training
Recovery: The Future of the Fitness Industry
In 2002, Ian O’Dwyer (OD) travelled around the USA with Richard Boyd, and Michol Dalcourt to introduce ‘functional training’, an idea that faced initial scepticism from many industry sectors. Fast-forward 22 years, and ‘functional training’ is now recognised as an essential tool for optimal movement. OD is again crusading through his business Feel SOMA, but this time it’s around the importance of fluid flow through hard and soft tissue, and its role in recovery. Will it take another 22 years for the importance of structured recovery to catch on? Well, that’s up to you!
We must strive for better outcomes
If we wish to create better outcomes for ourselves and our clients, our lens must constantly change. We need to continually improve our understanding of how to condition people to move more resiliently. It was in this pursuit that Feel SOMA was created. As a result of looking at the body more inclusively and longitudinally, we realised that fascia and fluid were major players in tissue health, performance, and the health of the individual in longevity
Among the wealth of competing ideas, where should our lens be directed next?
Recovery.
At IHRSA 2024 in Los Angeles, Richard Boyd and I partnered with Indigo Fitness to showcase ascientific-based, systemised and educational approach to ‘Dry Recovery’. Interestingly, IHRSA (traditionally a hub for promotinggym equipment), was dominated in 2024 by companies promotingrecovery tools like compression garments, percussion guns, cryotherapy, massage chairs, hydrotherapytables, ice baths, and red light/infrared saunas.
So, what is ‘Recovery’ and how does it fit into the fitness industry?
Our approach to Recovery surrounds fluid flow. Rather than being a mere afterthought post – injury or post – exercise, to us Recovery is a continuum beginning before movement to optimise performance and prevent injury; and it extends far beyond traditional cooldowns or trending therapies. We integrate the recovery modalities that promote optimal fluid flow within the body’s tissues. This simultaneously enhances blood flow, lymphatic drainage, oxygenation and nervous system recalibra tion to expedite healing and enhance restoration.
There are two key components to Recovery
Priming 'a feeling of readiness'
This refers to resetting mobility and stability and is achieved through hydration and lubrication of fluid in tissues, neural stimulation and mechanical patterns, and involves:
Mobility: addressing fascia and bony regions. Looking at the body with a longitudinal or more inclusive view, research has proven, and we have observed, that the bones are incredibly important in m any roles but particularly vasodilation. Vasodilation refers to improving blood and nutrient flow, waste disposal, decreasing blood pressure, and recalibration the autonomic nervous system (i.e., fight, flight, freeze or faint). Therefore, focussing on the fascial and bony regions can promote a feeling of instant change in movement, vitality, posture, stress levels, pain levels, breathing, brain fog and many others.
Stability: an integrated approach to reconnecting the body. Typically, we would talk about creating stability in certain regions of the body (e.g., core, hips, ankles, shoulders). The truth is, the shoulders are connected directly to the feet – fascially speaking. S o, if we aren’t reconnecting the entire system, we really aren’t setting the body up for success in movement, or life.
Rollers: used on bony and muscular regions.
Wholebody vibration (WBV): harmonic multi-dimension frequency.
Percussion: rapid repetitive pulses that enhance tissue response.
Restoration ‘A feeling of lightness, vitality and peace’ / recalibrating the ANS
This refers to enhancing tissue health, longevity and sustainability by promoting fluid flow of fascia,blood, and lymph, also increasing oxygen and waste disposal. It involves:
Percussion: rapid repetitive pulses that enhance tissue response.
Compression: intentional pressure to promote fluid flow.
Red light/infra- red: non-invasive wavelengths of frequency.
Breathwork: controlled nasal breathing (i.e., breathing in and out through the nose) to increase nitric oxide production to enhance tissue health. There are many techniques for breathing. What is important to understand is that nasal breathing floods the b ody with nitric oxide, which is a necessity for health and tissue longevity. Nitric oxide will promote vasodilation of the blood vessels, encouraging increased blood flow; better oxygen and nutrient distribution; more efficient waste gathering; lower blood pressure; and reset the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic to parasympathetic) – all of which is vital for optimal health and longevity.
Meditation: peaceful focused presence of being.
You can use many of the above modalities in a variety of combinations to suit the needs and wants of different clients. However, to ensure best results, it is critical to understand the role of hard and soft tissue, and what is required to treat it. At Feel SOMA we use a saying; “if you can’t breathe you can’t move; if you can’t move you can’t load!” This means, if you can’t activate your deep front core line, we will set up faulty movement patterns and sequencing. This can result in inefficient movement (i.e., exc ess energy burnt, energy leaks and injury). Diaphragmatic breathing alone can reset and reconnect your entire system!
While this can be confusing for some, we have proven through the brilliance of dissections, that thetongue, periocardium of the heart and lungs (outer casing), diaphragm, pelvic floor and big toe aredirectly connected! So, by practising diaphragmatic breathing, and simply applying some drills, we areable to reset and reconnect this entire deep front core line. Thus, creating a means toprepare thetissues for force, safely and effectively.
Our industry is great at putting things into ‘silos’: neural, muscular, fascial. Skeletal, etc. The key tosuccess is to consider all of these elements together to create a smooth, healthy, effective,high-performing individual.
Whether you’re coaching clients for competition or life, the best thing we can do is guide them back towards being mobile, healthy, happy, and high-performing human beings.
Practice-based evidence
Approximately six years ago, a 35-year-old woman entered the studio following a recommendation from a friend. She told me that she’d been on IVF for some time and fell pregnant; but then three weeks later she contracted transverse myelitis, a viral infection of the spinal cord which, at that time, had left her paralysed from the neck down. Her concerns were: Could she have a baby? Would the baby survive? Could she care for the baby?
In our first sessions together,there was still partial paralysis; so, not knowing what I could do for her–if anything–I offered her three free sessions, which she accepted; if there was a positive outcome then great, but if not then nothing lost.
One of her challenges was, of course, walking. So, to address this in our first 45-minute Priming and Restorative session, we used WBV where we flushed and fascially mobilised her. We got her left knee to flex to hip height–something she hadn’t been able to do since the infection. She was incredibly excited with the outcome and her joy was obvious! Eighteen weeks after starting with me, her mobility had improved to the point that she was able to regain her driver’s licence. Getting back such a significant piece of independence, made her feel alive and free again!
Recovery is not a trend, it’s the future of the fitness industry
Understanding tissue roles and addressing them inclusively is key. By adding the above Priming and Restorative activities into your training tool kit, you’ll be on the right path to becoming known for coaching clients towards achieving optimal performance and recovery. Ultimately, whether you’re coaching clients for competition or life, the best thing we can do is guide them back towards being mobile, healthy, happy, and high-performing human beings.
Ian ‘OD’ O’Dwyer
Ian is the Co-Founder of Feel SOMA, whose programming has many options to create the best experienceand outcome for clients. Feel SOMA has 25 years of positive, practical experience in this area through innovation, observation and application.
