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Fascial Fitness- training the fascia for maximum

bounce and minimum injury

with Tom Myers, author of Anatomy Trainsin partnership with Dr Robert Schleip, Ph. D.

and courtesy of Ben Benjamin

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But is this the fascial system? The fibrous

body?No - this is the muscular

system.This is only one of the

many elements of Spatial Medicine.

Fascial system Neuro-muscular

Movement strategySkeletal system

Symptoms

Patterns

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When a doctor says ‘fascia’, what she means is:Certain layers and sheets of biological fabric

(Like the thoracolumbar fascia or plantar fascia)

When we say ‘fascia’ what we mean is:The entire ExtraCellular Matrix (ECM)(plus the cells that create and maintain it)i.e. everything in your body that isn’t a cell

= the environment your cells live in

What is fascia?

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New terminology: Fascia = all collagenous soft connective tissues

Superficial & deep fascia

Perimysium & septi

Epimysium &

aponeuroses

Endomysium

Connective tissue / Fasciahas four components:

• Cells (fibroblasts, mast cells)

• Water (bound and unbound)

• Fibers (collagen, elastin, reticulin)

• Ground substance (GAGs and mucopolysaccharides like heparin, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin, fibronectin)

All connective tissues - from

blood to bone -combine these

four elements in different

proportions.

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• The majority of thevolume of fascial tissuesconsists of water.

• Most of that water is not‚free water‘, but ‚boundwater‘ in which the watermolecules are orientedlike a ‚liquid crystal‘ in anorderly fashion along thesurface of sugar-proteinfibrils within the groundsubstance.

Sponge-like property of fascia

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Viscoelastic properties

Elastic springs coupled with viscous dampers.

Not only arranged in parallel (as shown here)but also in series.

For elastic properties: amount of strain most importantFor viscous properties: velocity of load application most important

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Healthy fascia: unrestricted sliding mobility between two lowest membraneous layers of superficial fascia. High density of proprioceptive receptors in this sliding

zone.

Fascial adhesionspropagated by immobility, inflammation or microinjuries due to overloading

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Lattice arrangement: a sign of healthy fascia. Allows for maximum elongation without tissue rupture. Loss of that high elastic resilience occurs due to mechanical tearing, to inflammation, or due to non-usage.

‘Locked long’- eccentrically loaded

‘Locked long’- eccentrically loaded

Fascia = the extracellular matrix (ECM) plus the cells that create it

Myofascia = muscle and fascia biomechanically linked together =

endomysium, perimysium, and epimysium

Anatomy Trains = Common force transmission pathways through the

myofascia

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Sense of „youthfulness“ linked with elastic recoil properties

They are commonly associated in internal as well as in external perception

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• Stretch loading, with multiple vectorial variationsPreference for loading around end range of available motion (stretch)

with differently moderated force amplitudes & directions

Out: Repetition of exactly same vectorial loading directions

In: Multiple variations of loading vectors. Stretch loading with active as well as relaxed muscle participation.

Scott Sonnon www.rmaxinternational.com

How to build a fascial body

www.waterrower.de

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They utilize active pre-stretch

of longer myofascial slings

The hallmark of top athletes

Modified by S.Gracovetsky

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• Strong emphasis on proprioception.Cultivation of body awareness, refinement, mindfulness

Out: ‘No pain no gain’ attitude.

In: Cultivation of sensuous body perception with high level of kinesthetic acuity (as in Pilates, Iyengar Yoga, etc.)

How to build a fascial body

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Text

The new Fascial Fitness DVD -one of many tools for

bodyworkers and movement teachers at:

www.AnatomyTrains.com

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Thanks for tuning in!Books:

• Anatomy Trains• Fascial Release for Structural Balance• Structural Integration

DVD’s:• Soft-Tissue Technique • BodyReading• Fascial dissection video atlas• Primal Pictures 3D Anatomy DVD-ROM• NEW! Fascial Fitness DVD

‘Afascianados’, please join us on:

www.AnatomyTrains.comor our Anatomy Trains Facebook page.