Juicy Muscles
Juicy muscles? Sounds strange but let me explain
When we’re young, our fascia - the connective tissue that weaves through our entire body - is nicely organized in a strong, springy, lattice fashion, but as we age and become more sedentary, this structure becomes less organized and more messy. Fascia such as this can lead to stiffness, aches, and reduced mobility. The good news? We can restore elasticity and hydration to our fascia through movement.
I learned about this juicy concept while reading a research paper by Schleip & Mueller (2012), where they highlight how movement influences fascial health. When I first saw the image above it shocked me and made me want to get up and start bouncing right then and there. In the paper, they emphasize the following principles:
Rehydrate through movement - not just by drinking water. Movement acts like a sponge, squeezing out the old and drawing in fresh hydration. Twists and controlled movements are great ways of doing this.
Load Gently - Fascia loves variety and gentle tension. Think bounces, light resistance, and active stretches. Passive stretching has its place, but it doesn’t contribute so much to mobility as we’re told.
Breath & Recovery - give your muscles space to recover, mix up the movements and whatever you do, don’t forget to breathe!
Ready to try it out?
The next few exercises can be added into your yoga flow or movement practice to support active mobility and help you feel more fluid, resilient, and connected in your body.
Active Cow Face Arms - Don’t touch your back!
This one is especially useful for those of us with tight shoulders
Active Bridge Pose -Squeeze the block!
Great for those sitting at the desk all day
Active Pigeon Pose - engage the hips!
Show those hips some love
Try and see for yourself how these movements can help you feel young! Then you can tell me if you finally understand what I mean by juicy muscles…
With Kindness,
Micaela
About me:
I am Micaela Kraft, a yoga teacher passionate about helping people connect with their bodies in a way that feels natural, balanced, and kind. I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training with Tatjana Mesar at the Dynamic Mindfulness school in Berlin. I am continuously learning through mentorship, and I am eager to share my knowledge with you! I also have a background in Nutrition and hope to share some healthy (but yummy!) recipes with you from time to time. Lastly, I am a former dance instructor, and sometimes you’ll see the influence of dance in my flows. In this space, we will explore simple yet powerful movements that bring awareness and ease into everyday life - both on the mat and off the mat. Simply put, I would like the world to feel better.
so good!!!! keep em coming
Thank you Sydney!!! Hope you learned something 😁