ASMR PNF FLEXIBILITY

[Alan Armstrong]

ASMR

"autonomous sensory meridian response"

If you have ever had a pleasurable experience with tingles while having a haircut or listening to Scottish Bag Pipes, then you are most likely having an ASMR experience.

Those tingles that can have while watching horror movies are so well known by most.

Or just stepping in to a hot bath can give the sensation often associated with relaxing pleasure and a feeling of well being.

Reason for this topic was inspired by a very strong but inflexible student in his mid 40s for name sake I will call him Mr X, having seen this type before actually was on of my MA teacher's, with his teacher's advice for him was to stand in the corner and practice smiling.

With Mr X, while giving him private classes on becoming more flexible at the gym, I joke with him, laugh alot, chat and make funny comments to other personal trainers there, actually having an easy fun time stretching.

As Mr X, started realising that it was my confident playful attitude that was making him more limber, as the gym was starting to look like something similar to a children's play area with the many different types of colour thera bands, sand bags of all sizes and foam rollers from tiny to very large, all scattered around the gym floor.

I believe it was very amusing and enlightening for the many personal trainers witnessing the flexibility session.

For me ASMR and flexibility are connected, that also starts in the brain that travels throughout the body.

As fear triggers off the tension response while confidence, pleasure and good humour can help relieve and relax much of the unneeded tension we carry around with us, that is sometimes seen in MMA UFC fights when opponent's grin and smile at each other just after they have obviously hurt each other and took the painful experience, instead showing a contradictory happy face expression.

As many people feel and look a lot better when just had a haircut or hairdo, as the experience has relaxed the tension in facial muscles, which in turn, makes a person look more rested and attractive.

Point being, I witness alot of people treating stretching as a painful way towards getting flexible, but it need not be that way, as knowing full well that discomfort triggers the contraction responses in the body.

There is no hard scientific data on becoming flexibility, but surely don't we become good at things that we have fun doing?

My personal perspective when stretching is a little discomfort and a little massage back and fourth on a regular basis, after all pain is close to pleasure, then why not some ASMR mixed with PNF "propreoceptive nuromuscler facilitation"?

There are plenty of ASMR videos to watch while stretching, that just might lighten the tug of war that you might be having with your hamstrings whilst becoming more comfortably flexible with a jiggle and a laugh, while in pain here and there?

[Alan Armstrong]

Part 2 to this topic.

Using a type of Tiger Balm in conjunction with a metal balls glove massager, perfect for recovery days or any time really, when your muscles need TLC, could also be a perfect time for watching a favourite ASMR video, or just chilling out to your favourite music or sounds of nature, such as waterfalls, birds and rustling leaves.

Here is an example of the metal balls glove, intended for reducing cellulite.

[Alan Armstrong]

Part 3 to this topic.

Introduction to ASMR

My first recollection of getting tingles was at the age of about 10, while at school we had to be cross legged, in a single file, while waiting our turn to be allowed to go to the cafeteria for lunch.

While waiting our turn, the person behind would ask to play a game of writing a word with a finger on the person sitting in front of them, on their, back, then guess what the word was.

Or we as kids would play, pretending to break an imaginary egg on a person's head, then softly with the palm of the hands, trying to imitate the feeling of an egg, slowly spreading over the head down on towards the shoulders.

My first real encounter with ASMR many years ago was just called "tingles" by a female friend that was extremely good at giving them, especially when having a little sunburn.

This might seem like all good fun, but I suffered from some horrible anxiety attacks and severe neck cramps, she had a way to calm me down, like no one else could, something today people would call ASMR.

I don't suffer from these issues anymore because of what I learned from her to calm down, just breath, connect with nature and to relax, something that can help with stretching and gaining flexibility.

ASMR experience doesn't happen every time I stretch but it can help to remove any unnecessary tension and stress that contracts muscles more than desired.

Walking at a nice even pace for an hour can set off ASMR, which could also be associated with releasing endorphins.

A little more info on ... ASMR

[Alan Armstrong]

Part 4 to this topic

ASMR Karate

ASMR Karate massage

ASMR BJJ Mental Preparation