How to lie on a towel roll for the back and cervical region. Japanese and other techniques

Pain in the back, neck, and shoulders periodically bothers almost every person. One of the reasons is degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. The Japanese doctor T. Fukutsuji dealt with this problem for a long time. He noticed that with age, people's posture changes, their backs stoop, their chests fall in. When the chest is compressed, the lower ribs expand, increasing the size of the waist. Degenerative changes in vertebral structures lead to pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. The solution to the problem is to return them to their normal position. He developed an unusual method of static gymnastics, in which the spinal column is brought into its normal position using a special roller.

The essence of the technique

The method of treating back pain was invented by a doctor from Japan, Toshi Fukutji, who studied spinal problems for 10 years. He tested this method on his patients and came to the conclusion that with age, people's body structure changes due to divergence of the ribs and pelvis, and problems such as kyphosis and poor posture are associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

He found a solution to these problems by returning the ribs and hips to their original position using a back roller. It has been established that the discrepancy of the bones directly affects pain in the back and cervical region; it also affects the increase in body volume, and returning them to their previous position leads to weight loss in the body as a whole.

For example:

• the waist decreases;
• chest rises;
• excess weight goes away;
• posture improves.

The essence of the method is statistical stretching of the vertebrae using a roller, aimed at strengthening and restoring blood circulation in the spinal column. How to lie on a towel roll for your back is described in Fukutsuji’s book called “Lose weight while lying down.”

The essence of the method and its theoretical justification

The technique consists of static stretching of the vertebrae while simultaneously strengthening the spine and restoring blood circulation in it. You just need to lie down, placing a hard roller, twisted from a towel, under a certain area of ​​the body. Thanks to this sports equipment, fixed in a certain way, the spinal column is stretched, the intervertebral discs are restored, and growth processes in the cartilage tissue are started. The bones of the skeleton return to their natural original position.

Indications and contraindications

Doctors recommend using a back bolster for problems with the cervical and lumbar regions.

This method has a number of indications:

• initial form of intervertebral hernia;
• various scoliosis;
• osteochondrosis, arthrosis, radiculitis;
• rachiocampsis;
• slouch;
• pinched nerves;
• migraine;
• weakening of the back muscles;
• overweight;
• bad dream.

In addition to the extensive list of indications for using a bolster under the back, this method also has contraindications. That is why, if you have serious problems, it is recommended to first consult with a specialist in this field. If you have at least 1 of the diagnoses listed below, the use of a roller is undesirable.

Contraindications:

• acute back pain;
• high blood pressure;
• heat;
• osteoporosis;
• various fractures;
• sprains and tears in the groin area;
• cracks in the spine;
• pregnancy and postpartum period 1 year;
• oncological diseases;
• bleeding.

If no contraindications are found, but when performing exercises with a roller you feel unwell in the form of pain or dizziness, you should immediately stop the exercise and reduce the time interval for performing it to 30 seconds. In the future, it is recommended to increase the time, but gradually, paying attention to your well-being.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• simplicity of the method;
• the ability to lose weight without dieting and intense training;
• work on a specific problem area - stomach, waist, sides;
• this is the development of a certified doctor, which inspires confidence;
• concomitant improvement of digestion;
• relief of certain diseases;
• performed at home - no need for collective training or a personal trainer;
• There is a towel in every home, so there is no need to spend money on purchasing special equipment.

Flaws:

• presence of contraindications;
• not suitable for everyone;
• Side effects include severe back pain;
• centimeters from the waist and fat from the abdomen disappear slowly;
• many doctors are against this method.

We recommend: “4 Reasons Why Belly Fat Doesn’t Lose.”

Making a roller

Currently, such rollers are easy to purchase in specialized stores. They differ in their internal content, but their essence remains the same. Anyone can make a roller on their own.

Here's what you'll need:

• medium-sized terry towel;
• rope for fastening, can be replaced with elastic bands.

The manufacturing method is simple:

• It is necessary to twist the towel into an elastic roll; it must be at least 10 cm in diameter.
• To increase the load on the spine, you need to increase its size.
• To enlarge, you can use improvised means.
• You need to twist the towel quite tightly to make the roll sufficiently rigid.
• At stage 2, you will need material to fix the resulting roller. For these purposes, use elastic bands or rope, which is recommended to be secured along the entire length of the roller.

How to make a roller yourself

Gymnastic rollers are sold in sporting goods stores and orthopedic salons. However, you can make it yourself from available materials. You will need a thick terry towel and a tourniquet. The fabric is twisted and secured with rope. The resulting roll should be quite rigid, 35-40 cm in length, with an average diameter of 10-12 cm.

For untrained overweight people, the diameter should be halved and increased gradually.

Expert advice

It is important to know how to lie on a towel roll for your back to get positive dynamics.

There are several important nuances:

• The lesson must be carried out on a solid surface. It is best on the floor or a special couch. It is strictly not recommended to carry out exercises on a soft plane; the effect will be completely lost.

  
  The photo shows how to lie on a towel roll for your back. You need a hard surface and proper body positioning.

• The roller must be placed under the navel. You can check its location by running your hands from the navel to the sides, where you can reach the towel.
• The legs need to be slightly separated from each other and their big toes should be brought together until they touch. In this position, the pelvic bones find their natural location.
• For convenience, for beginners in the first lessons, you can use an elastic band to hold your big toes together.
• Straightened arms should be moved behind the head and touching with the little fingers. Palms should face down. This pose stretches the spine and hip joint.
• After the lesson, it is recommended to slowly lie down on either side, remove the cushion and remain in this position for some time. This is necessary for the joints to fall into place and to avoid complications. After resting, you need to sit on your knees and slowly rise.
• The effectiveness of this method depends on its regularity. It functions as a cumulative effect. You need to devote at least 5 minutes to this exercise. in a day.

How to roll on a massage roller

If you have musculoskeletal problems, consult your doctor before using myofascial release techniques.

Take the roller and place it under the muscle group that you will be working at the moment. Lower yourself onto the roller with your entire body weight and begin to move, rolling it under you and supporting your body weight in your arms.

Here are some tips for effective myofascial release:

1. You need to roll out slowly, moving the roller no more than 2.5 centimeters per second.
2. If you find an area that feels painful and stiff, stop for a couple of seconds and relax. After 5–30 seconds, pain and discomfort should disappear.
3. If the area is too painful to continue applying pressure, move the roller and work the surrounding areas. Your goal is to restore muscle health, not increase pain tolerance, so you don't want to push into very painful areas.
4. Never roll out joints or bones.
5. Avoid rolling your lower back on the roller. To work out the lower back muscles, you can use massage or tennis balls.

By the way, massage balls can also be used to roll out other areas - the gluteal muscles, trapezius, shoulders, hips. In addition, some parts of the body can be rolled out on the barbell.

Weight loss

A back towel roll for lying exercises helps you lose weight without exercise.

Losing weight with its help consists of 2 stages:

• It is recommended to perform the exercise on the floor; you can lay a gymnastic mat. It is necessary to prepare the roller in advance; it must be quite rigid. You should lie down on it carefully; you need to pay attention to the location of the cushion under your back: it should be exactly in the navel area. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, with your big toes together. For convenience, at first you can fasten your fingers together with an elastic band. Press the palms of your outstretched arms to the floor in a position behind your head.
• After staying in the pose from the first stage is not difficult and there is no discomfort, you need to move on to stage 2. For this purpose, it is necessary to move the roller to the hypochondrium and thoracic region. In this position, the back muscles work and the ligaments become toned.

As a result of these procedures, the abdominal area is tightened and the waist becomes more defined. The effect of a bloated stomach goes away. The key to the success and operation of this method is its systematicity. For noticeable results, classes should be carried out from 2 weeks to 2 months. The table shows the location of the roller and the areas of its influence on certain points for weight loss.

Japanese method with a towel roll - rules and principles of action

Before you start lying on a towel, you should study the basic rules and recommendations for achieving effective results from gymnastics. The rules include:

• Hard surface – for clear fixation of the spine.
• Compliance with the exercise time - exceeding it can cause harm to health.
• Breathing should be slow and even.
• Training time - gymnastics is carried out 2 hours before or after meals.
• Schedule – exercises should be carried out at the same time every day.
• The dimensions of the roller are diameter 7-15 cm, length at least 40 cm. It should correspond to the width of the back or be 2-3 cm larger.

To perform the exercises correctly, you must follow the recommendations. They are as follows:

• After completing the gymnastics, you should not make sudden movements - you need to smoothly roll to the side and lie down for a couple of minutes.
• At the beginning of classes, you will have to overcome the pain from the load on incorrectly positioned bones.
• If after 5-6 workouts the discomfort does not go away, you should stop doing gymnastics for a while.
• It is necessary to study according to the method only with a positive attitude.

Japanese gymnastics for weight loss with a roller requires compliance with the measure. During the first days of training, lying down should not exceed 1-2 minutes so that the load is gradual. In this case, it is better to use no more than 7 cm in diameter of the roller. You can increase it by 2-3 weeks of exercise. It is important to listen to your feelings. If everything is done correctly, then the person feels how the bones take their natural position, and the stomach and sides are drawn into the abdominal cavity.

The effectiveness of gymnastics

The use of Dr. Fukutsuji’s technique in combination with regular exercise and proper nutrition allows you to achieve excellent results. These include:

• reduction in waist size by 5-7 cm in 3 months;
• strengthening the spine, correcting posture;
• increase in height by 2-3 cm;
• getting rid of cellulite;
• improved blood circulation, which normalizes blood pressure;
• reduction of pain in joints, neck, lower back;
• breast shape correction;
• normalization of sleep.

To confirm the effectiveness of Japanese gymnastics for weight loss with a roller, it is recommended to monitor the changes occurring in the body. To do this, you can use photographs before and after several classes, keep an observation diary with volume measurements, and a description of the current state. This way you can visually assess how much your stomach has retracted, your chest has risen, and your posture has straightened. These methods will be an excellent motivation to continue gymnastics.

Set of exercises

According to therapeutic findings, people may have contraindications to physical activity, which can become a problem when losing weight.

For the lower back

Exercises with a roller under the lower back are used for osteochondrosis. During the exercise, blood flow to the brain area increases and normalizes, which helps a person get rid of pain. A special set of exercises with a roller helps get rid of problems associated with degenerative changes in the lumbar region.

To do this you need:

• Roll the towel tightly, securing it with a rope or elastic band. The optimal diameter of the resulting roller should be 12-15 cm.
• It is recommended to carry out the exercise on the floor or a hard couch.
• Slowly lower yourself onto the roller so that it is located exactly under the navel area.
• Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, with your big toes touching together.
• Place your straightened arms behind your head, palms down, with your little fingers touching.
• You should remain in this position for 3 to 7 minutes. Gradually the amount of time needs to be increased.
• At the end of the exercise, you should carefully turn over on your side, pull out the roller and lie in this position for a while. This must be done to avoid displacement of the bones, because during the exercise the spine is stretched. Next you need to rise, leaning on your knees.

The important point of these exercises is regularity and repetition at the same time. The second exercise can be performed after mastering the first, when the body is completely accustomed to the load and there is no discomfort.

Performing this exercise strengthens and normalizes the work of the heart muscle, stabilizes hormone levels and increases blood circulation and lymph flow. After performing the exercise, lower back pain goes away and overall well-being improves due to a surge of strength.

To do this you need:

1. Sit on the floor with your feet pointing towards the wall.
2. Lie down slowly on the cushion. Its location should be under the lower back, relax and spread your arms to the sides, bend your elbows towards your head. The angle should be 90 degrees. Place your legs in a bent position in front of the wall.
3. Slowly raise your legs up the wall; if you can’t keep them suspended, you should lean your elbows on the wall.
4. You must remain in this position for at least 3 minutes. You need to breathe evenly and calmly.

5. If you feel acute tension in the lumbar region, which is accompanied by pain, you should complete the exercise, slowly lower your legs to the floor, lie on your side, remove the bolster and rest for 2-3 minutes. You need to rise gradually, from your knees and without sudden movements.

Under the shoulder blades

There is another way to use a towel roll - place it under your shoulder blades. By doing this simple exercise regularly, you can straighten your shoulders, straighten your posture, lift your chest, open your lungs, which will lead to improved breathing.

To complete this exercise you need:

1. Lie on a hard surface, place a cushion under your shoulder blades.
2. The legs should be bent at the knees and spread apart, while the feet should be connected and touch the floor.

3. Stretch your arms to the sides and relax.
4. You should remain in this position for more than 10 minutes, and then monitor your sensations.
5. You need to get out of this position slowly, lifting through your knees.

For the neck

Exercise with a roller under the neck helps get rid of headaches, blood circulation will return to normal, and nutrition of the cervical discs will improve. Problems with the cervical spine arise due to overexertion when the neck is in one position for a long time.

The exercise is simple; to perform it, you need to lie down on a hard surface, placing a towel roll under your neck.

The head should hang slightly. You need to slowly turn your head from side to side. The duration of the exercise is up to 2 minutes.

Japanese gymnastics for the spine

Gymnastics with a spine roller is popular in Japan for reducing waist measurements. This method is very popular because of its ease of implementation and the small amount of time required for the exercise. However, the exercise itself is aimed at restoring the spine to its natural position. This method consists of one exercise.

It will require:

1. Roll the towel into an elastic roll with a diameter of 10 cm; you need to increase its size over time to increase the load.
2. Sit on a hard surface, place a cushion under your back so that it is under your navel.
3. The feet should be at shoulder level and the big toes should be joined.
4. Stretch your arms straight back, palms down, and touch your little fingers.
5. Stay in this position for up to 5 minutes.
6. Next, you should slowly lift the body and move the roller under the ribs. Lie down for another 5 minutes.
7. When the exercise is completed, you need to turn over on your side, remove the roller and rest for 2 minutes, you need to get up slowly, without sudden movements.

It is recommended that you learn how to lie on a towel roll for your back in order to count on strengthening the spine and its alignment before starting training.

Other methods

A towel roll can be used as an expander. Its inventor was the Japanese Imbari. Exercises are a method for losing weight. To perform this, you need to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, take the towel by the edges, and pull it in front of you. You should pull the towel from one end to the other without bending your arms.

By performing this exercise, the arm muscles are tightened, the chest is lifted, and the waist becomes smaller in volume. To improve posture, use a towel taken by the edges and placed behind your back at lumbar level. With your arms outstretched, the towel should be moved away from your back to the maximum distance.

Additional recommendations

Dr. Fukutsuji in his book briefly mentions nutrition as an aid to weight loss in its development. This is explained by the fact that it only indirectly relates to the displacement of the pelvic bones and ribs, which are the basis of the method. And yet, people who practice this exercise give valuable recommendations on how to increase its effectiveness specifically in terms of weight loss.

Nutrition

The diet is not recommended, but it is not prohibited either. You can choose a long-term option for 3 months - the Atkins or Dukan diet, for example. If this is not your method, just stick to proper nutrition:

• do not exceed the daily caloric intake based on your individual data (height, weight, physical activity);
• limit the consumption of harmful and high-calorie foods, or better yet, completely eliminate them from the diet;
• drink enough water;
• minimize salt, as it is harmful to joints;
• eat strictly according to the regime.

As part of the Japanese method, focus on foods that are good for joints and bones - this will speed up skeletal recovery and minimize the risk of complications. The menu must include:

• fish;
• soy;
• olive oil;
• cherry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry;
• low-fat dairy products: yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese;
• broccoli;
• green tea;
• citrus fruits, kiwi;
• whole grain cereals;
• legumes

Foods containing collagen are beneficial for cartilage. Therefore, at least 2 times a week, the menu must include jellied fish, jellied meat and fatty broths. At the same time, do not forget to meet your daily caloric intake.

Sport

To enhance the effectiveness of the technique, you need to engage in sports that strengthen the spine and have a positive effect on the skeletal system as a whole. These include:

• backstroke;
• race walking;
• skis;
• oriental gymnastic practices: qigong, wushu, yoga, wushu, katsuzo nishi, etc.

During these 3 months of losing weight, it is not recommended to engage in sports that increase the load on the spine and can interfere with the restoration of the skeleton. These include:

• run;
• all types of wrestling, boxing, martial arts;
• football, volleyball, basketball;
• Latin American dances;
• tennis;
• skiing;
• horseback riding.

If you work with exercise machines, you need to know the load they put on your joints and spine. If in doubt, consult your trainer.

And further…

Fukutsuji is a representative of Eastern medicine, for whom a healthy lifestyle is the norm. Describing his technique, he draws attention to the fact that for weight loss and the effectiveness of the exercise, it is important to be filled with positive energy and not commit bad actions that place a heavy burden on a person’s shoulders and do not allow him to straighten up in the literal and figurative sense of the word.

In addition to his wishes, you need to pay attention to the lifestyle you will lead. Physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol abuse - all this does not fit into the Japanese method and can reduce its effectiveness to zero.

Despite the criticism of official medicine and negative reviews, many people from all over the world have lost weight and improved their health thanks to a simple exercise, just placing a cushion under their lower back. Perhaps you should try it too?

Duration of exercises

The listed methods using a roller are suitable for people who do not have a lot of time for sports and their health. The lesson is allocated from 5 minutes per day. Special exercises require minimal load and are easy to perform.

The decision to lie on a towel roll is usually made by people with a sedentary lifestyle. Such back exercises do not require additional costs, which allows anyone to perform them at home.

Author: Anikushina N.

Article design: Oleg Lozinsky

Essence of the method

Many people include this exercise in their complexes and training programs, without even suspecting that this is Fukutsuji’s original method. However, he himself argued that it does not require additional physical activity, that is, it is not necessary to include it in morning exercises or daytime training.

What is its essence? You need to lie down on a flat surface and place a cushion under a certain point on your back (most often a regular towel is used). A few minutes of this static pose and the exercise is over. For greater efficiency, 3 provisions have been developed to solve different problems. Performed only once a day, but regularly.

Fukutsuji guarantees that in a month the waist size will become 2-3 cm smaller, in 2 months the saggy belly will go away, in 3 months a beautiful abs will begin to form. Everything is extremely simple and does not require any effort: diets and intense training are not needed. According to surveys, in Asian countries this method has been tried by 70% of the female population and 20% of the male population.

In Russia and Western European countries, the Japanese method of losing weight with a towel is also very popular, although it is actively criticized for its low degree of effectiveness and for the unpleasant sensations that arise in the back during the exercise.

Article on the topic: “Japanese gymnastics for weight loss.”

About the benefits of roller massagers

If you regularly exercise with a roller massager, you will be able to:

• relax your back/neck muscles;
• improve mood and well-being;
• relieve back fatigue;
• improve the supply of nutrients to deep muscle tissue;
• improve blood circulation in the area of ​​massage (this effect is especially pronounced when using toothed rollers);
• ensure skin elasticity and firmness;
• improve lymph flow;
• strengthen the musculoskeletal system;
• restore motor functions.

The massage roller strengthens the musculoskeletal system

What about contraindications?

The positive effects of massage rollers are undeniable, but there is still a list of contraindications to their use. This includes the following pathologies.

1. All acute inflammations in which there is an increase in body temperature . These can be not only banal acute respiratory infections, but also various infections that affect systems and organs.
2. Psoriasis.
3. Injuries (such as fractures, dislocations, etc.) of the neck and back.
4. Dermatitis (all varieties).
5. Serious disorders of the spinal column, in which vertebral structures lose stability.

   
   Displacement of the cervical vertebrae

6. Infections that are accompanied by ulcers and skin rashes.
7. Scoliosis 3rd degree.
8. All acute diseases of the cervical and spine.
9. Varicose veins.
10. Trophic skin disorders in those places where massage is planned.
11. Diseases of the nervous system (for example, epilepsy), mental disorders, excessive excitability.
12. Chronic/acute diseases of internal organs , in which the functions of the latter are decompensated (renal or pulmonary failure, arrhythmia, etc.).
13. Tuberculosis (of any internal organs).
14. Oncology , regardless of where the processes are localized.

Oncology is one of the contraindications

If you want to learn in more detail a set of back exercises at home with procedures and tips, you can read an article about it on our portal.

Types and features of massagers

There are different types of devices, they are made from wood or plastic. The shape of the rollers can be cylindrical or round, and may additionally have small teeth.

Table. Main types of massage rollers.

Massage chairs

Electric neck and back massager

Let's pay more attention to the massage roller. Exercises with it are equivalent in effectiveness to a good, high-quality classical massage. What is typical is that you need to practice every day, even if only for ten minutes. But there will be a lot of benefits during this time!

Foam Roller

Important information! Classes with Foam Roller can be conducted individually or as part of a key complex. If you believe the reviews, then the second option is preferable, because it allows you to achieve better results. First you need to do strength exercises, and then work with a massage roller.

Video - Foam Roller, its features and application

Massage roller