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I first heard the word “fascia” before getting dry-needled for the first time at physical therapy. It was described to me as a plastic wrap around your muscles — a layer of connective tissue that, when tangled, creates soreness, knots or even the appearance of cellulite. My PT put a pen in the center of a hand towel, twisted it so the hand towel was all scrunched up and said “This is what your fascia looks like before needling.” After needling, or some other targeted form of myofascial release, the “towel” (your fascia) smooths out.
The 11 Best Post-Workout Recovery Tools to Relieve Sore Muscles
Banish next-day soreness with these body-friendly toolsThere’s so much noise when it comes to the sports recovery tool world — massage guns, compression boots, acupressure tools, rollers, you name it. I hadn’t found an at-home tool that specifically targeted fascia (and was certainly not going to be needling myself at home) until I was introduced to Ashley Black‘s body care tools.
We spoke with Black to learn more about her toolkit, including the hero product she invented, the FasciaBlaster. “There’s so much attention on where [fascia] is and how it works, but very little research about how to fix it. So that’s what we were most passionate about,” she says.
How it works is simple: apply Blaster Oil on the area of your body you’d like to work out. Then you rub the FasciaBlaster back and forth, or up and down, or both, across the body at varying levels of intensity. Spend a minimum of 10 minutes doing this each day, and you’ll notice a major reduction in tightness and an increase in overall well-being, scientifically.
What Works
Backed by Science
“We hired this amazing research lab, ASPI, and that’s where we really went in and looked at those markers that are not subjective or perspective,” Black explains. “And that’s what we learned what was actually happening. You get into a reduction in inflammation, a remodeling of this tissue (think crappy spider web versus good spider web), and we saw an increase in irisin,” which is a hormone released from muscles during exercise.
“When you consistently do this for 90 days, it regenerates the tissue,” she adds.
Black went on: “[Fascia] is the only state of energetic matter we have in our body. [It’s called the] piezoelectric effect.” This means the fascia creates electrical charges when it’s mechanically manipulated. “When we move the tool, we’re creating that energy.” This is what causes tissue repair and regeneration.
Straightforward Kit
Ashley Black’s tools are easy-to-use, and I like how they come in kits, as opposed to other recovery tools that are one-and-done. I tried the Beginner Kit, as well as the OMGBlaster, which is their face kit. Ashley Black’s Fasciology System also includes cupping, cryotherapy and skincare to use alongside the body care tools or separately if desired.
If using Ashley Black’s tools seem daunting at first, there’s a whole section on the website called “Learn” that includes tutorials and blog posts to guide your way.
Can Be Used Pre- and Post-Workout
“If you use the FasciaBlaster 10-15 minutes prior to working out, there’s an increase in muscle output,” Black states. She suggests a light session with the FasciaBlaster in the sauna before a workout. The difference between a light session beforehand versus a deep session after exercise is that it accesses different nervous systems. “If you’re doing pre-workout, and you’re doing something that’s light or energetic, that leaves us in that performance nervous system. If you’re doing something really deep, making structural changes, that actually does put us more into that rest and digest nervous system.”
What Needs Work
You Will Bruise
“The way fascia works is that it’s ‘in the way,’” Black explains. “The fascia will clump around a tight IT band for example, so you have to release the clumps.” Before Ashley invented the FasciaBlaster, she simply used her knuckles. “So I needed a tool that could simulate [that], and I needed way more leverage.”
To this end, when applied properly (like many other recovery tools), the FasciaBlaster feels like knuckles, which, as you can imagine, don’t feel pleasant. But unlike a lot of other tools, this one will leave bruises. “Bruising is good,” Black says. The bruising is a sign that the work has been done properly. The bit of solace I can offer to this end is it’s not nearly as bad as cupping marks.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for something more intense than a foam roller, Ashley Black’s body tools are a great alternative for reworking your fascia and relieving your muscles.
Black recommends her tools be used as an addition to your other workout and recovery routines. “It’s not an ‘or,’ it’s an ‘and,’” she explains. “It’s like a toothbrush. Go do all your fancy stuff for your teeth, but brush every day.”
Shop the Ashley Black Body Renewal Kit:
Why We Love It: Ashley Black’s tools are analog and ready-to-go, easy to travel with (though TSA may give you a weird look like they did me), and do exactly what they say they’ll do.
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