Unlock Relief: Ease Your Stubborn Soft Tissue Tension Today
You know that annoying tightness that just won't quit? Maybe it gives you some discomfort, or perhaps you only feel it when you press on it. Some of us deal with it in our neck and upper traps, others in our lower back or IT bands, and some in our calves or shins. It's easy to brush off this discomfort until it starts affecting our game.
But I'm here to tell you why you should deal with those tight spots during your warm-ups every day.
Did you know that this tightness messes with the way your body moves? It affects the alignment of your bones, and over time, it can even show up on imaging tests. Let me explain: picture your skeletal structure, your bones. Now, imagine tying a band or rope to one of those bones and pulling it with low-grade tension for months or years or sometimes even decades (yea that you parents). Obviously, that bone will change and move and adapt over time to accommodate that stress. Even think about something like scoliosis. Some people are born with scoliosis, but it's more common to see it as a result of this constant muscle tension.
Now, think about playing a one-sided sport for years and years like we do. The result is a whole bunch of asymmetries in our muscular-skeletal structure. Don't wait till you are 22 and done playing college ball til you address them. Fixing these tensions today can minimize your changes of injury but also maximize your game play by putting yourself in a more powerful position.
Let's look at a few common tight spots that are common in softball. If you're in our Baseline MX training program, preventative fixes for these are already in your program.
Common Softball Tight Spots
#1. Upper traps
These guys help rotate your shoulder blades upward, and they're working hard every time you throw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjLeoHGckdE&feature=youtu.be
#2. Rotator cuff
Check out the back of your shoulder, right on top of the bone. This muscle group is always in action during our throwing motion. https://youtu.be/MdnySJq5nm4
#3. QL
If you're right-handed, you might notice this muscle on your right side gets a lot of action. https://youtu.be/tmq3fJ3TfMg
#4. Lateral quads
Since many of us struggle to use our glutes and hamstrings effectively, these muscles end up carrying a lot of load with every step. Test them out with a foam roller. https://youtu.be/KmsTLVFlzPs
#5. Calves
Cleats can really work our calves as they push us up on our toes for speed. But the downside is sore calf muscles that can limit our ankle mobility over time. And we all know what that does to our squat. A weak squat equals weak glute muscles, which means limited rotational power, and that means fewer home runs this season. https://youtu.be/9gBfM428Kxs
Check out the videos above for tips on how to target these areas. Make sure to tackle your soft tissue tightness to avoid ending up crooked over time. If you're in the Baseline MX program and sticking to your workouts, you're covered. We're addressing these areas to help you dominate today and feel great tomorrow.
If you notice that you are having consistent discomfort and need more specific approach, let's chat!
In our next post, we'll talk about other ways to relieve that tension—things besides soft tissue work that can make a huge difference.
