What the Fascia?

Fascia is fascinating.  Fascia is all around us (literally).  But what really is fascia?  Fascia is a thin sheath of connective tissue which encompasses and connects the whole body in an endless web.  It is the interlinking system which provides not only support but also communication between systems in our bodies.  Without fascia, our bodies would be a pile of goo.

“Fascia surrounds individual muscle groups, muscle bundles within individual muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.  It is the tissue where the musculoskeletal, nervous, and circulatory systems all converge!”  Think of it as a 3-D spider web which encompasses and innervates all parts of our body underneath the skin.  You may also think of fascia to be synonymous to a sweater.  Fascia is the yarn which interlaces and keeps the sweater together as a whole. 

Fascia is immensely complex.  It allows and facilitates transportation of signals across the body via “mechanical pushing and pulling along fascial grains and ground substance.”  (Thomas W. Myers.  Anatomy Trains).  In a normal state, our fascia is somewhat relaxed and wavy.  They are flexible, yet strong and durable.  However, when fascia is overly stressed or strained, it becomes stiffened and can form adhesions or “scar tissue.” 

As with our sweater analogy, a snag in one area of the sweater can cause pulling in another area, even causing pain contralaterally to the area of pull.  These snags or pulls in the fascia can cause imbalances in our body. Things such as poor posture, improper biomechanics, or overly repetitive movements can cause further strain to fascia and inherently the muscles/nerves/organs they encompass or innervate.  A stiffened or scarred tissue already sounds uncomfortable, and it sure is!  Limited range of motion often also accompanies this pain.

So what does this all mean?  Our body acts as one big unit!  Areas of pain must be considered through a larger frame.  It may not be just a specific muscle group.  The pain may come from a combination of stressed areas within the muscle and ambiguous fascia alike!  But how do you address the fascia?  Fascia responds well to pulling or lengthening.  Just normal static and dynamic stretching does wonders, and honestly, it just feels great.  Other techniques such as myofascial release can help with the breakdown of scar tissue in the fascia.  Both are equally important but care must be consistent and comprehensive! 

 Some self-applied techniques which provide me relief include self-myofascial release and static stretching.  I implement the use of a lacrosse ball to a trigger-point area of pain which helps break down any scar tissue in the fascia and helps release a tightened muscle.  Static stretching post self-myofascial release helps lengthen the muscle and fascia.  Fascia can be visualized as having a plastic-like structure.  Time spent lengthening or resetting it will have lasting effects if done consistently!  Symmetry and being pain-free is the goal.

Timothy Garcia is an ACSM-certified personal trainer who works under Elite Strength and Conditioning as well as Tampa Bay Holistic Wellness.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from the University of South Florida.  He works alongside Gaze Hot Yoga teaching a group class called Fascial Dynamics which focuses on mobility and being pain-free.  He is currently also studying corrective exercise, focusing on a holistic view of health and wellness.

Kid tested, mother approved.

When I first started practicing yoga, I was a dad that had plenty of extra time.  I say extra, but as many of you know that statement has a limiter attached. My "extra time" had an "extra tiny human attached." So you know, cooking breakfast, going grocery shopping, hanging out at the park, they were my jam.  But yoga? That was for people with extra, extra time.

Enter Shana Levine and Robin Kurian. The studio where I practiced had kid and adult yoga classes simultaneously twice a week, taught by these two. So twice a week I was guaranteed my practice because of this reliable "child care." What's more is this child care was actually forming patterns of consciousness, and body awareness in my daughter that were an absolutely necessary foundation for her continuing health even now. Her physical health as well as nonviolent communication skills, body autonomy, self love, and an ability work together with kids of all different ages, were all things she got just "while I was practicing." As parents, we need a minute sometimes, and that is totally fine.  Our kids need a minute too, and I was so glad for her minute to be spent in a conscious way.

I am so excited to offer this possibility to other parents.  For more information about Shana read her article here.  Now let's ALL practice.

Let's get awkward.

 Yoga shows us things.  Sometimes it is exactly what you want to see. Sometimes it gets a little awkward. This is a yogi from your community who has surrendered to that possibility.  Thank you Maryam!

Where were you born? 

  Brooklyn, NY

Where do you live? 

  Tampa, now but I'm from the eastern end of Long Island.

How long have you been practicing?

    Since 2001

How does yoga help you? 

  I'd probably not be able to move very much now without yoga since I've had so many injuries. I'd probably not be able to use my mind very well either.

What do you do for a living? 

  College Professor

How do you find time for yoga? 

  My schedule changes every semester so I'm never sure what time I will have for what classes beforehand. But I take he first two weeks of every term to see what times feel good and then I schedule it in agenda as if it's a class or work meeting.

Do you have a favorite yoga posture?

   Hmm. Not really. I have a rotation of postures that are my least favorite though hahaha

Is there an aspect of yoga you want to learn more about? 

  I read a lot about yoga, so I know there's a mountain of things I want to learn more about. The stuff I'm interested the most in though is more along the lines of my own research. Does yoga change the way you talk and identify yourself to others.

What's your favorite curse word?

 Asshole. It's gender neutral. Everybody has one, everybody can be one.

What other profession would you like to have?

 Life coach. Which is very close to what I already do for the most part. Working with people more closely and individually is deeply satisfying. The sorts of things I do with Gambol Fitness speaks to that side of things-- dialect coaching, communication and presentation skills, and just general improving your life stuff, especially time management. I already work with people on that, but it isn't my main hustle. I love teaching college students the most. That's a very long answer to just say that I would choose exactly what I am currently doing if I had a chance to do it over. I just wouldn't have made the way to this point quite so arduous and difficult.

What are you most fearful of in the next year?

 Last year, I made a strong decision to change my life and to be happier and move forward-- forcefully move forward, regardless of the difficulty. So far, it's been pretty okay. But it's always looming that things might not work out and I might have to go back to an older more unhappy iteration of my life. In terms of the world, I fear that this frightening trend of thinking that thinking is overrated will become an even stronger force that it is. I mean, seriously-- how did we get ourselves into this place?

What would make you happy to see happen in the next year?

 I'd like to settle in and feel like I have a long-term home in Tampa. I've been sort of a nomad for the last few years. It would be nice to have a couch and a place to call home. Like my own home.

What's your pet peeve?

Social scientists must strive not to judge more than most people, I think. I don't have too many pet peeves, but I do like it when people follow the rules. Things like texting and driving make me so mad. But if you aren't potentially endangering people, do your thing.

Wait. I thought of one. I hate how people put on air conditioning when it would be equally cool if you opened the window. Like, is fake recirculated air that much more pleasant?

What are you learning about yourself through it?
That I'm a bit of a goody two shoes? I should say that I'm getting a bit more used to living in Florida and I need to get over myself. Except that I'm so totally right about the air conditioning hahahaha. But the reason that I have fewer pet peeves these days is that I have actually gotten over myself after a long and hard life. Everyone has something going on. And one of the main things I tell my anthropology students is that Rule #1 is that we aren't mind readers. I really try to be aware of that all the time. Nobody has any clue what's going on in my head. Most people wouldn't want to hang out in my brain for very long. Too uncomfortable.

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid.

If you've never been in a hot yoga class, it's easy to be intimidated by the thought of jumping in the "torture chamber" for 90 minutes. Maybe because you just don't know what to expect, and there is a lot of chit chat about it on the internet, and some of it is true, and of course some of it is absurd.  So, allow me to debunk a few myths and tell you exactly what you can expect in your first hot yoga class. 

First of all, try to let go of your expectations.  Like starting any new practice in your life, you will not be an expert your first time.  If you can accept this the better off you'll be.  I like to use a swim cap as an analogy.  If you go to your local pool to start taking swim lessons, you will probably be given a swim cap.  I think we can agree, that nobody looks super cool in a swim cap. Everyone at the swim lesson has already accepted that they may look a little silly, but everyone is there looking silly together and taking the steps necessary to get better at swimming.  Your first yoga class can feel the same way.  Your only job for that class and maybe several more after that, is letting go of how silly you think you look, and doing what you need to do to keep going. 

Yoga is brimming with benefits, and the posture series we practice here works every muscle head to toe. All of the postures are meant for beginning yoga students, and are centered around strengthening the spine.  When your spine is strong and flexible, every other structure and system in your body can operate more efficiently.  Because the postures are practiced in a heated room, your body will be warmer and ready to move, so any fears you have about level of flexibility will likely be squashed right away, because your tissues will be able to move better, your circulation will be improved, and your breath will feel more natural.

When you come to your first class there are some basic logistics to consider as well to make sure you get the most out of your class.

         - Come hydrated. You will sweat a lot, and you are welcome to bring a bottle of water to class to sip on. However, if you are under hydrated and feel like you need to guzzle water throughout class then you run the risk of being uncomfortable trying to practice with a belly full of water.

          - Eat something. Plan ahead, and have a small meal an hour or so before class starts.  Having a little something to eat can help you power through class, but if there is anything in your stomach, it will remind you it's there.

           - Dress light. You will be sweating and the clothes you are wearing will get wet.  If you have on clothes with a lot of fabric and extra room in them, that fabric and room will quickly turn into a distraction.  Imagine pants legs or shirt sleeves turning into sweat soaked flags/banners proudly proclaiming "I'm your shirt! and I'm in your way again." 

          - Breathe. Your goal for your first class should be to stay on your mat.  If you need a break, take it. sit down. lie down. breathe. When you are first starting it's easy to think that this is failure, or because you took a break you are somehow not practicing yoga anymore.  You absolutely are. When you can find a connection to your breath and be still when you are on the verge of a freak out, THAT is what practicing yoga is.

When you finish your first class you will probably feel super jazzed you survived. And you should! When you struggle through class and learn to stay clam and trust your body and your breath, it's a big accomplishment! You might feel so great that you want to jump up and hit the road right away. Instead, take a few minutes to lie down and relax. There is time for this built into class, and your body has a lot of things to reorganize inside.  If you allow yourself time to lie down and be still after class you may find that you are bursting with energy when you get up. It is often said that yoga is the gas station, and as you practice your tank is filled up again and again.

Finally, in the days following your first class you will probably be sore.  Yoga has amazing healing powers and this is a sign that those powers are at work. But you just moved your body in a new way, and it takes time to take the weak parts of your body and make them strong.  Keep drinking water. Staying hydrated can help your tissues heal faster, and feel better. Keep coming to class too. Your soreness can be helped by getting back in the room feeling the heat, and trusting the postures to help you heal, get stronger, and more focused.  You are much stronger than you tell yourself. You CAN do it.

Our Studio.

If you have already visited the studio, thank you so much for coming.  If you still haven't made it by, I want to welcome you into this space that was created from a strong community of committed people.  My only intention for this space is to give us a place to be still, even when it is very difficult.  I hope it can be a place where we can learn to learn from our breath; and look beyond our reflection and into our Self. 

It has been really great this month, seeing some of you again and reconnecting, but also to meet some of you for the first time. Yoga is a powerful tool, that everyone in this community can use in some way, and if you are looking for a way it can help you, please come to the studio and ask me.

As we all look forward to the new year, there are some things , I know, we all want to forget. So let's move on.  But don't forget that many of the same things are waiting for us next year. The strong undercurrent of love as an inevitable force, the opportunity we have to take control of our health, and the ever present struggle we all face as we live as human beings on this earth. Challenge yourself in the coming year to acknowledge these things, and allow yourself the space to be still. Even if it is difficult at first, we can all get better with a little practice.