A devoted lifelong learner, Sigrún has transitioned from intense, high-energy exercises to a gentler strategy that emphasizes vagus nerve regulation by means of breath and conscious consciousness of the physique.
Sigrún encourages her college students to attune to their nervous techniques and discover the nuances of their refined our bodies, educating them that by slowing down and downregulating their techniques, they will improve their total well-being. She is captivated with sharing her data to empower her college students in taking possession of their our bodies. She believes that as we discover deeper, our our bodies naturally attempt to align with this harmonious frequency.
Concerning the creator: Interview led by Erin Wen, Tune Up Health content material author. Erin works as a Osteopathic Manipulative Therapist (OMT) and motion specialist for over 15 years. She has a background in classical ballet that finally led her to change into a yoga teacher. She can also be a licensed Yoga Tune Up® teacher and presently presents a number of remedy modalities together with osteopathic manipulation, pelvic flooring and being pregnant help, and motion trainings and workshops.
From Ache to Function: Sigrún’s Journey into Educating
Erin: What impressed you to begin educating?
Sigrún: I performed sports activities from a younger age and have all the time been lively (operating, lifting weights) however I began creating issues with my neck in my early 20’s. It bought so unhealthy to the purpose that my neck would get caught, and for days I couldn’t transfer. I later came upon that I had a number of tears alongside the ligaments of my neck which might make my shoulder muscular tissues spasm. I by no means thought I’d attempt a yoga class however in desperation to discover a answer to my ache, I began to do sizzling yoga. I came across Absolute Sizzling Yoga, which focuses extra on energy constructing and I significantly loved its give attention to anatomy and alignment. From there, I began to show yoga and obtained my private coaching certification.
Round that point, I went to San Diego State and took a yoga class the place the trainer pulled out the Roll Mannequin® remedy balls to roll out our ft and our shoulders. I had by no means felt one thing like that in my physique, it was superb! I went house and instantly googled the balls and that’s how I discovered Tune Up Health. I’ve been educating self myofascial launch for nearly 15 years now.
Erin: How was Blissful Hips born? What’s the intention behind it?
Sigrún: My husband and I used to have our personal small health club. I began educating there and type of made up my very own mixture of movement yoga with weight coaching. I all the time thought it was actually unusual how so many college students had challenges sitting cross legged or in positions like pigeon. Everyone had tight hips! I began to make use of the Tune Up Health therapeutic massage balls on my shoppers primarily specializing in the hips and that’s the place the identify took place. I began to obtain actually good suggestions from my college students.
I used to be additionally one of many first folks In Iceland who launched the advantages of utilizing myofascial launch balls in group class settings. Different lecturers had been utilizing rollers however nobody was utilizing therapeutic massage balls. After I took the Roll Mannequin® Methodology certification, I simply thought a complete new world opened up for me and I used to be desperate to share. I began to find out about fascia!
How Fascia and Vagus Nerve Regulation Modified All the things
Erin: How has understanding and studying extra about fascia impacted your educating and your personal life?
Sigrún: Effectively, with educating it actually modified all the things, each in yoga and private coaching. First, there was a deeper understanding that the physique as a complete is related. Firstly my focus and a spotlight went to understanding the interconnectedness of the musculoskeletal system and realizing that you probably have one thing in your shoulder, it could possibly be coming out of your hip. Now, when I’m serving to folks to attain extra mobility or energy, I all the time use the remedy balls to show college students in regards to the fascia.
Personally, once I began utilizing the remedy balls, I finished seizing up. I had been working towards yoga, getting massages, going to the chiropractor and all the things would assist, however just for a short while. Docs had been simply giving me muscle relaxers and ache killers. After I began utilizing the remedy balls, the improved mobility in my neck was unimaginable. Firstly I’d solely roll the areas affected, my neck and shoulders. However as my depth in fascia advanced, I began to discover additional territory like my glutes and sacrum and observed how that will assist my neck additionally! It was such a revelation. Even once I rolled my ft, it could assist my neck! I began to note that whenever you roll, fairly often you are feeling it within the space the place your physique is essentially the most compromised.
Erin: What’s your #1 tip for lecturers?
Sigrún: Take heed to your physique, discover how way more you are feeling whenever you begin doing this work. The most important take away most individuals get from coming to my trainings and courses is how way more they get related and the way way more they will really feel of their our bodies. Really feel your physique when you’re rolling to take possession of your physique.
Erin: How has Tune Up Health impacted your educating?
Sigrún: I don’t suppose there are phrases to explain it! However I believe I’ve discovered that much less can usually be much more. I was very lively, and was within the mindset that if what I used to be doing didn’t harm, then I couldn’t really feel it and was doing nothing. I’m completely the other now! Now I give myself the time to do issues slowly, breathe, give pauses, and really feel. Tune Up Health taught me the significance of emphasizing how essential listening to your physique is. Studying to hearken to your physique is important, whether or not it’s to enhance motion, really feel higher, or the way to join with others.
Studying to hearken to your physique is important, whether or not it’s to enhance motion, really feel higher, or the way to join with others.
Understanding the Vagus Nerve: A Key to Nervous System Well being
Erin: You appear to emphasise the significance of working with the vagus nerve. What are you able to share with us?
Sigrún: The “a-ha” second for me was studying that the vagus nerve is the connection to our viscera, to all of our organs. The vagus nerve is the nerve that slows us down, the one which helps us preserve homeostasis. Due to the character of our society, our nervous system just isn’t geared up to tolerate the velocity and all of the noise on this planet immediately. Our our bodies have the innate means to heal itself however over stimulation impairs the operate of our nervous system. I consider that in an effort to strengthen the operate of the vagus nerve, we have to decelerate.
Erin: How can we nourish the vagus nerve?
Sigrún: Train and respiration — A constructive and secure contact helps strengthen the vagus nerve.
For instance, utilizing the Coregeous® ball with mild strain to supply a ‘secure pressure” whereas respiration.
Polyvagal Principle and Physique-to-Mind Therapeutic
Erin: What’s Polyvagal Principle?
Sigrún: The Polyvagal Principle was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges. He talks in regards to the vagus nerve in reference to the social engagement system; emphasizing that how we understand others and the way we current ourselves impacts our nervous system. He talks in regards to the ventral vagal system which is related to feeling secure for emotional regulation. Once we get caught in a battle or flight response, we’re caught in a stress response.
Once we expertise trauma, the conductivity of the vagus nerve can weaken which may trigger any person to be caught in a battle or flight response for a few years. This response can get triggered if any person yells at you and as a consequence, the nervous system shuts down.
Once I work with shoppers, I clarify to them that it’s not their fault, however it’s the nervous system’s response. One of many methods to handle that is by means of speaking remedy, which is a top-down strategy, however solely 20% of the vagus is from the mind to the physique.
We additionally must work from backside up, as a result of the messages to the vagus nerve are 80% physique to mind.
Erin: How do you navigate shoppers that you just would possibly sense their nervous system is on excessive alert?
Sigrún: I work rather a lot with runners that are inclined to prioritize one other run versus including a restoration day and sometimes, they complain that their pains don’t enhance. I counsel prioritizing a restoration day to do mild yoga, roll, swim, or stroll the place your physique has the time to downregulate. I educate most individuals strategies with the Coregeous® ball akin to a mild diaphragm or stomach launch. Many individuals have a difficult time being nonetheless and easily respiration, however when you add an train with one of many remedy balls, it appears like they’ve a process after which the respiration comes naturally. I believe the Coregeous® ball is a extremely good instrument to assist folks downregulate a heightened nervous system.
Erin: I observed you will have accomplished many trainings, what retains you impressed and eager to be taught extra?
Sigrún: I really feel that the extra I be taught, the extra I begin to join the dots. With all the things I’ve discovered in regards to the vagus nerve and the nervous system, I understand that if these techniques are wholesome in me, then the extra curious I’m and the extra I wish to be taught extra.
I really like when folks really feel good after they take my courses or come for a session. It’s superb that you could assist folks really feel good. I’ve discovered a lot and might see the way it can all really feel advanced and overwhelming. I attempt to make it easy and approachable to my college students and shoppers in order that they will perceive it. The way you act and the way you maintain your self impacts all the things round you.
The Bowen Methodology and Fascia-Knowledgeable Motion
Erin: One of many final trainings you probably did was in regards to the Bowen Methodology, are you able to share with us what it’s and the way it compliments your work?
Sigrún: Throughout Covid, I went by means of numerous on-line trainings and took every kind of courses. My educating went by means of a shift, I centered extra on educating my college students about their nervous system, the lymphatic system, practices that nourish the physique as a complete and never simply in regards to the muscular tissues. Many individuals would complain about muscular ache however by utilizing totally different strategies, I inspired my college students to concentrate to the refined techniques within the physique which may have been contributing to the ache. I consider that engaged on these techniques is the muse to heal the musculoskeletal system.
The Bowen Methodology just isn’t a therapeutic massage however a motion of the superficial fascia over deep fascia. It’s a particular type of motion the place you carry out a stretch over the superficial fascia and slowly go deeper, it’s just like a shearing movement. With the Bowen Methodology, I work across the space of ache to facilitate extra blood movement and activate the nerve endings. I’m guiding the physique, it is rather just like what we’re doing with the remedy balls. I usually educate my shoppers to do a few of the actions on their very own. You may all the time inform folks the way you felt, however you can’t inform folks what to really feel. I can share with folks that you just would possibly really feel like this or that, perhaps even really feel nothing in any respect, and there’s nothing fallacious with that! You’ll obtain the solutions as you pay attention.
Erin: How do you deal with ache?
Sigrún: I believe with ache it’s about understanding what you’re feeling. Generally you get caught with an thought of what or the place the ache is, you obtain a misinterpretation of that feeling. However when you hearken to your physique you might need a clearer understanding of the foundation. I counsel folks write down what they do through the day as a result of they could work out what motion triggers the ache. Understanding the ache is essential.
I believe with ache it’s about understanding what you’re feeling.
Empowering College students By Nervous System Schooling
Erin: What are your high self-care suggestions?
Sigrún: Respiration deliberately. Take time for your self, give your self the time for you. Should you don’t have the time, begin small and finally that can result in extra. Once you begin to do myofascial work, a curiosity from inside arises. I like to recommend that individuals take their remedy balls to work, discover a wall, roll for 2-3 minutes twice a day. Your physique will naturally begin to ask for extra. When you’re thirsty, your intuition is to seize a glass of water. For me, once I really feel one thing in my physique, I’ve a ball and with out fascinated with it, I’m towards a wall or on the ground rolling. I do know that rolling goes to assist.
Once you begin listening to your physique, you begin to be taught what it’s asking for and what it wants. As you be taught extra about rolling, you additionally begin to perceive what sort of rollout you want, or what sort of ball to make use of relying on the intention. We would like all of the techniques in our physique to be in homeostasis.
Erin: What’s your objective as a trainer?
Sigrún: One factor that I’m joyful and pleased with, is that after beginning Blissful Hips and utilizing the remedy balls, it gave me management and possession of my very own physique. I may do issues for myself with out having to depend on one thing exterior. I wish to give those that data, to share these instruments to folks in order that they will really feel good and handle themselves.
Discover Sigrún on the Internet
Web site: https://happyhips.is/
Instagram: @Happyhips.is
