Fascia: The Movement Theory Of Everything
The human body is complex. Or so we’re told.
We need strong muscles yet soft, supple ones; an upright posture yet fluidity and grace when we walk, dance, do every day things; a strong energetic heart and lungs, yet a deep, relaxed breathe and calm, rested nervous system; we must act, live and perform emotionally, with courage, passion and bravery; at the same time we must not lose our centre, waste our ‘chi’ or expend ourselves unnecessarily.
While these paradoxes are perhaps a natural and inevitable part of the human experience, and even necessary components of any physical movement practice, what if there was something that magically tied it all together?
Some, ‘theory of everything’ underlying each process and harmoniously adjusting with every change to fill in the gaps.
The ‘fascia’ or ‘fascial system’, I believe, could be that very thing...
To use a simple image: if you’ve bought a steak from the supermarket recently, try to remember that white elastic lining attached to the outside of the meat. It’s usually a nightmare to cut through as it’s surprisingly strong and flexible.
This is what exercise physiologists, as well as running experts such as Shane Benzie, call the ‘fascia’; and us humans have it too!
The fascia wraps itself around each of our muscles, creating an interconnected elastic web of tissues that, together, allow the human body to generate and use elastic (or ‘kinetic’) energy as extra momentum (and essentially fuel) while we exercise.
‘Fascia’ is not a complete stranger to the movement world.
Yoga and pilates methods especially recognise its role in the body and apply various exercises and imagery techniques to utilise the system most effectively. Equally, dance forms such as ballet and butoh, I know from personal experience, apply similar methods but in different ways.
Furthermore, undoubtedly there is something in the extreme ‘falls’ and ‘lands’ of Parcour, gymnastics, breakdancing, and even the simple image of Muhammad Alia bouncing up and down over a skipping rope, that suggests very much the same process is in place.
The Fascial System really comes into its own when observed in the technique and remarkable feats of long distance runners however!
It’s been recognised, for a while now, and especially since the publication of Chris McDougall’s ‘Born To Run’, that the human body has two clear superpowers; those powers being the physical characteristics separating us from all other animals.
These are:
1) Our ability to consciously regulate our breathing whilst exercising.
2) Our uniquely designed Achilles tendon (and subsequent mechanisms of the human foot) that allows us free kinetic energy each time we move our weight forwards, one leg after the other.
Ignoring the unfortunate deterring effects of most conventional running shoes, we all are gaining remarkable advantages, in some way, from these super human gifts we’ve been born with.
Now pair our elastic ‘fascial’ system with these two components and you have a pretty complete picture of why indeed a human being can run further than any other animal species on Earth…
The observing (and controlling) of the breathe allows for the effective regulation of temperature (and effective use of energy in general), and the Achilles tendon (and superbly engineered human foot) provides the first kinetic chain of energy generated from the ground.
The Fascia System, in turn, carries on this energetic process by allowing the force of the ground to flow easily throughout the body, as if it was an elastic rubber band being released upwards into the air.
You can fly!
Or at least you can run... and for a very long time!
Try it for yourself. Combine these three superpowers and see what your Fascia can do for you!
You might just find that this ‘Theory of Everything’ is everything you ever dreamed of and more...
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