Cupping guides
Fascia: what connective tissue is, why it gets stiff, fascia training that works and how cupping affects the fascia
Fascia is the continuous network of connective tissue that surrounds and connects muscles, organs, vessels and nerves. It adapts to how you move, becomes stiff and sluggish from one-sidedness, sitting and stress, and softer from variation, loading and pressure or lift. Here is what fascia is, what research actually shows, fascia training with evidence, common myths, and how cupping, which lifts the fascia instead of pressing it, is used.
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Arm exercises at home: biceps, triceps and shoulder exercises without equipment and with a water container, a programme for three levels and cupping for recovery
Arms can be trained at home without dumbbells: body weight, a water container and a resistance band are enough for biceps, triceps and shoulders. Here are twelve exercises in three levels, a 15-minute session, how to make the exercises heavier without weights, common mistakes that cause pain in elbows, wrists and shoulders, and how cupping of forearms, upper arms and shoulders is used after the session.
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Dizziness: common causes, BPPV and neck-related dizziness, warning signs and what you can do yourself
Dizziness has many causes, and the type of dizziness says a lot: short spinning attacks on changing position are BPPV, unsteadiness with a tight neck is neck-related dizziness, blacking out when you stand up is a blood pressure drop. Here is the cause table, the warning signs that need urgent care (stroke), the Epley manoeuvre for BPPV, neck exercises and cupping for neck-related dizziness, and when to seek care.
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Leg pain: causes (muscles, circulation, nerves, joints), warning signs and what helps
Leg pain can come from muscles, vessels, nerves or joints, and where and how it hurts decides what to do. A dull ache after standing, tired heavy legs, cramps and muscle soreness are muscles and circulation; burning pain with numbness is nerves; a swollen, hot and tender calf is an emergency. Here is the cause table, the warning signs, the self-care, the exercises and how cupping of the legs is used.
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Massage ball or cupping: the difference, what suits where (trigger points, glutes, feet, back) and how to use them
A massage ball presses into a point, a cup lifts the tissue; that makes them good at different things. The ball is best for trigger points in the glutes, soles and between the shoulder blades, the cup for tension and stiffness in large muscles and fascia, and for increasing circulation over larger areas. Here is the difference, what suits where, how to use the ball correctly, and how to combine them in a recovery routine.
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Leg and glute exercises at home: 12 exercises without equipment, a programme for three levels, and cupping for recovery
Legs and glutes are the body's largest muscles, and they can be trained effectively at home without equipment. Here are twelve exercises for thighs, glutes and calves in three levels, a 20-minute session, how to make them harder without weights, common mistakes that cause knee and back pain, and how cupping of thighs and glutes is used before and after the session.
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Warm-up before training: why it matters, warm-up exercises for running, strength and ball sports, and cupping as preparation
A good warm-up raises muscle temperature, increases blood flow, activates the nervous system and takes the joints through the movements the session requires; it clearly reduces injury risk in studies and improves performance. Here is why, how long it should be, the three-step principle (pulse, mobility, activation), ready-made warm-up exercises for running, strength, ball and racket sports, common mistakes, and how cupping is used as preparation before a session.
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Ankle pain: where does it hurt, what it may be (without a sprain) and what helps
Ankle pain without a recent sprain is usually overloaded tendons around the ankle, an old sprain that has left instability, osteoarthritis after injuries, impingement at the front or back, or more rarely gout and inflammation. Here is the location map, the warning signs (a hot swollen joint, sudden pain without injury), the self-care, the stability exercises and how to cup the calf and foot around the joint.
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Thumb pain and hand osteoarthritis: causes (thumb base osteoarthritis, de Quervain's, trigger finger), hand exercises that help and cupping of the forearm
Thumb pain is usually thumb base osteoarthritis in people over 50 or de Quervain's tenosynovitis in those who lift and grip a lot; stiff, aching fingers with nodes are hand osteoarthritis. Here is the difference between the causes, the warning signs (swollen warm joints, morning stiffness over an hour), the hand exercises with evidence, splints and aids, and cupping of the forearm muscles.
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