Pete RohlederWhat’s up, movers!
Thanks for tuning in to Part 3 of the Mobilize and Move series. As I’ve stated, these next several episodes are dedicated to going through each phase of the P.U.M.M.P. Process to enhance mobility, so you have a good grasp on the content and can apply it appropriately to your fit your needs.
To quickly recap, “P” stands for Proper Position, and I gave you three tangible takeaways to put the first phase into action. And I hope you all have jumped in and are ready for the next step.
“U” stands for Undo Hypertonic and Shortened Tissue.
This phase may seem like the easiest because everybody does a form of this. As I mentioned in the introduction episode to this series, foam rolling and tissue release are the industry’s big buzz words. Still, if you’re not doing it right or effectively, you may not be getting all the benefits from your efforts.
Today, I will explain what we are doing and how the body responds and why it’s essential to capitalize on that tissue response. I’ll also talk about the different ways to address restricted tissue and the best times for each method. A lot of takeaways today!
If you recall from my intro episode to the series, I talked about the common thoughts on the causes of muscle stiffness and restriction. When I say hypertonic, I mean overactive tissue. When tissue is overactive, it is typically shortened. Whether you want to go with the adhesion concept, the trigger point concept, or both, the focus is that, along with the issue of life, such as stress, inflammation, poor habitual positions, and age, they all impede tissue response, restrict movement, and cause discomfort.
Our goal is to mitigate that restriction by creating an environment within the system that increases mobility and permits the tissue to respond.
How do we accomplish that? Lying on a foam roller? Maybe, if we go about it with the right intention with the proper methods.
Tissue that is in a hypertonic state needs to be disrupted. What I mean by that is we need to tell the body to notice and act on the hindrance within the tissue. We do that by tapping into the body’s physiological systems to initiate the response.
I wish it were as simple as mentally focusing on an area, and voila! it’s taken care of. It’d be nice, but that’s now how the body responds. Remember, the tissue is in that state for a reason. Unless you have a chronic disease or injury, something you are doing, or not doing, tells the tissue to respond in that manner. Assuming you are relatively healthy, you know what the major contributor is: poor daily movement patterns. Now, if you are injured, of course, chat with your physician or P.T. before jumping into this stuff.
I have to stay it again- remember, tissue adapts to position. If your joints are stuck in a particular position for long periods, the tissue surrounding the joint with adapt to accommodate that position. Sitting, slumping, and lounging wreak havoc in our joint positions and, subsequently, our muscle tissue.
There are numerous ways to disrupt this state, but I will focus on the ones that can be self-administered.
These techniques are pressure-based, and if done appropriately, can achieve the tissue response we’re after. But it’s good to have an idea of what these techniques are doing, so you know how and when to apply them, so let’s go nerd-mode for just a second.
In short, we are trying to override the neuromuscular and sympathetic nervous systems that are causing tissue tension. We need to disrupt the signal.
When we apply external pressure to an area, it stimulates receptors located throughout the muscle, fascia, and connective tissues. Here are the major receptors in play:
- Golgi tendon organ (GTO)
The G.T.O.’s are proprioception receptors found in the myotendinous junctions, where the muscle tissue and tendon join. When stimulated, they create an inhibiting response. This means that it prevents the muscle from further contraction. If you can tap into these, you will cause tonus decrease or dampening of your muscles’ continuous and passive partial contraction.
- Pacinian corpuscles
Pacinian corpuscles are mechanoreceptors found in the myotendinous junctions, skin, and joints of the body. They provide feedback for movement control and respond to rapid changes in pressure. Once the tissue is disrupted, signals start firing, but with continuous pressure, the frequency signals decrease quickly and soon stops. This will allow the tissue to respond because we have got this receptor to quite down.
- Ruffini endings
Ruffini endings are similar to Pacinian corpuscles. They are mechanoreceptors found in the skin and joints and respond to sustained pressure. When stimulated, they inhibit sympathetic activity. Sympathetic activity is your fight or flight response and acts up when the body is under stress. You activate these guys, and you see that response decreases, decreasing tension in the tissue.
- Interstitial receptors
Interstitial receptors are the most abundant receptors found everywhere in the body, and when stimulated, effect vasodilation- meaning it widens the blood vessels. Better blood flow, better waste removal means improved fluid dynamics within the tissue.
Ok, lots of pieces to the puzzle, but let’s put them together and sum this up.
By applying pressure, we lower sympathetic activity, decrease muscle tone, relax the tissue, and improve fluid dynamics, reducing the effects of stress. This combination is what sets us up for the best tissue responses.
That’s what all this is about- creating the best environment within the tissue to respond and adapt. That’s why knowing how to tap into it is crucial.
You can drive a car in 1st gear- but you’ll only be able to move so fast. You can press the gas all day; you’re not going any faster. Put the car in a higher gear, and then the vehicle has more opportunity to accelerate. Now think of the body- if you do all the things to set your tissue up to respond, you’ll get more out of your mobilization efforts. It goes back to being effective and efficient.
Nice! Now we know what we’re trying to do, but how do we accomplish it?
That depends on your desired outcomes, and I usually break it down into two categories: the Pre-Training approach and the Correct and Recover approach. Keep in mind that all of these techniques can be used at any time to address tissue restriction, but some may be better than others before loading a pattern with your training.
Our goal is to address restricted tissue so that movement is easier and more functional, and typically, that means addressing it consistently and working to correct positions. This is an ongoing process and should be integrated throughout the day, with some dedicated time to really focus on some of the significant limitations. That’s the Correct and Recovery approach.
Typically, this means that the methods we use will be longer and more focused on particular areas. Usually, we are working on getting to deeper layers of tissues, and we are really trying to tap into those physiological responses I mentioned earlier. This sequence will be more targeted, with a longer duration to reach deeper layers of tissue.
The flip side of this is when you are mobilizing before training. When you are getting ready to load tissue, you want the tissue to be responsive, and you want to have as much range of motion as possible to have optimal movement patterns. But we don’t want the tissue too relaxed. If we spend too much time applying pressure, we may work against ourselves. That’s why camping out on a foam roller may not be as helpful pre-workout as you may have thought. I mentioned this before, but too much can cause further inflammation, it can damage tissue, or disrupt neural input, which can take away from force production and motor unit recruitment.
When you are preparing to train, the modalities you use want to have something in common: movement. And many times, they mimic the positions you are trying to achieve. The focus is to optimize range of motion, so you apply pressure on those areas of restriction, and then you move the tissue to enhance range of motion. You take advantage of the benefits of the tissue response and then follow it up by moving the tissue into your desired positions. Typically, these are a bit shorter in length because we don’t want to cause too much tissue disruption, especially right before we load the tissue.
What tools do you need? Honestly, you’re limited by your creativity. The more traditional tools are foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and trigger point canes, but you can use about anything. Keep in mind the more dense and rigid a device, the deeper it will penetrate the layers of tissue, so consider your tissue’s state and your pain tolerance before jamming a barbell into your calf. For example, I like to use a slightly deflated basketball for beginners because it’s less dense and covers more surface area, which typically is not as intense.
Here are three effective pressure mobilizations. All can be used at any time, so be aware of what you are doing and be deliberate with your methods, as some will be better before training than others.
There are many big names in the game that have named these methods, and honestly, these methods have become household names. Words like “floss” and “smash” are the main terms, and don’t worry if you haven’t heard them before- I’ll explain them.
#1: Trigger Point Pressure
This is what most people do when they are trying to address restricted tissue. The goal here is to penetrate the deep layers of tissue. You accomplish this by applying pressure on an area and allowing your body to relax and sink into the tool. Hang out for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, slowly move your body or the tool across the tissue, and repeat. The slower you go, the better. If it’s a sensitive area, then you’re in the right place. If it’s too intense, you can pulse the pressure- hang out for 5-10 seconds, roll off, take a deep breath, then back on. This is best for correction and recovery, so post-workout or times you address tissue restriction during the day.
#2: Contract-Relax
This is an extension of number one and is based on the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching technique. After you apply pressure with a ball or roller, sink into for a bit. Then, contract the muscles surrounding the tool. Yeah, you heard that right- it’s not comfortable at all, but it’s incredibly effective. Contract for 5-6 seconds, then relax again and allow your body to drop into the tool. You’ll notice a more substantial effect.
What you’re taking advantage of is autogenic inhibition, and all that means is that after a muscle contraction, there is a short time when the myotatic reflex, or the reflex for the muscle to contraction, diminishes, allowing a golden opportunity to manipulate the tissue. This method is crazy useful and is a great one for correction and recovery as well.
#3: Smash and Floss
“Smash” refers to pressure, and “floss” refers to movement. I could have called it “Pressure and Move,” but it doesn’t have the same ring. As I said, these names were coined by some big names in the game, and I like the visual it represents.
Simply, you apply pressure to the tissue, and then, you move the body to achieve as much range of motion as possible. When you think of flossing your teeth, you move up and down and try to get every angle to clean your gums. It’s similar with this method. The goal is to enhance range of motion and tissue response by addressing the restriction and improving how the layers of tissue slide and interact with each other. For example, I can lie down on my stomach and put a foam roller under my upper thigh or quad. Once I have an area I want to address, I hang out on the spot, flex my knee, and bring my heel up toward my glutes. When I feel an increase in tension, I can work it by moving in different angles. This is an excellent technique before training because we improve our tissue’s capability for range of motion.
Those are three great strategies to get you started. I’ll chat about some more advanced modalities in the future. I’ll also talk about my favorite mobilizations in future episodes, but this lays the foundation for you all.
Alright, let me leave you with six tips to be successful with this phase:
1: Know what muscles you are targeting
You don’t have to be an expert in anatomy and physiology, but it helps know the general muscles and tissues you are addressing. If you are specific, you can get more out of your efforts. For any professionals out there, I hold you to a higher standard. You should know the muscles and tissues you are targeting with your clients. You want to be effective, so make sure you know what you’re doing. If you turn it into a guessing game, then you either will be inefficient, and they won’t see as much improvement as they could, or they could injure themselves because you weren’t addressing the right stuff. It’s a challenge. Like I say, level-up your professionalism.
2: Select the proper tool.
Be thoughtful about your methods. Do you want to narrow in on a trigger point? Use a smaller object, like a lacrosse ball. Do you want to hit more tissue? Use something wide, like a foam roller.
3: Be deliberate with your techniques.
Slower application will lead to better tissue response. If we move too fast, we may miss out on the tissue effects we’re after. Be present in it, even though it’s uncomfortable.
4: Choose your method with intention.
What is your focus? Is it to prep for a heavy training day? Are you trying to correct poor posture? What you do will impact the tissue, so be aware of your choices and be specific with your target areas. If you find something that works for you, stick with it.
5: Be aware of your intensity and duration.
This piggybacks off the last one, but remember, the longer and more intense you apply pressure, the more disruption and damage can occur. Remember, we want to mobilize, not disable. Going too long or too intensely and lead to soreness and bruising and can delay your training. Be strategic with your intensity.
6: Breath and overcome the discomfort.
It’s very easy and normal to tense up and hold your breath when subjecting yourself to discomfort. But, you work against yourself when you do. Be mindful of what you are doing, and do your best to breathe and overcome the temporary discomfort. Focus on the improved movement you will experience if you do it right!
Takeaway
Here’s a takeaway to get you going. Pick an area you want to address and try each of the techniques I chatted about: trigger point pressure, contract-relax with pressure, smash and floss, and then rank them. Write down which ones seemed to help the most and what you like the most. It will be easier to do, and you’ll do it more consistently if you buy into it. If you kind of like it, it may not be so bad!
Alright, two phases down! You have the first phase, “P,” which is Proper Position and “U,” Undo Hypertonic and Shortened Tissue.
Next time, we’re jumping into the third phase of the P.U.M.M.P. process, so don’t get distracted and make sure to tune in! That was a hint, so kudos if you caught it!
If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast, so you’re the first to hear it as soon as it goes live. I’d really appreciate it!
I also appreciate you listening to this episode and spending some time with me. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! I look forward to chatting with you soon.
Take care of yourselves and each other, and remember, wherever you are, keep moving.
Pete Rohleder
