Ways to force toughened muscle to relax?

[Bob]

To relax, to melt, to get back into a stretchy, springy state.

I'm just brainstorming.

Not use the muscle.  That's works, but it takes a while.

Stretch it.  Can be overdone.

Focus attention on it and force it to relax.  This is more what I'm thinking of.

Breathe.  That helps.

Add some resistance to push against.  Then release the muscle, and it can relax more than it would have before.  Tense and release.

Add in some sessions/practice to build it up a bit over a few days.


Any others?

[hardy_practice]

How can you do something that isn't done?

[Bob]

Huh?   Muscles are too tight.  That part's done.  I'm wondering about loosening them back up.  But pushing it more, rather than resting, backing off, letting them loosen up on their own more. 


I suppose better rest, sleep.

Protein.

Calories.

Rolling, massage, etc.



Although if they're toughen, that suggests they've healed.  Pushed, and then healed.  So it's just breaking them back in at that point. 


Something with slow, light movement.  More precisely controlled.  Not a broad, "German" approach.


But taking a break and resting is easier and still eventually gets things done.

[klavieronin]

Which muscles? What caused them to harden?

My go to strategy is gentle movement and massage, warmth, and if they are tight from inflammation a bit of Voltaren can help but don't rely on it long term.

[hardy_practice]

It's the modern mind set that we can bring anything about but grace, which is what you are talking about, must be allowed in (even that's not putting it right).  Just think, even slugs can do it (to use your way of speaking).

[Bob]

Water, hydration.


Yes, hold/warm or cold.

I suppose a bath (hot, epsom salt) could work but I'm not doing that in my bath.  Yuck.

All muscles.  Daily use and then jogging or lifting weights tightened them up. 



I'm not following hardy_practice at all.  I should wait for divine intervention?  And slugs get tight muscles?


The major part is the melt feeling, when you can consciously relax a muscle.  I'm wondering if there's a way to bump that up somehow.  If the muscle's tight, it's already healed, so it's not waiting on that.

Slow movements maybe.  Just the beginning of movements.  Releasing the muscle and letting gravity pull it down.    Or just beginning the contraction of the muscle (possibly upward movement).   But only using the muscles needed for that movement.  Possibly a slow/relaxed contraction of one muscle in the pair, along with trying to melt/relax the other opposite muscle in the pair.


If overall range is shortened up because of tension, some hard/push stretching might be needed to get back range of movement.

Also, not continuing a habit (or exercise) that produces tightened/toughened muscles....

[Bob]

Part of the answer I'm looking for....
It would be something I'll have to do, focus on.
Probably takes a few sessions.
Something with movement, maybe light resistance.

Maybe something with stretching, hard to push back the edge/range of motion.
Probably something with stopping the negative side of habit but cutting back on exercise that produces toughened muscles....  That would be the trick though -- How to push exercise and not end up with toughened muscles?  It might just be part of the process, but there must be a way to speed up getting things back to normal and capturing some progress....

[hardy_practice]

No, slugs can relax.  Get Jacobson's You Must Relax.  He invented progressive relaxation using sEMG in the 30's.

[Bob]

Ah, I think I actually have that somewhere.... I recognize the title.


Shaking, vibrating (ex. shake out hands) to get things to loosen.

Just focusing attention on a part to regain awareness.

Shifting gravity.  ex. switching from up to down, etc.

[visitor]

If something is locked you would benefit from seeking triggerpoint therapy ala Chares Poloquin institute or similar
Ie
https://www.strengthsensei.com/soft-tissue-work-anywhere-in-the-world/

Or if is entirely possible the muscle is not so much tight or locked as its a myofacia adhesion issue, ans many of these providers can concurrently  provider somd trigger point type manipulation, i have had success with treatment from these providers

https://www.airrosti.com

[Bob]

It might be something with getting more precise movement back after pushing strength and having the muscle toughen up too.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

get a massage or go to the steam room

[Bob]

I think I captured something somewhere on this page.  It's different now.  The toughness is not necessarily a bad thing which is what I was thinking too.... There's a silver lining.

I wonder if the toughness is a sign the muscles are actually about to take a step forward, progress.  Not the kind of strength increase you see from pushing the muscle, getting sore, and having it recover though.  Something else.  Maybe it's endurance.  Pushed until tough.  Then lessened up and allowed to heal.


Interesting part -- I was able to scarf down a jar of peanut butter and gained no weight I think.  I'm guessing the calories went in repair things or something like that.  Although I realized today I just don't feel as tired as I would usually.