6 Recovery Techniques To Release Tension & Align Your Body

She went on to get degrees in nutrition and physiology and certifications in structural integration, Pilates, and personal training. Now Lo works with clients to help them align their bodies and inner selves. Here, six recovery techniques Lo swears by for releasing tension: 

One of the most important ways to release tension is to allow space for the body to expand. As a society, we spend a lot of time sitting and contracting our muscles, and Lo says a great way to create more space is to practice deep breathing. Take a deep breath into your belly. This breath pushes the diaphragm down into the organs and expands the pelvic floor. From there, the fluid in our nervous system can feed the nutrients in the brain and release toxins. Each time you take a deep breath is an opportunity to cleanse your system. Repeat this breathing exercise three times or as much as needed. Most people can take about 2 gallons' worth of oxygen into our lungs, but most people are only using about 20% to 30% of lung capacity, explained Lo, and this is a way to work toward getting more oxygen into the lungs. 

A lot of Lo's work centers around fascia, a connective tissue all over the body that's right underneath the skin. This tissue also wraps around our muscles and can get stuck and create blockages, both emotional and physical. If you're experiencing pain or feel tense anyway, this could mean your fascia is stagnant. Lo recommends standing up if you've been sitting all day and doing some side bends or sitting and doing a seated twist. It's especially helpful to wake up the body in the morning with some cat and cows or light stretching as the fascia has stiffened in the night to help the body heal. 

Lo is a foam-rolling guru (interested? check out her class on mbg) and swears by it for releasing compressed fascia. Foam rolling helps to jump-start circulation and hydration, and you'll notice more flexibility and range of motion over time. Start with some basic foam-rolling techniques, and let the practice be like a massage—your muscles and fascia will thank you. 

Sitting in a bath with magnesium chloride salts will help relax your cells and fascia. You can also take a magnesium supplement at night, which will help relax your nervous system further, helping you sleep better. 

We know food is medicine, and in this case, bone broth might do the trick for tight fascia. Along with a steaming cup of bone broth, eat foods high in vitamins and antioxidants for even more relief. 

Recovery is not only a vital part of a fitness routine, it's also become part of our wellness conversation. Join in!