I hope the subject line of this blog post has grabbed your attention. 🙂
Today’s Tuesday post is about how to release tension and knots in your body when foam rollers just wont cut it. After RKC Vienna, I was struggling with a lot of kinks in my legs and shoulders. Considering the volume and intensity of the weekend long certification, it was of no surprise that when I returned to Pittsburgh, I was just all knotted up! After complaining to my friend (who is also a Russian Systema instructor) about all my issues, he was kind enough to give me a Russian Massage.
Now, if you’re curious about what a Russian Massage really is, let me say this. A russian massage requires you to walk on top of the person struggling with too much tension in their body. The subject (person being walked on) will perform what is known as “burst breathing” to relax the nervous system while the partner walks on the knots in your body. The breathing pattern will increase depending on how intense the pressure is that is being applied to the body. Increasing the rate of breathing with short breaths (hence the term “burst breathing” actually allows your muscles to fully relax and unwind.
I realize that this description may sound a little weird, so without further adieu, here’s a breakdown of how this massage works. Please be advised, this is an advanced practice. Do not try this unless you are working with someone who is experienced in this type of massage (there will be an explanation as to why that is important in this video).
Generally speaking, I don’t let people walk all over me, but in this case, allowing someone to walk all over me was the best thing for me 😉
Special thanks to our Russian Systema Instructor, Jason Swanson, for helping me work out some nasty tension in my back and legs! I feel like a million bucks! That’s all for today folks! Remember to eat smart, train hard, and enjoy your life!
Love Always,
Janelle Pica-RKC, NASM CPT
