We have all probably heard that stretching is important. The important thing to understand is a stretch can not be forced. The connective tissue known as facia which interlaces throughout the body is powerful. It has been shown that fascia has a tensile strength of 7,000 lbs while we are alive. That is amazing and helps us to realize we need to use time not force to get a thorough stretch. We also know that bouncing to increase a stretch is counter-productive as it activates a part of the muscle known as the Golgi-tendon apparatus designed to shorten a muscle to prevent a tear. So here we are back to slow sustained stretching. I like to think of the analogy of the telescoping antenna on an old radio, it must be carefully and gracefully extended to get good reception, whereas a quick pull and you'll have a piece in your hand. We can also equate the fascia with the San Jiao in Chinese Medicine known as the General of Irrigation responsible for getting vital fluids to every nook and cranny of the body. The fascia can become extremely tight and dense when the body is injured, when a scar is present, or when it does not get what it needs to perform its daily function. In classic Chinese Medicine, it is said that the Spleen rules the muscle and the Liver rules the joints and sinews. One idea proposed by Dr. Leon Hammer was that the Spleen rules the fascia more specifically. This seems to be more accurate since the Spleen is in charge of the transformation and transportation of food and fluids and the San Jiao plays a huge role in delivery.
What can we do to help this process along? I believe that first and foremost is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. If there is not enough of a supply then the job simply cannot be done. Nourish is second, it is not just about water it is also vital that the body has the raw materials to deliver throughout the body. Then of course movement and stretching, when a demand is created, the body will feed that demand provided it has what it needs to do so. Slow sustained stretching, going to the limit, for you, and waiting there, when the fascia softens we may be able to go a little further.
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