Myofascial Work
During one of Lulu’s Yin classes at Waves you can expect a lot of myofascial work. The gentle pressure used during myofascial work releases tightness and pain throughout the body. This hydrates and brings fresh blood to areas of the body that do not receive direct blood supply. All of this aids in recovery, increases mobility, and helps the body feel its best.
The myofascial tools we use at Waves are the recovery rounds by RAD. They are soft massage balls made from silicone. During class you will be guided on where to use the recovery rounds, and will maintain pressure on your trigger spots. Something that makes myofascial work different from a Yin stretch is that you only need to maintain pressure for about 30-60 seconds. RAD’s website states, “The lymphatic system in our body is mostly passive, it needs muscles and movement to push fluid around, and push waste products out. Muscles function as pumps for lymph to help squeeze all this fluid around. When you have tight muscles, they aren't very effective pumps. Using the Recovery Rounds can help to pump fluid in and out of the system, speeding up recovery and helping you to feel your best.”
Surrender
During myofascial work you are forced to surrender. It is okay to acknowledge the emotions and thoughts that arise while you practice, but then you envision them floating away. This teaches us to notice those emotions rising without feeling the need to immediately react to them. This could serve as a powerful lesson when it comes to stress in our day to day lives. We need to slow down and not let the stress or emotions control us. All we need to do is be gentle and love ourselves exactly how we are. Research is even showing that myofascial release may be more about changes in the nervous system rather than physically changing the tissue. What this means is that we need to slow down and do less. We should naturally let our body open up to relax rather than trying to force some kind of change.
The world seems to keep moving faster and faster-maybe even a little too fast. It's become so normalized to not have intentional time to slow down. Regular myofascial work can serve as a reminder to wind down, look within, and really be attuned to what your body is needing. It can help teach you about living in the present moment, non-reactivity, and stillness. Dedicating time to recharge will make tension in your body and mind melt away.