We often hear people say that they feel stiff as they get old. So what is actually happening to the body as we age and why is it that we lose the lightness that we knew as a child? Furthermore, is this stiffness a natural process of ageing or is there anything we can do to reduce the loss of flexibility?

The connective tissue is a system of tissues that runs throughout the entire body. It is everywhere and runs throughout all the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, nerves, blood vessels and organs. It overlaps and envelops soft tissue structures like cling film. Every part of our body is connected to the others through this fascinating interconnected web of tissue.

The fluidity and moistness of the connective tissue allows for friction free movements and supports all our body’s systems from the inside out. Energy flows through our connective tissue and in its ideal state, the connective tissue supports our natural elongated posture and our organ systems to work together harmoniously. We can picture our connective tissue like a river that flows throughout our entire body.

The way we treat our bodies through the quality of our everyday movements and holding onto our emotions all affect the state of our connective tissue and hence how we feel in our bodies. As children, the properties of our connective tissue are free, flowing and hasn’t yet become hardened or stiff like it often is in adults.

The status of our connective tissue has a direct relationship with our levels of health and wellbeing.

So what happens to our connective tissue as we age and why is it that the older we get, often for many people we feel stiffer and equate it to old age? Could it be because we are not moving or living in a way that supports the structure and flow of the connective tissue in our body?

Let’s consider the following possibilities

• Is it possible that when we sit or hold a set posture for prolonged times (i.e at a computer), that our connective tissue can tighten and will restrict our open, rotational or dynamic movements.
• Is it just to do with lack of movement that tightens the connective tissue, or is it also associated with the quality of HOW we hold ourselves when we are stationary?
• Is it possible that when we get stiff and sore (i.e. a sore lower back or hips) from too much movement (a day of cleaning) but it’s not actually the movement that is the problem, but the quality of HOW we move?

Is it possible that the fragile and refined nature of our connective tissue requires very gentle, delicate and refined movement?

When we move or exercise in a very gentle way, the connective tissue is gently stretched, creating more space and length. This is different to moving or exercising in a way that is rushed, fast or pushed or done in a stressful or pressured way, where the connective tissue is put under strain and tension, resulting in pain or stiffness.

This example includes sitting at a desk; we can either sit with tension, with our shoulders shrugged up and our head leaning forward at the screen in a frantic or stressed manner to get the task done. Or we can sit back, with our shoulders back and chest open, spine lengthened and head completely on our shoulders and not stretched forward.

The connective tissue is very delicate and responsive, therefore when force is applied in our natural everyday movement, the connective tissue responds by hardening. If we move or exercise in a way that is hard or harsh, there is tension and hardness in the connective tissue and in the muscles, which makes it difficult for the muscles to contract and relax easily, and can cause pain and poor function.

The connective tissue responds when we offer ourselves a way of being in our body where we are gentle and tender.

So could the answer to feeling free and light like children be in considering our relationship with our bodies in our everyday movements, such as walking, sitting and exercise – feeling if we are holding ourselves in a way that is in line with and honoring the natural flow of the connective tissue in the body.

Donna Nolan works as an Yoga Teacher/Therapist, Esoteric Healing Practitioner, Massage instructor and Exercise instructor in Sydney. She can be contacted at donna@yogaandhealing.com.au.

The post What is Connective Tissue and how does it relate to Exercise? appeared first on Yoga & Healing | Therapies Massage Exercise Corporate Wellbeing | Sydney, Balmain & Northern Rivers.

At the physical level, our yoga classes focus on moving, stretching and strengthening all the body parts in a way that considers and nurtures the whole of our body – our body being energy well before it is function. In our yoga classes we also focus on re-developing conscious presence (mind and body in union/aligned together), as well as re-learning to feel the flow of energy in our body, which can only be done with a true honouring and consideration of our connective tissue.

The connective tissue is a system of tissues that runs throughout the entire body. It is everywhere and runs throughout all the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, nerves, blood vessels and organs. Every part of our body is connected to the others through this fascinating interconnected web.

The connective tissue allows for friction free fluid movements and supports all our body systems from the inside out. Energy flows through our connective tissue, and in its ideal state, the connective tissue supports our natural elongated posture and our organ systems to work together harmoniously. When can picture our connective tissue like a river that flows throughout our entire body.

The status of our connective tissue has a direct relationship with our levels of health and wellbeing. In its ideal state our connective tissue naturally feels fluid, expansive, gliding and sliding in movements.

Often when we feel tight in the body, lacking in health, wellbeing and/or vitality, it is not just a result of our muscles being tight, but rather that tension, tightness, hardness or scars are present within our connective tissue, affecting and potentially blocking the natural flow of energy.

As an example, we come across a lot of people who have tightness and tension through their upper back, neck and shoulders. Often what people are used to doing is trying to stretch strongly to relieve the tension. And yes, the stretch may give an instant temporary relief, but long term and even medium term, nothing really changes. What this means is that they are left with constantly having to stretch for relief with the tightness, hardness never truly going away and the core issue behind the tension remaining unaddressed and thus un-healed.

So how do we address truly releasing tension in the body?

We do this in our yoga classes through a gentle dynamic practise with a focus on feeling and being with the body as we move. We emphasize and encourage moving the body with conscious presence, gentleness and tenderness – in breath and body – because this is what the connective tissue loves and responds to. These qualities of movement allow stress and tension to be released from the connective tissue.

The way we are with and treat our body has a direct relationship with how we feel. Say for instance that we are always slamming doors shut or stomping as we walk. These harsh qualities have an impact on our body, i.e on our joints, ligaments, muscles and connective tissue amongst others.  If we were to truly choose to feel our body as we performed these actions, we would connect with the fact that it really doesn’t feel very nice nor self-honoring. But what if we were to close the doors gently, walk gently? How would this feel? No doubt you would find, as we do, that it feels lovely in the body.

So the same goes for stretching or strengthening exercises. If we do them harshly and with force, this has an impact on the body that brings or magnifies that same quality of hardness and harshness into our body.  We may push the body thinking that it is good for us/our health, and yes temporarily it may feel good relieving some stress and tension, but what are the long term affects? Could it be that the long term affects are a hardening, more stress and tension in the connective tissue, thus in our entire body?

There is a way to stretch and strengthen our body with a quality of presence and gentleness that honours, supports and cares for our entire being, and that can release stress, tension and tightness that is held in our connective tissue and muscles.

We share this way of exercising in our yoga classes where the focus is on the quality of how we move the body and not about how much you do or how far you stretch.  The focus is on learning how to reconnect with our body and ourselves, and moving our body in a way that promotes long term health, wellbeing and vitality.

Exercising our body with consideration and honouring of our connective tissue brings a meditative quality to exercise. It is like a meditation in action and feels exquisite, deeply nourishing and healing.

Donna Nolan and Alexandra Plane assist people in their healing via the modalities of Yoga, Meditation, Esoteric Healing and Massage. They share Connective Tissue release exercises in their Yoga group classes and Private Yoga/Yoga Therapy sessions on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, in Balmain and Cammeray.  They can be contacted at info@yogaandhealing.com.au

The post The Role of the Connective Tissue in our Yoga Classes appeared first on Yoga & Healing | Therapies Massage Exercise Corporate Wellbeing | Sydney, Balmain & Northern Rivers.