In case it is new to you, AquaStretch™ (A/S) is a manual therapy performed in warm water. A trained AquaStretch™ Facilitator uses a prescribed set of grips and holds on a client’s body. The client moves intuitively, resolving stuck fascia, restoring movement range and comfort. AquaStretch™ is great – but can you perform it on yourself?
Self-AquaStretch (SAS) evolved from the author’s work with A/S clients. SAS uses adapted AquaStretch™ grips and the play • freeze • pressure • move technique to allow people to liberate their own fascia. Clients have been eager to learn SAS strategies, because they extend the benefits of decreased pain and improved movement into their daily lives. Their comments and results have shaped the SAS online course.
Self-AquaStretch (SAS) evolved for a variety of practical reasons, including the fact that many SAS techniques can be used on dry land. The pool offers many advantages for SAS, but is not always available when needed!
With pain-affected people, results have often been better when they use their own hands to explore and release fascia. When people learn to self-administer SAS techniques, they can resolve unwanted tightness and pain whenever and wherever it occurs.
Why Learn SAS? Whether or not you have been trained in AquaStretch™, SAS will help you instruct others to liberate their fascia. You can learn to use SAS on yourself. SAS expands the one-on-one nature of AquaStretch™ for use in group classes and self-use by individuals. SAS is a wonderful compliment to any flexibility exercises, including yoga, and stretch classes.
Because individuals can self-administer the modified AquaStretch™ procedures and technique, SAS can be taught by aqua fitness leaders, trainers and therapists, as well as land-based group fitness leaders.
SAS works best in warm, waist-to-chest deep water, but many of the procedures can be effectively adapted for use on land. In any program where range of motion is the focus, SAS can offer improved results. The concept of ‘stretching’ will be forever changed once SAS is learned! The SAS online course is now available at: FortheLoveofFit.Thinkific.com.
AquaStretch™ (A/S) works beautifully to systematically, holistically ‘un-stick’ fascia (soft tissue restrictions). AquaStretch™ sessions are performed one-on-one with a trained A/S facilitator. Facilitators usually start at the feet, using grips and holds to apply pressure to fascial restrictions. The person receiving AquaStretch™ moves intuitively, liberating soft tissue, restoring comfortable range of motion and decreasing pain. To learn more about AquaStretch™, visit: AquaStretchCanada.com.
The quality, immediacy, and persistence of results achieved with AquaStretch™ are outstanding. A/S is useful for a broad spectrum of people, from athletes, to people recovering from injury or surgery, to people with chronic, painful conditions.
Here is the rationale for people learning to perform SAS on their own bodies:
- Leaders of group classes can introduce this effective form of fascial release to a broad range of clients (ie: group aqua fitness classes, yoga and any stretching program in the pool or on land).
- Clients learn to solve their own tissue problems between visits, using both dry-land and aquatic versions of SAS. This helps them manage soft tissue issues until they can see their A/S Facilitator.
- Because people can sense and deal with small issues on their own, they can reduce the occurrence and severity of fascial restrictions or pain in their daily lives. This is useful for people performing repetitive tasks.
- SAS can be used during work breaks and lunch hours. By being empowered to understand and deal with their own fascial restrictions, most people become more mobile; less dependent and fearful of recurring pain.
- While clients’ results will typically not be as good as an A/S facilitator’s touch, people can learn to resolve a head ache, or increase soft tissue comfort between A/S sessions. SAS can reduce the incidence/severity of mechanical headaches, improve sleep, and reduce the need for pain medication.
- Body awareness is enhanced with SAS, so people are better able to explain what they are feeling and how they want you to help them on repeat A/S visits.
- In the pool, clients can work independently before or after working with their A/S facilitator. This is particularly useful if there is limited treatment time for each person.
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