Janet Alexander has over three decades of experience in the health and fitness industry. Simply put, she knows her stuff. She’s utilized several different methods to help a great range of athletes in a variety of sports.
She’s TPI-certified, has appeared on the Golf Channel, and is a very successful triathlete. Alexander offers a fresh, yet holistic approach to wellness, and has expanded her knowledge into yet another field…the ELDOA Technique.
Partnering with the world-renowned Doctor Guy Voyer, Alexander has dug deep into myofascial stretching and its immense importance to athletes, golfers in particular. The average PGA tour pro swings the golf club at a rate of 113 miles per hour, putting tremendous torque on the spine with each and every swing. While the tour pros are in fantastic shape, they still sustain injuries to the spine, joints, and muscles. My average recreational golfer doesn’t normally produce quite that much speed, however the rotation is the same and they tend to suffer these kinds of injuries as well.
So what is myofascial stretching? Without getting too scientific, fascia is the band of tissue underneath the skin that forms covering of the muscles, organs, glands, and more. The ELDOA technique works to stretch the fascia and thus the muscles underneath, allowing for healing and hydration of muscles and the joints they’re connected to. Among the benefits of myofascial stretching (the ELDOA technique) are:
- Improved golf performance
- Improved posture
- Prevention and rehabilitation of injuries
- Better health of organs and glands
- Positive impact on the neuro-hormonal system
So, is it worth trying? Most definitely, I attended my first workout session early one morning. The group was guided thru a series of movements that focused on mobility. We started by stretching the spine and low back. This was achieved by lying on my back with my butt legs against a wall. From here we worked through a series of position with foot patterning and arm placement; Holding each position for what became very long minutes. While the positions were awkward and mildly uncomfortable, I could definitely feel my muscles releasing and relaxing. When the positions were released and we rolled to a seated position, I definitely felt looser. The next series was to release the fascia of the muscles between the ribs to create more rotation for the golfer. This was incredible. The mobility created between upper and lower body was remarkable. Being a yoga and pilates advocate, I am definitely exploring the ELDOA Technique and have already begun incorporating a few patterns into my Golf Flex classes and Personal Coaching sessions. Clients are feeling the results!
