Consult your health practitioner or doctor before beginning an exercise or movement program. Also check with your doctor if you have any health conditions or injuries to be sure you are cleared for exercise before practicing any movements below. If pain is felt during these movements, cease practice and refer to individual instruction from a health or fitness professional.

Myofascial Freedom

Our myofascial system is a bodywide network of connective tissue and muscle that allows for human movement. The fascia (connective tissue) in our body has over 9x the amount of nerve receptors than muscle tissue, indicating a much greater role in movement than the muscle itself. The fascia also plays a primary role in the physical structure of our bodies, how our joints and organs are positioned and how force is transmitted through our movements. Healthy fascia comes from movement and breath. The following practices will help to build body awareness and help clear away habitual patterns of tension that create imbalances in posture and movement.

Repeat 5-10 times

Lying on the back with knees bent and feet planted at hip width, begin with a few slow, relaxed breaths. On an exhalation feel the pelvic floor activate and lift the base of the pelvis away from the mat. Allow the lower spine to round into the mat. Inhale to release the hips back to the mat.

*Place Myofascial Release Therapy Balls under the lower back just on either side of the spine, or on the back of the pelvis under the glutes for additional relief to the hips and back

The hips, core and lower spine benefit from this great warm up or cool down movement.

Repeat 5-10 times on each side

Begin lying on the back with the knees bent and feet planted hip width. Keeping the feet planted, allow the knees to fall to one side of the mat while taking a deep breath in. On an exhalation bring the knees back to center and then to the opposite side on the next inhalation. Repeat the movement side to side with the rhythm of the breath.

*Place Myofascial Release Therapy Balls under the lower back just on either side of the spine, or on the back of the pelvis under the glutes for additional relief to the hips and back

The hips, core and lower spine benefit from this great warm up or cool down movement.

Repeat 5-10 times on each leg

Begin lying on the back with one knee in toward the chest. Clasp hands around the back of the thigh and begin to extend the knee as the heel reaches upward. While maintaining evenness through the hips continue to flex the hip and knee on inhalations and extend the hip and knee on exhalations for the desired number of rounds.

*Using fingertips, gently press on bound up muscle adhesions in the back of the thigh between hamstring muscles. Continue knee and hip movement with light pressure and full breaths

The thighs and hips benefit from this warm up or cool down movement.

Repeat 5-10 Breaths or movements on each leg

Place one ankle on the top of the opposite thigh just above the knee (position the area just above the outer ankle on the area just above the knee) and open the top leg knee outward. Maintain evenness through the pelvis and perform any of the following movements:

+Knee to Chest

+Pelvic Tilts

+Windshield Wipers

+Thigh Opener

The thighs and hips and spine benefit from this warm up or cool down movement.

Repeat 5-10 times on each leg

Begin lying on the back with the one knee in toward the chest. Bring the same side arm inside the thigh, reach over the top of the foot grabbing the pinky side of the foot. Draw the thigh outward with the ankle aligning over the knee (top). Keeping the knee bent, bring the foot across the body, and guiding with the opposite hand twist the hips toward the opposite side. As the hips rotate, the moving leg extends into a spinal twist (bottom). Inhale in each position and exhale to move between sides

*Bend the bottom leg at the knee for a more relaxed variation

The hips, IT band, legs, core and lower spine benefit from this great warm up or cool down movement.

Repeat 5-10 times on each side

Begin standing in a forward bend with the knees with hands resting on the mat, ankles or shins. On an inhale, twist the shoulders one direction and extend that side arm upward to open the chest while extending the knee to open the outer hip and leg. Release back to a forward fold on exhale, and repeat on the second side with the following inhale. Continue the movements for the desired number of rounds

*Bent knee forward folds provide more relief for the lower back and legs

The legs, hips, spine and shoulders all benefit from this great warm up or cool down movement.