If you work out regularly, I'm certain you have heard of foam rolling. And you more than likely have a love-hate relationship with this piece of equipment.
This beneficial piece of equipment mimics the benefits of a deep tissue massage and assists with warm-ups, injury rehab, improved mobility and even improves sore muscles after a heavy lift session in the gym.
It also assists with fascia release, which is the soft tissue that connects with your muscles and provides overall support to the body.
So it seems like this little weapon comes with many great benefits if included in your daily warm-up and recovery routine.
So what exactly is a foam roller?
A foam roller is an essential piece of mobility and warm-up equipment that is a must-have in any commercial or home gym setup.
A foam roller will massage and prepare your muscles for lifting with basic pressure point rolling in a matter of a few minutes
There are many versions of foam rollers on the market, ranging from low-density foam rollers to firm density foam rollers, short & long foam rollers and finally bumpy rollers with nodules, for the added benefit of focused trigger point relief, for those niggles.
Which is the right foam roller for me?
Low-density foam rollers
We would recommend starting with a light, low-density foam roller. This will help ease the muscles and you into a level of pain you can handle.
Once you feel your muscles have adapted and adjusted faster to the muscle release, then you can move onto a firm foam roller.
Firm foam rollers
Firm foam rollers are generally used for tighter muscles, and for athletes that are experiencing DOMS (delayed onset muscle stiffness) even a few days after their workout.
This type of roller assists with lymphatic drainage, and decreases inflammation and myofascial release, due to the deep tissue & muscle release.
This foam roller does require a higher pain threshold, however, some people don't mind the discomfort, for the long term benefits.
Grid & deep tissue foam rollers
Finally, you get grid & deep tissue foam rollers. These would generally be used by athletes or experienced foam rollers, for the additional stimulation of the deep muscles & tissues, releasing deep knots and for long-lasting pain relief.
This is definitely for people with higher pain thresholds, but the benefits are equally worth it.
So what are the benefits of foam rolling?
Improved range of motion and mobility
Along with stretching, foam rolling improves muscle flexibility and supports a range of motion, by lengthening and releasing tight muscles.
Speeds up recovery
Foam rolling those tight, sore muscles gets the blood pumping, sending oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, improving stiffness and speeds up your recovery, getting you back up & training sooner.
Increased blood flow
Tight stiff muscles can limit the blood flow to your muscles, so foam rolling helps get the blood pumping thereby providing more oxygen and nutrients to improve muscle tightness.
Sore muscle relief
Rolling helps relieve muscle tightness, by compressing the muscles and getting to those tender trigger points. Rolling post-exercise will help loosen the muscles, which will assist with the pain associated with stiff muscles.
Improve muscular performance
Improving mobility and flexibility of the muscles through stretching & foam rolling will assist in improved muscular performance, helping you lift more and train hard.
Rehab & injury prevention
Foam rolling helps lengthen muscles and stretch out stiff muscles, by breaking down scar tissue. This improves mobility, allowing for better posture & training, and naturally allows muscle imbalances to assist with correcting themselves.
Now that you know everything there is about foam rolling and its benefits, why not try this foam rolling workout and roll your way to better posture, improved athletic performance and faster recovery.
Foam Roller
$25
$45
Foam Roller A foam roller is an essential piece of mobility and warm-up equipment that is a must have in any commercial or home gym setup. When combined with active warm-ups, a foam roller will massage and prepare any muscle area for lifting with… read more
