You bought a foam roller. Now what?

Just about everyone who’s ever had muscle tightness or lower body pain has heard a friend say, “You should get a foam roller.” Months go by and you see one on the shelf at the store and you finally take their advice.

Now what?

Let’s go over what foam rollers do.

Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release that aids in repair of tight muscles that lead to movement dysfunction. That ultimately can lead to pain and injury. Slow, intentional movements that are properly performed on the foam roller allow restoration of affected muscles and will help you move efficiently again.

Foam rolling should be a part of your warm-up before your workout, and afterward to touch up on any areas that may have tightened up during the activity.

When you use your foam roller, you should only roll over about one inch of your target area per second. If you happen to stumble upon an especially tender spot, stop right there and spend about 10-15 seconds letting the pressure saturate the area. Proceed to the next spot.

Spend around 3-5 minutes working through your tough spots before heading into your dynamic warm-up. Then it’s off to workout.

Be really cautious about foam rolling close to the knee joint. Stick to the belly of the muscle and gently work toward the sore spot, still avoiding the joint. Hydrate before and after, just like you would if you were to get a sports massage. A minimal amount of toxins are released with foam rolling and being hydrated helps alleviate the toxin’s effects.

Schedule a training session with TrainKC to identify tight muscles and develop a foam rolling routine that will keep you feeling fresh and flexible. The extra few minutes it takes to get through the routine will be worth it. Foam rolling will increase your range of motion and will give you a little extra pop in your step, like an extra jolt of energy that will get you to your personal best!

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