Lets Talk Tissue Quality

Let's continue on what I posted via Instagram ( @_tobz_).

A great program starts with a great warm-up. Now there are many ideas of what a warm-up can look like, but if we take the science of training into account, many people are out of the loop. So let me try and help you through this. In the video that I posted you saw that we introduced a few concepts:

• Tissue quality 
• Foam roller
• Some key terms ( adduction, abduction, IT band, quads)

Tissue quality is simply how your tissues ( muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia) move. If your tissue does not move you might have poor tissue quality, which can come from many things: working out, sitting too long, repetitive movement and the list can go on. 

Why is tissue quality important? It is what will help you lessen injury!

To me that is one of the, if not they most important concept in training. If you get hurt you wont come back and if you do it might take a long time. This is why I focus on foam rolling.

Foam rolling is a technique that is used to help change your tissue quality from being restricted and tight, to long and ready for movement. There is science behind the foam roller, but ill give you an illustration. Imagine that your muscle is a rubber band, and it has a knot in it, what would happen if you pulled on that rubber band? Yes! The knot would become tighter, and if you continued to pull, it might even tear. Now it is the same with your muscles, you develop these knots in them due to the same activities i stated before. If you do nothing about those knots and do some kind of work out you are pulling just as on that rubber band which can lead to muscle tears. In this case the foam roller acts as a release for those knots in the muscle, and trust me if you have never used one, I suggest you try and you will literally feel the knots I am talking about.

Foam rolling is best done at the start of a work out, and should focus on some major muscle groups. Now the best way to know which ones to roll is to be assessed by a health professional that understands assessments and how they apply to overactive and under-active muscles. Most people will have some type of muscle tightness, but the list from the previous post is a great start for anyone.

Here is a video explaining the other three areas in 'Thigh Section"

IT band- stands for illiotibial band, it is a small muscle that also has a band that runs all the way to you lower leg. This helps you abduct your leg, or lift it way from your body in the side to side movements.
Adductors- This area is made up of a few muscles that help with pulling back your legs from that out position.
Quads- 4 muscles in the from of your thigh that help with extending your leg, the motion of kicking something.

Movement and Mobility		12-15 min
Foam Rolling Complex	Exercise	Time
Lower Leg	Calf	15 sec/ per side
Thigh	IT band	15 sec/ per side
	Adductors	15 sec/ per side
	Quads	15 sec/ per side
Hips	Hamstring/ Glute Attachment	15 sec/ per side
	Glutes	15 sec/ per side
Thoracic Spine	Thoracic Roll	30 sec
	Lat Roll	15sec/ per side

  Working on these areas helps with many things, but one of the most important is keeping you hips in the correct position. When you have a great base and your hips are in neutral position your body is able to produce much more stability, power, and strength. The great thing is that you will be able to do this and have more confidence that you will not get hurt.