Fascial Fitness and Pilates

Fascial Fitness and Pilates by Kerrie Murphy

“Come and explore the wide matrix of the fascial web and its relationship with Pilates and movement”

After 4 full days of work with Robert and Divo’s Fascial Fitness workshop, I walked away with a greater appreciation of the function and purpose of the living-sensory organ.  This insight also highlighted how well Pilates trains the body harmoniously.  With this new knowledge, I can only draw even more greatness out of the body of work Pilates has to offer and share it with my clients.

I was so excited about the world of fascia; I want to share my experience and the highlights of the Fascial Fitness Workshop.

Come inside and explore the wide matrix of the fascial web and its relationship with Pilates and movement.

Fascia – or ‘fascial net’, ‘fascial body suit’, ‘connective tissue’, is situated beneath the skin and runs in multi directions throughout the body. It comprises of several layers, the superficial layer which is just below the dermis, deep connective tissue membrane which surrounds muscles and bones, and the visceral fascia that suspends organ are within their cavities.

It consists of fibrous collagen and soft living tissue, including ligaments, tendons and joint capsules. Healthy fascia is elastic and resilient. When it is properly conditioned, it helps improve movement performance and assists, to a large extent, with injury prevention.

Our fascial body suit adapts to the changes of load that are placed on the body. It stretches and shifts in the direction that we move.  Through movement of the fascia, it remodels the collagen network, which in turn moulds to the body and gives the body suit tone.

The Pilates technique has always understood the important role well-trained fascia has when developing a well-balanced body.  However, up until now, in the world of sports training, there has been a great emphasis placed on muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness and neuromuscular and coordination training.

Modern insight into the field of fascia research has dramatically developed and is now able to apply specific training to the body and incorporate the principles presented more specifically to sports training.

Age, sex, body type, hormones, mental state and trauma to name a few, affect the condition and response of fascia.  Therefore, by understanding the qualities of fascia and how it responds to movement, strategies can be put in place to assess and program more specifically to each individual client.

Not only is this information great in targeting and addressing specific areas of the body and general population, but it is also wonderful for the Pilates industry where scientific based evidence is now more attainable and supports what we do so well for the health of fascia and it relationship to the whole mind body conditioning.

The four principles of fascial fitness

1. Rebound elasticity – the catapult mechanism

Exercise has always been known to produce more youthful collagen, however it has now been proven that the type of exercise applied also influences the changes in elastic storage capacities.

It has been shown that humans have the same kinetic storage capacity to that of kangaroos. The tendons and fascia are tensioned like elastic rubber bands. The release of this stored energy is what produces large jumps and leaps. This springiness and rhythmic movement is also created when walking and running.

2. Fascial stretch – stretching the longest possible myofascial chains

Due to the varying density and multidirectional fibres of fascia, each type responds to different types of stretch.

Slow passive stretching in varied angles and actively loaded dynamic stretching through to end range is required for easy shear ability. Not only is the direction and load specific, but it has been shown that increase of collagen fibres is dependent on exercise volume and that few repetitions are necessary to achieve optimum results.

3. Fascial release – self treatment on rollers and barrels

Stretching, or local compression, increases fluid which enters from surrounding tissues and from the local vascular network. This activity increases lubrication in the areas that are often difficult to reach.

Moving slowly in different directions is an effective way to rehydrate the tissues which are then given the chance to soak up nourishing fluids.

The benefits include increases metabolism, increases circulation, decreases fatigue and soreness, and  minimises DOMS.

4. Proprioceptive refinement – sensory

Fascia is the largest sensory organ in the body. It has a rich supply of sensory nerves, proprioceptive receptors, multimodal receptors and nociceptive nerves.

When there is an increase of proprioception there is a decrease in myofascial pain.  This has been proven with non-specific lower back pain.  The thoracolumbar fascia is drenched in nerve endings and often the problem.

Stress and emotional tension cause changes in back pain, more so through the fascia than in the muscles. So if the proprioception of the lumbar spine is improved through retraining the elastic lumbar, it helps the metabolism of the fascia, stimulates and assists in its healing while the pain receptors of this area are decreased.

Exercises that draw attention to detail bring awareness to neglected areas of the body. The quality of motions should include slow-motion, very quick micro movements, and large micro movements involving the whole body and while avoiding any jerky actions.

Pilates application

1. Rebound Elasticity: Spring like movements that load fascial tissue over multidirectional pathways improve elasticity qualities.

• Foot work: double/single legs with angle variations.
• Jump board footwork and jumps. Encourage light soft landings, rebounding like a bouncing ball.
• Be creative with the upper body through light bounces. For example, springing off the wall with the hands.

2. Fascial Stretch: 3D stretches and rocking motions. Fascia loves to be pulled and stretched in all directions. Consider the long chains of Thomas Myer in order to explore long chains. Front line, back line, lateral line, and spiral line.

• Upstretch, elephant with rotation in torso and legs.
• Side splits with saw.
• Hanging back, swan, rocking.
• Side over of the high barrel/box.
• The twist.

3. Fascial release: The fascial release helps dissolve fascial adhesions and nourishes bunched up tissues. This in turn creates a more flexible body and a sense of feeling good.

• Barrels and rollers are shaped to help get into those places that are hard to reach.
• Release – ITB, quads, hamstrings and movements through forward bending, extension, lateral flexion and spiralling motions of the spine.
• These actions are similar to squeezing out a sponge, releasing inflammation and waste products, only to be replaced by healthy water.

4. Proprioception: Increased body awareness has direct impact and positive effect on muscular pain.

• Breathing and centering exercises, with considered pace, direction, spatial orientation and the use of imagery, can bring proprioceptive attention.
• Balance work – standing lunge, step ups, wobble board, foot corrector and exercise ball variations.
• Be mindful to use the eyes to lead the body into space. This micro movement of the eyes improves spatial orientation and the neural pathways from the eye stimulate greater body awareness.

Patience and consistent training of the fascia (up to twice a week) are necessary when it comes to collagen renewal. Unlike muscles, fascia changes more slowly.  Schleip compared it to filling an aquarium, one small droplet of water at a time.  Slowly the fascia grows, but the results are long lasting.

Often however, muscles increase faster and the fascia is overloaded causing strain and tension, and loss of ability to stretch, bounce and move within the body. This highlights the importance of how much load and when to apply that load to the body being worked on, in order to achieve a positive outcome.

Mr. Pilates was well and truly on track in acknowledging the importance of addressing the body as a whole, including the working of the fascial web. Ongoing research into the human body never ceases to amaze me in showing just how closely the mind and body work together. With this gained knowledge we now have the ability to work with a clearer intention and strategy for each person that we see in the Pilates studio for better health and wellbeing.

The co-ordination of the mind and body is important “…not only to accomplish the maximum result with minimum expenditure of the mental and physical energy, but also to live as long as possible in normal health and enjoy the benefits of a useful and happy life” (Joseph Pilates, Your Health, Presentation Dynamics Inc. 1998, p.41).

About the Author

Kerrie Murphy is the director and principal teacher at Infinity Pilates Studio in St Kilda East,   www.infinitypilates.com. Kerrie is an ex modern dancer and ballet teacher, Kerrie’s been practising and teaching Pilates. Applying her extensive experience in the field, she trains everyone from elite athletes to dancers to people in rehabilitation.