&Sister guest Madeline Howell & journalist, interviews yogi Charlie Morgan for The Telegraph

We are so thrilled that &Sister loyal retreat guest & a The Telegraph journalist, Madeline Howell, was so inspired by her last retreat with Charlie (Autumn Light) she’s interviwed Charlie for The Telegraph Health & Fitness!

One of the best things about our retreats are all the fascinating and inspiring guests we meet. We first met Madeline when she came to review a retreat for The Resident. Now she is a frequent guest, and journalist for The Telegraph.

Read her article here.

Taken from The Telegraph, written by Madeline Howell.

What is fascia, and is ‘myofascial release’ the secret to better health?

There’s a new buzzword in yoga studios across the UK: fascia. But what exactly is it, and should we all be paying more attention to this often overlooked aspect of our anatomy?

Put shortly, fascia is a clingfilm-like substance that wraps around all our muscles and organs, offering support and reducing friction during everyday movement. ‘Myofascial release’ is a set of techniques that aim to give this clingfilm a workout, stretching and smoothing it so your body works at its optimum level.

It’s a breakout term in the wellness world; last month, the fifth International Fascia Congress took place, aiming to explore how our fascia can impact our health, in both conventional and complementary health care. And while the science remains open to debate (a detailed analysis on painscience.com throws up a host of criticisms and questions), anecdotally, like many others, I’ve found that myofascial release can have positive health effects.

I was first introduced to the techniques by Charlie Morgan, yoga instructor to the Harlequins’ rugby team, during a stay with And Sister yoga retreats at Poundon House in Oxfordshire. Charlie schooled me in her hilarious but healing ball-rolling technique, where you use a tennis ball and your bodyweight to work the fascia; she also introduced me to slow yin yoga stretches for myofascial release (more on that shortly).

The results were impressive. Myofascial release left me with the feeling of all-round wellness that I might expect to experience coming away from a session with a therapist. The tennis ball gave me a knot-loosening sensation, and the yoga had me walking on cloud nine: I felt light, floaty – the same kind of blissful relaxation you get after a deep tissue massage (indeed, as with deep tissue massage, there’s some discomfort along the way – more on which later).

Since then, I’ve tried to work some of the techniques and stretches into my fitness routine. One of the great things about myofascial release is that you can do it at home (scroll down for Morgan’s simple yin yoga pose recommendations to get you started), although as a relative beginner, I find I’m happier when practising it with the guidance of a qualified yoga teacher. There are plenty of one-on-one sessions out there too – look for therapists through treatment booking service Treatwell, or try clinics such as The Pain Care Clinic on Harley Street, which offers myofascial release therapies to “ease chronic pain and restore alignment and mobility to muscles and joints”.

Below, Morgan explains why fascia is receiving newfound attention from medical experts, researchers, alternative practitioners, athletes, and yogis, and discusses how it can help you to launch into the New Year feeling better and healthier – both emotionally and physically.

Read More go to The Telegraph HERE