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THE INTRO COURSE IS OPEN TO EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED
IN THE POWER OF FASCIA TRAINING AND WANTS TO GAIN DEEPER
INSIGHT INTO THIS FASCINATING WORLD.
FOR THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION HOWEVER, YOU NEED TO HAVE A
FORMER EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF MEDICIINE, THERAPY OR HEALTH RELATED
TRAINING OF AT LEAST 300 TRAINING HOURS.
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TRAINING FOR A PLIABLE, YOUTHFUL AND POWERFUL CONNECTIVE TISSUE
The bouncing ease of a gazelle, the flexible strength of a panther, and the bendy elasticity of bamboo–all qualities of the body’s connective tissue, called fascia.
Fascia is a network of collagenous fibers that permeates and connects different parts of our bodies, including our muscles, bones and organs.
The importance of fascia and the role it plays in our bodies has long been under-estimated in movement science. However research now shows that fascia plays a significant role in transmitting force throughout the body and is, therefore, critical for flexibility, elasticity and superior performance.
Fascial tissue is essential to every move we make! One of its unique properties is that it holds numerous stretch receptors. This makes fascia one of our most important sensory organs for proprioception, sensing where we are in space. It also helps to relieve back pain and contributes significantly to the body’s general sense of well-being.
For all these reasons, we need to train our fascia to maximize these benefits.
In this Fascial Fitness Introductory Course we will explain the research behind training our connective tissue, or fascia, as well as offer practical exercises targetting specific types of fascia based on the latest scientific results.
HOW IS FASCIAL FITNESS DIFFERENT?
Fascial Fitness is a holistic training concept based on research, specifically the research of Dr. Robert Schleip and his Fascia Research Group at the University of Ulm, in Germany, and other notable international researchers, sports scientists and movement therapists.
The idea of Fascial Fitness is to integrate exercises that target fascial tissue into a variety of training programs, including preventive health initiatives, holistic movement approaches, medical rehabilitation as well as training for competitive sports. Over time, we predict that more and more exercise modalities will include fascial training as the integral part of moving the body that it is meant to be.
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF FASCIAL FITNESS?
Well-trained connective tissue is elastic and extendable while at the same time strong and resistant to injury. A healthy fascial body is tough, resilient and flexible. The Fascial Fitness training program aims to build and optimize the properties of this body-wide tissue.
What are the benefits of training connective tissue?
Perhaps surprisingly, most injuries occur in soft connective tissues, not in muscle fibers. When connective tissue is stressed to the limit, small strains and tears appear. A well toned elastic collagenous network serves as a natural safeguard against such sports injuries. It also plays a role in maintaining a strong and pain-free back.
Feeling at ease in your skin is really about feeling at ease in your fascia. As one of the body’s main sensory organs, the collagenous network that we call fascia is responsible for a great deal of our well-being.
If we maintain our connective tissue in good order we remain flexible, more pliable and, in the truest sense of the word, light-footed, throughout our lives. Conditioning our fascia increases the efficiency with which we can move. It increases the spring and elasticity in our step and contributes to a sense of effortlessness, ease and elegance.
Finally, because fascial gives shape to our body, training the fascia also improves muscle tone and contributes to a taut and more toned appearance.
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COURSE CONTENTS
Theory
- Fascia as elastic springs with kinetic storage capacity (slings and springs)
- Stretching global tension chains instead of local areas
- Gliding shear movement
- Fascia as our biggest sensory organ
- Ground substance and the fluid dynamics of fascia
- Optimal tension and the body network (“tensegrity”)
- Changes in load, hydration and restorative periods
- How does connective tissue become strong and resilient?
- How does connective tissue remain pliable and elastic when we grow older?
Practice
- Catapult mechanisms: fascial jumping and bouncing
- Rebound elasticity (elastic bouncing): loading with and without weights
- Fascial stretch (fascial stretching): long myofascial chains versus local stretches, gentle melting stretches and dynamic actively-loaded stretches
- Fascial release (fascial loosening): release techniques with balls and rollers
- Sensory refinement (sensory refining): body perception and proprioceptive stimulation
Teaching Units: 16 units of 45 minutes each
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After you complete the Intro Course, you are eligible to participate the Fascial Fitness Trainer Course. The Fascial Fitness Trainer Course allows you to teach fascial fitness exercises to your clients. The Fascial Fitness Trainer Course is the perfect complement for those involved in any kind of sports and movement training, rehab work or manual therapies.
