what is fascial fitness?

"Fascial Fitness” is an umbrella term for working with the myofascial system. ‘Myo’ pertains to muscle, and ‘fascia’ is the connective tissue that provides structure and support for much of the body. Fascial anatomy is a newer science, pioneered by Tom Myers/Anatomy Trains, Dr. Robert Schleif and others. Fascia used to be the tissue thrown away during a dissection so they could study the muscles and bones. Now we know that fascia provides a tensional force transmission network throughout the body. It should be springy and resilient, but gets gummy and stuck due to injuries, posture, repetitive motions and the like. Creating pliable, hydrated fascia can be achieved via massage and other bodywork, specific types of movement, and self administered myofascial release techniques. 

Feedback from clients.

Sue has helped me make both significant and subtle changes in my  physical well-being . She has focused on improving my hips and leg alignment which has made a big difference--I not only have less aches and pains but my movement seems less restricted and I feel like I used to feel 10 years ago.

Sue is very skilled at identifying the area which is in need of fascial work and coming up with creative ways to address it. I have learned a great deal from our individual sessions about how my body functions and how to better keep it aligned. She combines a number of practice modalities suited to my body and it's issues. The benefits from our individual sessions have had a positive impact on my yoga practice and overall well being. She has helped me identify where I can make further improvements and provided great coaching and support. I leave the studio feeling great, and positive about continuing to make improvements at 65! --CS
Self-Administered Myofascial Release
For me, discovering myofascial release (MFR) has been transformative. The technique is basically self-administered massage using a variety of tools such as balls, foam rollers, or hands. Often, a few minutes of myofascial release can make the pain go away, or at least significantly decrease it. It’s not a replacement for a trained professional’s hands, but it can stretch out the time between appointments. There’s a good description on the Wiki page for Myofascial Release.

Opportunities to learn about Myofascial Release & Fascial Movement
I often incorporate MFR into my retreats, and offer workshops teaching you how to roll out your tensions with tennis balls, super balls and foam rollers. The style I teach is not the Melt Method (a specific form of MFR), although I like Melt and have taken many workshops and classes in that form. Fascial Movement incorporates the specific use of props (larger, softer balls, stretch bands, and a weighted ball with handles) to bounce, hydrate, expand and massage the tissues.
Interested in a workshop or setting up a private session to learn these helpful, pain relieving techniques?