Well, I have got something that you might want to take an interest in in this "new" year: your body's soft, connective tissue or the fascia. Fascia hold almost everything (muscles, organs, etc.) inside your body together and can be found from head to toe.
The red area is the fascia.
People spend so much time attempting to "tone" their muscles that they ignore this very important component of the human body. I spent quite a bit of time in the last few months attempting to better the quality of my soft tissue and I expect I will continue to do it for a long time to come. I have a strong feeling that quality fascia also contribute to maintaining a firm skin tone. Rather than talking more about fascia, I will simply refer you to the following two outstanding articles:
1. The Fascia and Muscle Link by Chad Waterbury: This article has a very simple, brief and articulate explanation of the fascial system.
2. Feel Better for 10 Bucks, Self-myofascial release: no doctor required! by Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson: This article illustrates, with plenty of photos, how a cheap foam roller could be used to properly maintain your fascia at home!
This will likely be my last post until the end of January after I return from a two week trip to India.