Strengthen Your Myofascial Lines

Strengthen your myofascial meridians with this total-body workout. There are approximately 12 myofascial lines connecting your muscles and internal organs. Your fascia is the first to receive sensory information for movement. Moving in different planes of motion, lengthening as you strengthen, encourages more lymphatic flow and circulation.

Total-Body Core Warm-Up

Standing Knee Driver (northeast, northwest)

• Facing the wall, start with your left foot forward and your right foot slightly behind your left. Your front foot will be about 6 inches from the wall.
• While maintaining full foot contact on both feet, try to reach the wall by moving in the “northeast” and “northwest” directions with your front knee. Move slowly.
• When you get as close to the wall as you can, hold for a count of three and then repeat. Perform this five times on each side.

Modified Dead Bug

• Begin lying on your back with your knees over your hips, bent at 90 degrees, and your elbows over your shoulders, bent to 90 degrees.
• Drop your left arm, bringing your left hand next to your face and toward the ground, as you drop your right foot to hover over the ground.
• Then bring your knee back in toward your chest and your left elbow back above your shoulder.
• Alternate sides.

Side Plank With Hip Dip

• Begin on your left side with your left forearm on the ground in front, your left elbow under your shoulder and your left leg extended, foot on the ground.
• Place your right foot on the ground in front of your left foot and bring your right arm straight up to the ceiling, stacking your right hand over your shoulder.
• Dip your hips down toward the ground, then press them up to the ceiling. Repeat and then switch sides.

Workout

Side Sit Switch

• Start in a seated position with your feet pointing toward the ceiling.
• Rotate your torso to the right and place both your hands on the ground on the right side of your body.
• Now bend your left leg and place your left foot on the ground next to your right knee. Anchor your left foot into the ground.
• Push off your left foot and off both hands to pull your straight right leg underneath you to come into a quadruped position with your toes curled under so that you can pivot into the next part of the move.
• Pause there only briefly and then slide your left leg straight underneath you, rotating your torso to the left and pivoting your right foot, keeping it flat on the ground. This is the mirror image of the previous starting position. Return to the starting position. Continue to alternate left to right and right to left.

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

• Stand with your feet under your hips, holding dumbbells in your hands.
• Step your right foot back into a reverse lunge, dropping your knee toward the floor. Press through your front heel to stand.
• Step your left foot back into a reverse lunge, then drive through your front heel to return to stand. Repeat, alternating legs. (Lunge on each side to complete one rep.)

Diver Push-Up

• Start in a prone high-plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart, toes on the ground.
• Drive your hips back and your heels toward the floor. You are now in Downward Dog.
• Initiate the drill by lowering your hips and diving your head into the “water” as your head passes in front of your hands very close to the ground. At this point, you are now in Upward Dog.
• Reverse the sequence and return to Downward Dog.

Full-Arm Hang

• Grab onto a bar where your feet will not be touching the ground.
• Use an overhand grip that is shoulder-width apart.
• Hang motionless. Breathe through your nose in and out.
• Keep a firm grip and settle into a position that is comfortable right under the bar.

Cool-Down

Windmill Stretch

• Stand with your feet wide in a straddle position, arms by your sides.
• Reach your arms out to form a T.
• Hinge from your hips to reach for your right ankle with your left hand, twisting through your torso as your right hand reaches for the ceiling.
• Return to stand and repeat on the opposite side.

Walk-the-Dog Stretch

• Come into a Downward Dog position with your feet hip-width apart, your hands under your shoulders and your hips up to the ceiling like an inverted V.
• Begin to pedal your feet by pressing your left heel toward the ground, then right.

Photo credit: Johnny Greig, Getty Images
GIFs: Mark Kuroda
Model: Ben Meneses, 24 Hour Fitness