White Tiger QigongCourse Notes

Transcription

1 White Tiger QigongCourse Notes Anatomy Show - Introduction to Fascia for Movement and Stability Chris Kummer N.D. Chris is a naturopath specializing in functional mobility from a connective tissue perspective. He is the founder of the Anatomy Show and Yoga Anatomy Show. The Anatomy Show has featured on over 100 accredited trainings for movement and bodywork. This course focuses on three areas in regards to fascia: 1 - What is fascia? Why is it important for us to know about it? 2 - How does fascia behave? How can we influence it? 3 - Where can we make use of this fascia knowledge? How does this apply to the five animal form? Part 1 What is fascia? Fascia is a term describing the connective tissues of our body. In this rapidly changing world fascia is gaining popularity and importance. The old model of our body functioning as a machine, with individual muscles pulling on bones to move us around, has been proven to be somewhat inaccurate and not describing the full picture. The new model of functional anatomy recognizes the existence and importance of previously neglected tissues, or fabrics, in our bodies. Fascia a more specific word for the connective tissues of the body is an organizational framework that consists of functional substances. Fascia as a tissue connects, constrains, compartmentalizes, continues. - connects each and every part of the body, bones, muscles, organs - compartmentalizes each part into a fascia pocket, as well as grouping of pockets - constrains movements to preserve body integrity in the form of ligaments for example - continues across the entire body - a complete whole body suit Fascia is made of four main components: - cells - secrete and absorb fibres - fibres - collagen and elastic - ground substance - thickening agent to bind water - water Tensegrity: A fusion word combining tension and integrity

2 Tensegrity requires a minimum of two components - stable integrity and tensile mobility. - rigid poles: wooden dowels, bones - tension cables: elastic bands, muscles & fascia Stability is achieved in the body by an evenness of tension Movement is the result of relative tension difference. Fascia is a living tissue, constantly being build, adapted and remodeled. Part 2 How does fascia behave? Fascia is your friend - how to build and cultivate that friendship. Your fascia / connective tissues are there to help. Constantly checking in and monitoring your posture and behaviour. Any repetitively or long-term held postures are supported by your fascia with extra tissue strengthening. Any regular movement is supported by freedom of range without much interference. Regular holding patterns can be recognized in the tightness of our shoulders, hips and ankles. For most people who are used to sitting in chairs the mobility around the ankle and hip joint has reduced to a point that restricts our ability to squat. The often observed movement restrictions in older people, are to a large degree results of long term lack of mobility. It is true, however, that fascia does reduce it s recycling and regrowth process over time, yet for most people limited activity contributes more to movement restrictions. The fibroblasts in the connective tissues constantly produce more collagen fibres. Challenges - increased physical activity - does stimulate production. Increased activity also directs and aligns existing collagen fibres along the forces and stretches applied to the relevant tissues. Your own movement, or lack thereof, determines the shape, density and elasticity of your fascia. When we consider our fascia to be our friend, we are better off indicating to our friend how and where we would like to interact. Rather than letting our friend guess what we want to do, we might end up with something not to our liking. Take the example of your shoulders. Persistently drawn up shoulders are easily interpreted by our fascia as worth supporting - up near your ears. Those knots in the shoulders are the result of your friend s guess work. Which areas of your body can you identify that you have mobility in and remember to regularly move? Which areas could benefit from more movement? Fascia, and with that muscles too, are trained specifically for each particular movement.

3 Overall strengthening and mobility is of course possible, yet training for useful movement patterns works best from a connective tissue perspective. The fluid and ground substance in which the fascia fibres live are the other important component which we can influence. This viscous ground substance responds to temperature, acidity and hydration. temperature higher temperature = more movement lower temperature = less mobility acidity increased acidity = less mobility less acidity = more mobility hydration increased hydration decreased hydration = more mobility = less mobility Temperature changes, for example the difference in mobility we experience between summer and winter are readily comprehensible. Changes in acidity can stem from metabolic or respiratory origins. Influences of your diet, the ratios and depth of your breath as well as the overall state of health and your stress resilience influence tissue acidity. Hydration refers to the amount of fluid in the tissues. The ability of the tissues to exchange and refresh the fluid is important as well. To hydrate your tissues it is, once again, important to move. The tightening and loosening actions of muscles and fascia when moving provide one avenue to literally squeeze fruits around your body. The second option for hydrating your tissues is passive. Get someone else to move your tissues - have a massage or dedicated bodywork. Fascia is organized by functionality. Areas of your body exposed to higher loads will strengthen to better deal with higher loads. Areas requiring more mobility with adapt to permit more mobility. This adaptation to our patterns of habit is reflected in models of fascial organization of the body. These models ore described as: muscle chains fascia lines anatomy trains muscle slings and others. Some resemblance to oriental medicine meridians is apparent. Our movement patterns have created connections of support and integration specific to our body and life. Ligaments and tendons are part of the fascia continuum. Example: The ligaments on the inside and outside of the knee serve as support for the joint to prevent side bending while at the same time transferring forces along the outside and inside of the leg.

4 Efficient movement directs forces through / along these lines of fascia. Directing forces across these connective tissue arrangements leads to situations of lack of stability, as for example, in sideways impact on the knee. The integrated muscles modify the tension of a fascia line to support and withstand the load on joints. In Five Animal Qigong you will notice your thigh muscles working strongly in many of the poses. Muscle strength here is proportionate to knee safety. Models for these fascia line arrangements include functional connections linking up the front of the body the back of the body the outsides of the body the inner leg and inside of the body several diagonal connections linking the limbs Almost all fascia lines connect from foot to head. Keep in mind as well that fascia is continuous. Any borders of lines are merely imagined and pictured for ease of understanding. How to train your fascia for specific results: 1 More load (as long as it s not overloading the tissue) creates stronger fascia. 2 Regular movement (ideally daily, not once a month) maintains and creates smooth, free movements. 3 Well supported stretches (either supported by muscular engagement or against the ground) can reclaim space from reduced range of movement. 4 Bouncy movements (overload caution applies) retrain tissue elasticity. Thing rope skipping. Our fascia in it s youthful state has an interlinked spring-like texture. Bounce and elasticity comes from the connective tissue, not the muscles. With a more couch potato lifestyle, our springy tissues change into a somwhat fuzzy appearance. Instead of being bouncy they can become energy dissipating and saggy. Trying to bounce with this state of connective tissue requires lots of muscular effort. At any time in our life we can work on bringing the spring back into our tissues. Reminder: Your fascia is ALIVE! As long as you can still breathe, your fascia can, and does, change. The Feet Each foot is made of 26 major bones and appears with three arches. The arches span the inside of the foot from big toe mound to the heel, the outside of the foot from little toe mound to heel and across the foot from big toe side to title toe side. This three dimensional half dome consists of multiple pieces, each supported in place by ligaments stabilizing each individual joint. In addition longer, multiple joint spanning sheets of fascia (broader ligaments) reinforce the arches. Visualize your foot like an upturned bow. The arch is the bow and the sole of your foot is

5 the bow string. Inside your foot you actually have four levels of strings of decreasing length away from the sole. The concept of fascial continuity links the foot to the rest of the body. These connections distribute and communicate the forces of the foot along the leg and further along the body. For simplicity, and really being quite close to what s actually going on, the foot and leg can be sectioned into four quadrants. front back outside inside Each quadrant has specific muscles affecting prime movements and constitute the starting points for the main four fascia lines along the corresponding sections of the body. Each quadrant is responsible for a prime foot movement. front - foot to shin dorsiflexion - anterior tibial muscle back - pointing foot plantar flexion - soles and gastrocnemius outside - foot lifts out eversion / pronation - fibularis longus muscle inside - foot scoops in inversion / supination - posterior tibial muscle Pointing the foot and drawing the foot towards the shin are movements occurring at the level of the ankle and related to calf and front of shin muscles. Turning the foot out and scooping it inwards are twisting movements in the many joints of the foot itself, but not at the ankle. These movements are performed by the muscles on the outside and inside of the leg. Circling the foot is a combination movement of all four muscle actions. Part 3 Practical applications Five animals in four levels Commencing the form - Standing on toes with arm lift Standing on the balls of the toes requires all four fascia lines and quadrants of leg muscles to be switched on, active and getting ready to stabilize all the way up the body. The lifting of the arms initiates basic mobility of the fascia and muscles around the shoulder. Level 1

6 Feet and legs remain switched on, front to back balance. dynamic arm movement builds fascia elasticity around the shoulder and brings a cross stretch to the back fascia of the body Front to back balance with opening / lengthening of front fascia of torso Side to side balance, inner and outer body fascial connections strengthened. Gentle opening of the side body fascia Hip - leg fascia opening, building strength relationship to balance centre of gravity over firm base Deepening side body mobility, while creating strong leg stability through all four leg quadrants. Level 2 As in previous crane strong leg action through all four quadrants, shoulder and back fascia mobility Neck front to back mobilization Torso rotation opens all four lines in upper body Deep hip fascia mobility and control, torso rotational mobility, on leg base stability Frontal hip opening, weight balance on back leg. Shoulder blade mobility on bonging arms behind torso. Level 3 Rotation and length in body, leading torso and back in side stretch. Leg strength through four quadrants stabilizes knee twist Foot / balance control on single leg

7 Elastic fascia elongation on all four sides of body. Sides of neck fascia mobilized Side line opening Low stance balance. Arms mobilize laterally Level 4 Lengthen back and sides in twist. Inner line lift through tongue and jaw action. Deep hip mobility, deep forward bend from the hip with foot tap reminder to keep foot engaged and grounded Deep shoulder fascia mobility Lateral dynamic mobility while balancing sideways on inner and outer leg quadrant of standing leg. Tones whole body fascia back line, including shoulders, to hold pose against gravity while creating balance through four quadrants of standing leg to body.