One can also consider adhesions holding muscle fibers in clumps (dead to the brain). This is basically like the brain losing connection to that collection of muscle fibers around the fascial adhesion. Applying consistent pressure (3-5 minutes) is a way of signaling to the brain that this tissue is not dead and requires stimulation.

Now many footballers who aren't naturally fascial-driven will have adhesions which are basically just knots in the fascial web. Weight lifting, sedentary lifestyle, and surgery/injuries can cause adhesions and scar tissue.

The body can also create adhesions to store trauma so don't be surprised how many you find.

Now this is not the same thing as muscle tightness which you'll feel during movement whereas adhesions you won't feel necessary during movement.

Muscle-driven movement strategies will reinforce adhesions. We change this through Peak Harmony Training work.

You can run your hands along muscle groups and press lightly to feel for bumps and clumps and actually feel where adhesions are. The fascia/muscle should be smooth.

Break Up Adhesions, Don't Stretch

Stretching adhesions will only make them tighten up. Think what happens if you pull on a knot. It only gets tighter. We need to go the other direction so the adhesions relaxes, let's go, and smooths.

Elite Naturals are not supposed to have adhesions. When they roll out they're not supposed to feel tenderness. Adhesions are largely a responsive strategy from the human body. It creates adhesions to adapt to sitting in chairs for long periods of time for example. It's merely working with what you give it.

The goal for you is to have 0 adhesions and never need to roll out again. This comes when you're fully fascial driven so your movement strategies stop creating more adhesions. Rolling out adhesions helps this process along by breaking them up with the spike ball.

In principle, you roll 2-5 minutes per spot of tenderness. You must roll through the body to check if you have adhesions. Adhesions are not felt while moving. Muscle tightness or soreness is. If you don't have adhesions then no need to roll. I like to roll in the mornings before my training.

It is essential to MOVE after rolling adhesions. This could mean playing, running, or even walking.

Where to Roll

When you roll the bottom of the feet you want go in small back and forward motions with the spike or tennis ball. Find spots of tenderness and stay there for 2-5 minutes. I recommend rolling the arch before every session.

Now many of you with any history of quad dominance will be rolling the calves a lot as they'll be sore or have adhesions from attempting to maintain ankle stiffness. You want to roll along the insides and outsides (even rotating towards your shin) of the calf.

You will also be spending a lot of time rolling the quads(inside and outsides) hip/hip flexor, and the glutes. This positions require you to lay on the ground and get the spike/tennis ball in between you and the ground so a majority of your bodyweight  

Extras

Here's an earlier video on me rolling lower body adhesions.

Here's an earlier video on upper body adhesions.

See my post here on how often to roll adhesions

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