Trainer explains how fascia-focused stretching affects the nervous system and emotional state

Stretching works not only with muscles

The common idea of stretching as a way to 'stretch out a shortened muscle' is incomplete, believes certified stretching and myofascial release (MFR) trainer Maria Kovalyova. In an interview with Life.ru, she explained that the entire muscular system is 'packed' in fascia — connective tissue that envelops muscles, joints, blood vessels, nerve endings and even internal organs. According to her description, fascia is not just an outer 'film' but a single three-dimensional network permeating the whole body: if it is constricted or 'glued together' in one place, this affects the entire body — from restricted mobility to unexplained pain and fatigue in other areas.

Fascia also reacts to stress

Kovalyova noted that fascia contains many sensory nerve endings that constantly inform the brain about the state of the body. According to the trainer, she has been practicing myofascial release for 15 years and was impressed by the fact that 'any tension is reflected in the fascia almost instantly': a dense, less elastic fibrous 'nodule' forms on it. Moreover, she said, for the fascia it does not matter whether the stress is physical — overtraining at the gym, too much weight, an exercise without preparation — or emotional: prolonged anxiety, suppressed emotions, the habit of controlling everything. The reaction is the same, and later these areas are felt as tightness, stiffness or chronic tension.

Gentle practice versus 'endurance'

Gentle and gradual stretching, according to Kovalyova, allows the fascial network to soften, restore gliding between layers and hydration, while the nervous system receives the experience that movement can be fuller and safer. The effect, in her words, goes beyond flexibility: movement becomes easier, posture changes, internal tension decreases, and breathing becomes deeper. However, she emphasized a condition: stretching benefits one's emotional state only if it is a gentle practice. Built on the principle of 'enduring at all costs,' it, in the trainer's opinion, only increases stress. Done the right way, stretching, as she put it, becomes a form of body therapy that helps release long-held tightness.

Context: caution with nutrition too

The Life.ru article also recalls an earlier piece of advice from a therapist: excessive enthusiasm for protein bars and shakes can lead to an unbalanced diet, and an obsessive drive to meet protein targets can become a sign of an eating disorder. At a normal activity level, the need for protein, according to the therapist, is often covered by a regular diet, and sports supplements are convenient only for those with an increased protein requirement and are not necessary for everyone. It is worth noting that both publications are comments from individual specialists, not research findings; the described effects of fascia are the trainer's position, not a clinically confirmed conclusion.