Lowers Blood Pressure
◦Helps Manage Pain
◦Relaxes Muscles
◦Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
◦Relieves Tension-Related Headaches
◦Strengthens The Immune System
◦Rehabilitation
◦Manage Fibromyalgia Pain Naturally
Massage therapy increases immune function, decreases stress levels and reduces recovery time in many other conditions including:
◦Allergies
◦Depression and Anxiety
◦Arthritis
◦Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
◦Asthma and Bronchitis
◦Circulatory Problems
◦Insomnia
◦Sports Injuries
◦Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
◦Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
◦Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
There are many healthy benefits to receiving massage therapy on a regular basis:
◦Relieves Stress
◦Encourages Relaxation
◦Improves Posture
◦Improves Circulation
◦Lowers Blood Pressure
◦Helps Manage Pain
◦Relaxes Muscles
◦Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
◦Relieves Tension-Related Headaches
◦Strengthens The Immune System
◦Rehabilitation
◦Manage Fibromyalgia Pain Naturally
Massage therapy increases immune function, decreases stress levels and reduces recovery time in many other conditions including:
◦Allergies
◦Depression and Anxiety
◦Arthritis
◦Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
◦Asthma and Bronchitis
◦Circulatory Problems
◦Insomnia
◦Sports Injuries
◦Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
◦Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
◦Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
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