An overworked masseter can lead to jaw tension, headaches, and the oh-too-common TMJ syndrome. Check out the link below to watch Jill’s YTU tips and tricks to relieve jaw tension and pain to keep the Masseter and its other facial buddies whistling Dixie!
I’m a 500 hour Certified YA teacher through YogaWorks as well as a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer through NASM and ISSA (with continuing education certificates with CHEK, TRX, BOSU and about 20 others). I consider the human body the most sophisticated piece of machinery that will ever be created so I'm dedicated to my pedagogic endeavors in order to bring my clients the results they need. I love the Yoga and Fitness communities and am excited to have found a home that straddles them both. I consider my YTU education to be one of the most important tools I've found both personally and professionally.
I love this! I’ve started massaging my masseter daily – sometimes just pressing lightly and using shear while I’m sitting at the computer. I actually picked up a new client yesterday when she asked me what I was doing and I launched into all the uses for Tune Up balls.
I use it on my cat too – I remembered from anatomy class how big cats’ jaw muscles are, so I figured it was worth a try, and she absolutely loves it ?
Thank you! I have been struggling with TMJ since my sophomore year of college and have noticed that during stressful times, my TMJ reappears. I began to follow the instructional video using my tune up balls and have noticed a dramatic difference in my jaw flexibility. My muscles are now more relaxed and do not tense up as easily.
Recently Ive noticed that I clench my jaw while thinking about things that perplex me. I will definitely try this jaw massage technique to provide some relief for my busy jaw. Thanks for sharing this video!
Thank you for this important information!!! I am experiencing the symptoms described in the videos and I will definitely keep doing further research on the subject and see what YOGA TUNE UP can do for me before I seek serious treatment…
Amazing! Can’t wait to incorporate this simple yoga tune up movement and eradicate the tension headaches and the pain in my masseter. I’m going to be shaking my head ‘no’ to no more clenching, no more grinding and no more jaw pain 🙂
Today in our immersion with Sarah we did this with therapy balls in the tote and I totally loved it that way as we got a massage in our temple and jaw loved it!!!.
Wow, these are great sequences for jaw tension. I’m a nighttime teeth grinder with tinnitus and I wonder if over time these could help alleviate either or both. I’m going to introduce these into my pre-bed routine – thanks!
I first learned the tune up technique at a workshop with Louis Jackson and Jeff Lang and it helped tremendously with the TMJ that I suffered from. Thanks for the reminder Amanda!
I wear Invisalign braces for 22 hours a day and tend to bite down on my trays all day long. This is such a great technique to release the tight grip of my jaw and masseter muscle. Thank you!
This. Is. So. Amazing. What a simple and quick fire way to relieve a whole night of teeth grinding! I’ve grinded my teeth for at least 15 years and most recently had braces which made my jaw, neck and shoulder muscles ultra tight. This exercise hits the spot. Thanks for the reminder. I can’t wait to roll out my jaw tomorrow morning!
This video was extremely helpful for me since I have suffered from TMJ since high school. I both clench my jaw and grind my teeth in my sleep and often wake up with facial pain and a locked jaw. My jaw also clicks (on one side more than the other) every time I open my mouth. My TMJ also causes frequent tension headaches. This exercise helped to relax my facial muscles and relieved some tension from my masseter muscle.
This is challenging to do! I have been experiencing jaw pain and a clicking in the jaw. My dentist recommended avoiding strong chewing ( gum, hard foods) and performing self massage. I have’t had much relief so thought I would look to the Yoga Tune Up balls for an alternate approach. Yoga tune up balls provide relief from tension in other areas of my body but I had never translated that idea to using them on the jaw. I look forward to having them provide similar relief to my jaw tension.
Tension in the jaw can just creep up on us. We often don’t even realize just how tightly we are clenching until we release one side and compare the two. I love to stop between sides and feel just how much one side of my face seems to have melted away.
I tried this today and oh my it hurt! I have TMJ and it effects me during workouts. When I do planks or anything with hands down on the floor it seems to activate it! I will try this more and see if it helps! thanks
Just like Diane said, I too have always clenched my teeth and after getting a special retainer I felt some relief. Yet, nothing compares to the relief that this exercise gave me! These videos are so helpful to reiterate not only the anatomy we learn in class but just how useful the YTU balls can be. After doing this exercise before bed, I woke up much more rested and at ease, whereas most morning I wake up with tension in my head, jaw, neck, and even lower back. Meditating at night has also helped.
When I finally invested in a custom made night guard for my bruxism a few years ago… it made a world of difference on the one-side I really seem to abuse. Neck, jaw and upper back pain dissipated greatly… but I never thought that something like this exercise with the YTU balls existed- nor would bring even more profound relief! The texture of my overdeveloped right masseter has changed and I am becoming more symmetrical. Using this Ball exercise on my jaw area is making long-lasting changes. Night and day.
I tend to clench one side of my jaw more than the other. It is an unconscious habit that I am trying to become more conscious of so I can stop doing it all together. Easier said than done. This technique helps me unravel all the stuck tension that accumulates from all the clenching. I love this exercise. The more I do it the more I am able to relax my jaw throughout the day.
Although i must admit i do not think I have TMJ, i found this video really helpful! At any given time of day, you can find me chewing gum. I have a pretty severe oral fixation, and will chew up my mouth otherwise. The constant chewing motion really tires my jaw and often leaves it sore. I never thought to use the tune up ball on my face, but boy does it work wonders! Thanks so much for posting!
My name is Lenny Herb and I am in the middle of taking the Yoga Tune Up Level 1Teacher Training Class with Jill Miller. I had previously taken the Yoga Tune Up Therapy Ball Practitioner Training. I have been a personal trainer in Los Angeles for the past 20 years.
My cousin was having severe jaw problems with limited mobility. Two different doctors suggested surgery to relieve her problem. I guided her through a very basic jaw routine with the therapy balls, and in 3 minutes of beginning she felt two gentle pops and had instant relief. After 10 minutes of work, she had more mobility in her jaw than she had in the past year. She continues to work on her jaw almost daily and has almost no pain, with full mobility. And to think she almost had surgery!
Felt great. This ball technique releases tension in the face/head/neck. I do not have TMJ problems but felt relaxed performing this technique before bed.
Thank you so much for this helpful exercise! I’m an actor and I have to keep my jaw relatively loose and able to move freely. However, although I don’t have TMJ, I find that the jaw is where I hold a lot of tension. This is way easier and more tangible than some other jaw loosening exercises I’ve done in the past.
Great video!
In many cases other muscles around the jaw and head also end up tightening when pressure is not released from the Masseter; this often leads to pressure headaches. With a little creativity, this technique (cheaper then a massage!) can be used at targeting other affected areas with only a slight rotation of the body.
I don’t have Tmj, but after trying this for a few minutes, I couldn’t believe how much it relaxed my Jaw and My head. I feel as if I’m going to get a good nights sleep. Thanks for this video. I would have never thought of working on this part of my Body>
This is incredible. I’ve had years of TMJ, gum recession, grinding, etc. Now with this simple exercise I will be able to dig deeply into the muscles without hurting myself. Thank You!!! I’m excited to touch the fascia and at the same time, have a parasympathetic response in a positive way!
Hi, I saw your video. It was so great to release your tension. My husband has complained about neck and jaw issue all the time. I really highly recommend him about this exercise to release his jaw tension. I guess he has an arthrosis of TMJ and a nasal cavity issue. I hope he could make it with this exercise.
I’ve been suffering from TMJ pain for about 8 years. Finding yoga gave me the tools to manage and release some of the general stresses of life. Finding Yoga Tune Up has given me both concrete tools and understanding for how to get into the specific muscles holding this tension. I look forward to sharing this knowledge with my students! Thanks Amanda for posting this easy-to-pass-along video. 🙂
I love this! I will certainly be sharing this with clients with TMJ issues!
I love this! I’ve started massaging my masseter daily – sometimes just pressing lightly and using shear while I’m sitting at the computer. I actually picked up a new client yesterday when she asked me what I was doing and I launched into all the uses for Tune Up balls.
I use it on my cat too – I remembered from anatomy class how big cats’ jaw muscles are, so I figured it was worth a try, and she absolutely loves it ?
Tried the modality tonight and it really works to relax the area. Thanks for the tip.
Stress and holding the scull not in the right position leeds to TJM. Jill´s Video shows how I can easily fix this problem.
Thank you! I have been struggling with TMJ since my sophomore year of college and have noticed that during stressful times, my TMJ reappears. I began to follow the instructional video using my tune up balls and have noticed a dramatic difference in my jaw flexibility. My muscles are now more relaxed and do not tense up as easily.
Recently Ive noticed that I clench my jaw while thinking about things that perplex me. I will definitely try this jaw massage technique to provide some relief for my busy jaw. Thanks for sharing this video!
Thank you for this important information!!! I am experiencing the symptoms described in the videos and I will definitely keep doing further research on the subject and see what YOGA TUNE UP can do for me before I seek serious treatment…
What a great sequence! This puts a smile on my face. I can’t wait to share this one.
Amazing! Can’t wait to incorporate this simple yoga tune up movement and eradicate the tension headaches and the pain in my masseter. I’m going to be shaking my head ‘no’ to no more clenching, no more grinding and no more jaw pain 🙂
Today in our immersion with Sarah we did this with therapy balls in the tote and I totally loved it that way as we got a massage in our temple and jaw loved it!!!.
Wow, these are great sequences for jaw tension. I’m a nighttime teeth grinder with tinnitus and I wonder if over time these could help alleviate either or both. I’m going to introduce these into my pre-bed routine – thanks!
I first learned the tune up technique at a workshop with Louis Jackson and Jeff Lang and it helped tremendously with the TMJ that I suffered from. Thanks for the reminder Amanda!
I wear Invisalign braces for 22 hours a day and tend to bite down on my trays all day long. This is such a great technique to release the tight grip of my jaw and masseter muscle. Thank you!
This. Is. So. Amazing. What a simple and quick fire way to relieve a whole night of teeth grinding! I’ve grinded my teeth for at least 15 years and most recently had braces which made my jaw, neck and shoulder muscles ultra tight. This exercise hits the spot. Thanks for the reminder. I can’t wait to roll out my jaw tomorrow morning!
I’ve found this type of ball massage around the jaw area provides hours of relief.
This video was extremely helpful for me since I have suffered from TMJ since high school. I both clench my jaw and grind my teeth in my sleep and often wake up with facial pain and a locked jaw. My jaw also clicks (on one side more than the other) every time I open my mouth. My TMJ also causes frequent tension headaches. This exercise helped to relax my facial muscles and relieved some tension from my masseter muscle.
This is challenging to do! I have been experiencing jaw pain and a clicking in the jaw. My dentist recommended avoiding strong chewing ( gum, hard foods) and performing self massage. I have’t had much relief so thought I would look to the Yoga Tune Up balls for an alternate approach. Yoga tune up balls provide relief from tension in other areas of my body but I had never translated that idea to using them on the jaw. I look forward to having them provide similar relief to my jaw tension.
Tension in the jaw can just creep up on us. We often don’t even realize just how tightly we are clenching until we release one side and compare the two. I love to stop between sides and feel just how much one side of my face seems to have melted away.
I tried this today and oh my it hurt! I have TMJ and it effects me during workouts. When I do planks or anything with hands down on the floor it seems to activate it! I will try this more and see if it helps! thanks
Just like Diane said, I too have always clenched my teeth and after getting a special retainer I felt some relief. Yet, nothing compares to the relief that this exercise gave me! These videos are so helpful to reiterate not only the anatomy we learn in class but just how useful the YTU balls can be. After doing this exercise before bed, I woke up much more rested and at ease, whereas most morning I wake up with tension in my head, jaw, neck, and even lower back. Meditating at night has also helped.
When I finally invested in a custom made night guard for my bruxism a few years ago… it made a world of difference on the one-side I really seem to abuse. Neck, jaw and upper back pain dissipated greatly… but I never thought that something like this exercise with the YTU balls existed- nor would bring even more profound relief! The texture of my overdeveloped right masseter has changed and I am becoming more symmetrical. Using this Ball exercise on my jaw area is making long-lasting changes. Night and day.
I tend to clench one side of my jaw more than the other. It is an unconscious habit that I am trying to become more conscious of so I can stop doing it all together. Easier said than done. This technique helps me unravel all the stuck tension that accumulates from all the clenching. I love this exercise. The more I do it the more I am able to relax my jaw throughout the day.
Although i must admit i do not think I have TMJ, i found this video really helpful! At any given time of day, you can find me chewing gum. I have a pretty severe oral fixation, and will chew up my mouth otherwise. The constant chewing motion really tires my jaw and often leaves it sore. I never thought to use the tune up ball on my face, but boy does it work wonders! Thanks so much for posting!
I know so many teeth grinders and as a result they have horrible headaches. I will pass this along to them.
My name is Lenny Herb and I am in the middle of taking the Yoga Tune Up Level 1Teacher Training Class with Jill Miller. I had previously taken the Yoga Tune Up Therapy Ball Practitioner Training. I have been a personal trainer in Los Angeles for the past 20 years.
My cousin was having severe jaw problems with limited mobility. Two different doctors suggested surgery to relieve her problem. I guided her through a very basic jaw routine with the therapy balls, and in 3 minutes of beginning she felt two gentle pops and had instant relief. After 10 minutes of work, she had more mobility in her jaw than she had in the past year. She continues to work on her jaw almost daily and has almost no pain, with full mobility. And to think she almost had surgery!
Felt great. This ball technique releases tension in the face/head/neck. I do not have TMJ problems but felt relaxed performing this technique before bed.
Thanks.
Thank you so much for this helpful exercise! I’m an actor and I have to keep my jaw relatively loose and able to move freely. However, although I don’t have TMJ, I find that the jaw is where I hold a lot of tension. This is way easier and more tangible than some other jaw loosening exercises I’ve done in the past.
Great video!
In many cases other muscles around the jaw and head also end up tightening when pressure is not released from the Masseter; this often leads to pressure headaches. With a little creativity, this technique (cheaper then a massage!) can be used at targeting other affected areas with only a slight rotation of the body.
See Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nrw4pZ9Oqw
I don’t have Tmj, but after trying this for a few minutes, I couldn’t believe how much it relaxed my Jaw and My head. I feel as if I’m going to get a good nights sleep. Thanks for this video. I would have never thought of working on this part of my Body>
This is incredible. I’ve had years of TMJ, gum recession, grinding, etc. Now with this simple exercise I will be able to dig deeply into the muscles without hurting myself. Thank You!!! I’m excited to touch the fascia and at the same time, have a parasympathetic response in a positive way!
Hi, I saw your video. It was so great to release your tension. My husband has complained about neck and jaw issue all the time. I really highly recommend him about this exercise to release his jaw tension. I guess he has an arthrosis of TMJ and a nasal cavity issue. I hope he could make it with this exercise.
I’ve been suffering from TMJ pain for about 8 years. Finding yoga gave me the tools to manage and release some of the general stresses of life. Finding Yoga Tune Up has given me both concrete tools and understanding for how to get into the specific muscles holding this tension. I look forward to sharing this knowledge with my students! Thanks Amanda for posting this easy-to-pass-along video. 🙂