Full Body Yoga Fascia Stretch and Strengthening Exercises

Welcome friends to your FULL BODY YOGA class! We will stretch and strengthen our fascial network through a variety of movements.

One of the best ways to wake up our fascial system is with a full body stretch. Add a yawn as you stretch your body in all directions. Consider a cat that decides to get up from their cat nap. The first thing that the cat will do is engage in a full body stretch while yawning. The cat is prepping his/her tissues for movement. So, that’s exactly what we will be doing at the beginning of our class!

As we prepare our tissues for movement, we will also be working on proprioception (awareness of where your body is in space without having to look). We will then load our tissue through muscular contraction and mini bouncing actions.

A lot of the postures and movements we explore today are familiar yoga poses. I’ve just added a little fascia activation to them so that way we work the fascial system in a different way.

Fascia is connective tissue. It encases our entire body, giving our body shape and structure. Fascia plays a role in transferring fluid throughout the body, keeping our tissues healthy and hydrated. Fascia can transfer and store energy, allowing us to do some really cool movements with the body. Finally, fascia is a sensory organ and is constantly communicating with the nervous system.

Why is it important to keep fascia young and healthy? Here’s a few reasons:
1) Improved mobility throughout the entire body
2) Less muscle soreness and discomfort
3) Improved coordination
4) More energy
5) Improved posture
6) Improved range of motion
7) Can do the activities you love to do
8) Promotes freedom in movement
9) Reduces tension throughout the body
10) Enhances mind-body connection
11) Improves flow of breath (when there’s more space in the body, the breath can flow with more ease)

AND MORE!

I invite you to come to today’s practice with an open mind. Simply explore. Take note of what you feel in your body as you move. Let’s not just go through the motions, from one pose to the next. Pay attention to everything - the start, the middle, how you transition from one pose to the next, etc.

Finally, have FUN!