SHOULD YOU FLOSS YOUR ELBOWS? How ‘Muscle Flossing’ Helped Cure Randy’s Joint Pain
“Flossing and foam rolling both work to release tension in the fascia that surrounds our muscle tissues,” Mitchell Fischer, a certified trainer and USA Weightlifting coach, told Shape. “But flossing makes the process much more efficient by releasing a whole set of tissues, as opposed to one localized muscle at a time.”
When is the last time you heard someone say, “Man, that was a tough workout. I might have to go home and floss my elbow!” Never, right? If the idea of “flossing” body parts sounds crazy to you, this article may just blow your mind — and solve your muscle and joint pain.
What is muscle flossing? A few months ago, Randy was struggling with stubborn knee and elbow pain. On the hunt for relief, he discovered a new fitness tool called “muscle floss” or “voodoo floss.” The floss looks like a stretchy roll of tape or an unlooped exercise band. To use it, you wrap the floss tightly around your painful joint or muscle group, then exercise that spot for between 30 seconds and two minutes.
For Randy, muscle flossing worked like a charm! The sensation of the band squeezing his elbow and knee was a bit uncomfortable but ultimately worth it. Today, he swears by muscle flossing. How can you try it? You can buy a roll of WOD Nation muscle floss on Amazon.com for as little as $11.98, or score
RockTape RockFloss for just $20 on REI.com. When it comes to using the floss, though, make sure you follow all of the provided instructions; only wrap safe areas like your elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles, biceps, triceps, quads/ hamstrings, or calves; and don’t wrap too tightly. You could risk
What are the benefits? By applying pressure to your muscles with floss, you can
break down the adhesions and restrictions that are causing your pain. According to Shape magazine, this will help relieve your pain, boost your mobility, and speed up your recovery. You can get similar benefits from foam rolling, but muscle flossing offers relief more quickly.
nerve damage if you’re not careful!
Slow Cooker Squash, Kale, and Sausage Soup Inspired by SugarAndSoul.co
This healthy, savory soup is the perfect lunch for a cool fall day.
Ingredients •
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Salt and pepper, to taste 4 cups chicken broth 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp Italian seasoning 3 cups kale, chopped 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
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4 Italian chicken sausages, sliced to bite- size pieces
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6 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
6–7 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
Directions 1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring often, then remove from the pot and set aside. 2. Add garlic and onion to the pot. Sauté 4–5 minutes. Add squash, salt, and pepper. Sauté 8 minutes. 3. In a slow cooker, combine sautéed vegetables, sausage, chicken broth, and seasonings. Cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes. 4. Open the pot and add the kale. Cook another 20 minutes, then add the red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Cook 10 more minutes, then serve and enjoy!
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