Man In Straps: Introducing The Seven Body Straps Series.
- May 27
- 5 min read
The natural assumption is that if something hurts or feels restricted, then the problem must be located exactly where the discomfort is showing up, right?
Wrong.
The body rarely works that way.
What feels like a local issue is often part of a much larger pattern. Like the “butterfly effect” theory, a tiny butterfly in your garden, creates a snowstorm in Ushuaia.
Your Body Holds Tension in Layers, Not Isolated Areas.
Several of the body’s key horizontal connective tissue areas, I call them “straps” are “organised” around natural body passages, diaphragms, organs and sphincters. These are regions where the body must constantly manage pressure while allowing movement, flow and communication between systems.
Think of the earthworm’s rings. The earthworm's body for example is "segmented which looks like many little rings fused along the body - This type of segmentation helps the earthworm's body to move. Segmentation helps the worm to be flexible and strong in its movement. If each segment moved together without being independent, the earthworm would be stationary." 1
"The earthwrom is made of about 100 to 150 segments"
The human body works in a surprisingly similar way.
Our connective tissue “straps” must each retain enough independence to respond, release and adapt. When one strap becomes chronically tight, compressed or restricted, it disrupts the natural relationship between all the others. Pressure can no longer move efficiently. Mobility is reduced. Compensation begins.
The body adapts by shifting tension elsewhere, often creating strain far from the original restriction. A tight pelvic strap may contribute to shallow breathing.
A restricted diaphragm may create neck tension.
Jaw compression may alter posture through the entire spine.
When one segment loses its ability to move freely, the whole system pays the price.
That’s exactly why understanding these seven body straps matters.
These types of segmentation or “straps” of connective in the human body can the identified as the following:
7 The ocular strap:
Audio-visual orientation, eye movement, hearing and cranial tension balance.
6 The oral strap:
Organising movement through the mouth, lips, tongue, jaw, back of the throat.
5 The cervical strap:
Regulating the throat as a passage for breath, swallowing and structural support.
4 The Thoracic strap:
Containing Heart / Lungs / Ribcage / Upper Chest - Upper Back.
3 The diaphragm strap:
The body’s primary pressure regulator and breathing muscle.
2 The abdominal strap:
Supporting visceral containment and core pressure distribution.
Let’s start this series from the bottom up:
1 The pelvic floor strap:
This powerful lower support system involves the pelvis, sacrum, pelvic floor, anal sphincter and surrounding connective tissue that stabilises organs, regulates continence, sexual function and load transfer through the hips.
These regions act like integrated tension gates.
To picture the pelvic strap, imagine wearing a sports jockstrap. The elastic band wraps around the exact region where this connective tissue system sits, circling the lower pelvis, crossing the groin, anchoring around the hips and supporting the structures below.
This ring of connective tissue, muscular support and fascial tension helps stabilise the pelvis, support the organs, regulate pressure, and coordinate movement between the hips, lower spine and pelvic floor. When this strap is responsive and mobile, pressure moves efficiently through the lower body.
When it becomes tight or compressed, often through prolonged sitting, stress, trauma or restricted breathing, it begins to lose that adaptability. And when the foundation loses flexibility, everything above it is forced to compensate - you are not made of parts -
Over time this can affect far more than comfort. It can influence mobility, breathing mechanics, urinary flow and even erectile function.
This tension can show up as hip restriction, pelvic heaviness, discomfort sitting for long periods, urinary urgency or subtle changes in sexual performance.
Could Pelvic Floor Tension Be Affecting Sexual Function?
Erectile changes are not always about circulation, age or stress alone.
In some men, excessive pelvic floor tension can interfere with blood flow, nerve signalling and the body’s ability to fully relax, all of which influence erectile function.
A few signs worth paying attention to:
You notice more difficulty after long days sitting.
Erections feel less consistent.
There is tightness or pressure through the perineum (the area between the testicles and anus).
You experience hip tightness alongside sexual performance changes.
There is discomfort after ejaculation.
You often hold tension through the lower abdomen without realising it.
You struggle to fully relax even when mentally switched off.
A simple self-check:
Take five slow lower belly breaths while lying on your back.
Notice what happens.
Does the lower abdomen expand easily?
Can the pelvis soften?
Or does everything stay braced and resistant?
That resistance can sometimes point toward excessive holding patterns through the pelvic floor and lower abdominal strap. Please note this is Not a way to confirm a diagnosis.
If erectile changes are persistent, worsening, or accompanied by other symptoms like pain, numbness, or urinary symptoms, proper medical assessment comes first, see your GP.
Sometimes the body is only asking for stretching, or slowing down a notch in the way we navigate trough life and sometimes it is signalling something that needs deeper investigation. Knowing the difference is part of taking your men’s health seriously.
Before leaving I would like to share with you this 3 simple practices that can help you restore function - practising it regularly and gradually can improve your life.
1. Lower Belly Breathing:
Take 5 slow breaths into the lower belly. Let the abdomen expand gently, like inflating a balloon. If this feels difficult, place one hand over the lower belly as a guide and breathe into your hand. No forcing, just slow expansion and release.
2. Happy Baby Pose:
One of the most effective stretches for releasing pelvic tension. Lie on your back - Bend your knees and grab the outside of your feet with the hands. Bring the knees towards the floor as your open your legs. Avoid lifting your head or shoulder blades out of the floor/bed. Hold for 30–60 seconds 4 to 5 times while breathing slowly. Morning before getting out of bed or at night before sleep works perfectly — and saves you from doing it in the gym.
3. Lying Down Groin Stretch:
Lying on the floor or your bed with legs extended in front of you. Turning out your legs from your hips touching your soles with each other. Bend your knees and draw your feet upwards toward your body - keeping the soles together. Place your hands on your inner thighs. Don’t bounce your legs - just hold with your hands your inner thighs firmly. 30-60 seconds 4 to 5 times.
That's All For Today Folks!
Next time let's talk about Abdomen / Diaphragm and Thoracic Straps.
Stay Tune - All The Best.
Sergio Alexander Norton - LMTs, ITEC
General Disclaimer
The contents of this article is intended to provide useful information to the general public. All materials, including texts, graphics, and images, are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment for specific medical conditions. All readers should seek expert medical care and consult their own GP’s.
This series is informed in part by many, many fascial anatomy works such as of R. Louis Schultz PhD and Rosemary Feitis DO, Wilhem Reich and Elsworth F. Baker, M.D. and "Anatomy and Stretching" by Craig Ramsay and "Anatomy Trains" by Thomas Myers.
"Seven Body Straps" AI image for editorial purposes copyrigth:norton-bodywork 2026
earthworm image courtesy: http://www.masteryoung.de/6thgradefiles/science/Chapter_6/earthworm_lab.htm
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