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What is Fascia? And why is it so important?

with Jen Adinolfi, Yoga and Reformer Pilates Instructor at Bodytree
Fascia is a connective tissue that lines and covers all muscles, cells, tissues and organs. It is three-dimensional and is continuous throughout the entire body. It is responsible for your overall mobility and biological design, as it supports your physical structure and every single movement that your body makes.

Fascia is increasingly viewed as an independent, regulatory body system whose malfunction is a major cause of pain and disability. Understanding the fascia and how it affects and is affected by movement is essential to facilitate pain free living and healthy aging, says Tom Myers.

So, what’s the answer to keeping your fascia healthy? To start with, make sure you’re drinking the right amount of water every day, remembering to increase that if you sweat a lot from either exercise or hot weather conditions. Movement is the other answer to keeping the fascia healthy, through exercise and rolling or gliding the structures. To increase blood flow and hydration to the fascia you can try foam ball rolling, yoga, Pilates,cardio, swimming, walking and anything that makes you move dynamically and multidirectional. (Stretching against resistance helps release tightness and adhesion of the fascia).

Equally important is the rest and recovery period following any exercise. After a heavy or intense workout, your tissues need to rehydrate, because a lot of the water will have been driven out. That includes interval training, as well as rest following a cardio or weight-bearing session. By including rest periods within a workout, you are allowing your tissues to continue to rehydrate themselves throughout the session.

From September, Jennifer will teach Yoga for all abilities on Mondays 7pm at Saadiyat Beach Club and Power Yoga on Tuesdays 6pm at Bodytree Studio. She is also available for private Reformer Pilates sessions.

Please email info@bodytreestudio.com for more details and bookings