Stretch therapy and recovery techniques to combat tight muscles and inflexibility are all the rage these days. At the Bodyologist, our Stretch Smarter Method is grounded in Fascial Stretch Therapy or FST. But what exactly does that mean? And why did I choose that method as the inspiration for Stretch Smarter over the many other recovery techniques out there?
The truth is, FST and the Stretch Smarter Method, are so much more than your typical stretch therapy program, and their effects reach far beyond tight muscles or exercise fatigue (though they do address these issues very well). But let’s go back a step. Before you can understand these techniques, you have to first understand what the fascia is. The fascia is the connective tissue system that penetrates through and wraps around muscles, nerves, organs, and just about everything else in our body. It’s an expansive, comprehensive system, and because of that, everything that we do (whether it’s working out or being sedentary) to everything that we feel (whether it’s stress, anxiety, or happiness), affects the fascia.
When the fascia is stressed, either due to your emotional state or your physical state, its response is to tighten up. And when it’s tight, it can adversely affect all of the other systems in the body that it connects. This is especially true of the nervous system. With such a broad reach inside of the body, it seems only logical that a stretch therapy technique that addresses a stressed fascia would reap incredible benefits for every other part of the body. So, yes, your tight muscles will be relaxed, but you will also give your entire body a kind of reset.
Similar to Fascial Stretch Therapy, my Stretch Smarter Method is an assisted stretch, meaning a certified trainer will manipulate your body through the different positions. However, it’s designed to be pain-free, because Bodyologists meet your body where it is through planes of movement rather than simple, static stretches that can be really uncomfortable (especially when you have tight muscles).
I also chose FST as the foundation for my Stretch Smarter Method because, unlike more generic stretch therapy techniques, it is highly personalized. At the Bodyologist, our trainers will get a comprehensive evaluation of your range of motion in both functional positions and movements, while also taking your goals into consideration. And clients see us for a vast array of issues. They might seek us out due to tight muscles, because of injuries or joint issues, for increased athletic performance, or simply for better overall health and stress management. We can address it all.
Since the fascia’s full-body network interacts with and affects the nervous system, stretching it properly can also help release stress while improving essential body functions like circulation, flexibility, and mobility. It’s a dual emotional and physical benefit that is both powerful and surprising.
Since every client’s stretch therapy session is highly customized to their body’s needs and their personal goals, their reaction to a session will also be unique. Once I became Level 3 Certified in FST and began seeing clients of my own, I heard a range of responses that essentially came down to how amazing they felt after a session. Some understandably reported that they were a bit sore the next day, but that is typically due to FST painlessly getting a client into a range of motion that they might not have been able to get into for a while (or ever). Clients have also reported feeling euphoric, lighter, or like they were having an out of body experience. Now with my Stretch Smarter Method, I bring together all of my experience in different recovery methodologies so clients can experience the very best of it all. Recovery and stretch therapy is so much more than simply relieving tight muscles!It is for all of these reasons that I chose FST as the foundation of the Bodyologist’s Stretch Smarter Method. So whether you have endurance issues, are stiff from sitting all day, have tight muscles, or you are looking for a whole body reset, visit the Bodyologist website to schedule a stretch therapy consultation today
Carisa Gaylardo
Founder, The Bodyologist
We are Bodyologists. We are proud disruptors of the fitness and recovery experience.