If you train hard on a consistent basis and you are not taking soft tissue therapy seriously, you are most likely missing out on attainable relief from any nagging joint or soft tissue problems.  Repetitive postures and movement patterns lead to adhesions, subluxations, and mobility loss.  If not addressed, these issues in turn negatively impact strength and performance.  Even if you are not in pain or discomfort, you can improve performance with soft tissue work.

A friend of mine intuitively discovered an extremely potent tissue therapy that has been a life changer for me.  I’ve taken to calling it swing rolling, but feel free to come up with a better name.

By combining a chi machine with baseballs, softballs, lacrosse balls- spheres of various diameters, one can make rapid myofascial, soft tissue, musculoskeletal and neurological improvements.  In more casual terms:

Swing rolling is like foam rolling on crack.

The chi machine oscillates your body in a fish-like movement, opening up the discs of the spine and bringing blood flow to all areas of the body.  In and of itself, the chi machine is amazing and has many benefits.  Research it if you’re not familiar.

When you combine the chi machine with hard balls, by laying on top of the balls while using the machine, the massage is incredible.  The substantial body weight placed upon the ball/s combined with the fully assisted movement from the chi machine are what create the magic.  I can put in hours of intense soft tissue work with very little effort other than moving the spheres periodically.  Swing rolling is a great way to help make any time spent lounging in front of a TV productive and healthy.

I primarily target various areas in my back, but the possible techniques for targeting different areas of the body are endless and the relief is profound. For example, I lay on my side with one leg in the chi machine stirrups and a softball under my IT band.  You can target nearly any muscle or area on the body.  Different ball diameters will work better in different areas.

I’ve solved two stubborn, prolonged and distressing dysfunctions with this modality thus far- one in my right scapular area that was affecting the function of my shoulder, and the other in my right IT band that was disrupting the smooth function of my knee.  I’ve also dramatically improved my thoracic spine mobility, and my elbows feel better from regularly hitting my triceps with baseballs from a multitude of angles. Not only does my body feel more supple and comfortable, improved joint and neural function has positively impacted my performance while training. For example, improved shoulder function from swing rolling has helped me bench more since I can now more freely create and express strength in my shoulder.

It is truly difficult to convey the tremendous value of this particular therapy to someone who hasn’t tried it.  Start slow if you don’t want to risk a massage hangover from large amounts of metabolites and accumulated toxins being released and processed by the bodies various disposal mechanisms.

Below are Amazon links to what you’ll need to get started with swing rolling.  I suggest getting two baseballs so you can place one on either side of your body.

Most Affordable Variable Speed Chi Machine Currently On Amazon
Baseballs on Amazon
Two-Pack Lacrosse Balls On Amazon
Two-Pack Softballs On Amazon

Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor or certified medical expert of any kind.  Try the preceding techniques at your own risk.  Consult your physician.