Best foam roller exercises and stretches

Foam rollers have become very popular among sports enthusiasts and athletes. The first time I heard about the term “foam rolling”, I was intrigued by the idea. The concept behind foam rolling is that you can use a foam roller to loosen tight muscles anywhere on your body. It is a Myofascial release (MFR) technique where a soft tissue is treated to reduce skeletal muscle immobility and pain. It is especially helpful if you have tight muscles or tension in a certain part of a body. I know massages can be very expensive. And I have been avoiding them just because I prefer to spend my $200 elsewhere rather than treat myself for one session of full body massage. So naturally, I started researching on the foam rolling topic. Among many benefits listed are ability to relax contracted muscles, improve blood flow and lymphatic circulation (lymphatic system helps get rid of toxins in the body). The only equipment that you need is a good foam roller. The one that I bought was this. It is a simple black high density short roller with dimensions 6 x 12 which is extra firm. At first I was a little apprehensive about spending 10 bucks on another gimmick. But I started using the following exercises and stretches on my problem areas. Glutes glutes2 glutes •Sit on top of a foam roll with your knees bent. Support yourself with arms on the floor for balance. Cross one leg with your ankle landing over the knee of the other leg. •Shift your weight on the side of the crossed leg and start rolling over the buttocks. You should feel tension in the upper glute but not sharp pain. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds. Switch sides. Quads quads quads2 •Lay facedown. Place a foam roll underneath one leg on the quads and keep the foot off the ground. Support your weight by your hands and relax the quad muscle. •Shifting as much weight as possible onto the leg to be stretched, roll over the foam form above the knee to below the hip. Hold points of tension for 10-30 seconds. Switch sides. Hamstrings hams hams2 •In a seated position, roll the foam underneath the back of the upper leg. Keep the hands behind you for balance. •Using your hands, lifts your hips off the floor and shift your weight on the leg being stretched. Relax the hamstrings. •Roll over the foam from above the back of the knee to below the hip. Pause of points of tension for 10-30 seconds. Switch legs. Middle Back back backs2 •Lay down with your back on the floor. Place a roller underneath your upper back, and cross your arms in front of you, protecting your shoulders. •Raise your hips with your knees bent, placing your weight onto the foam roll. Shift your weight to one side at a time, rolling over your middle and upper back. Pause of points of tension for 10-30 seconds. These are the main exercises I have been currently using. However, you can essentially work on any muscle on your body by appropriately placing a foam roller under that muscle and using body weight to roll over that muscle. It is suggested to hold for a few seconds at points of tension so that the brain can have enough time to signal to your body to start releasing that tension. You may feel uncomfortable during these exercises. But if you feel pain, then it is suggested to work areas around that painful spot until you feel comfortable. Use caution when doing a thorough foam rolling. Do not perform it after you just worked out. Deep work can damage muscles and blood vessels. Do a light roll instead. When doing a deep foam rolling, roll towards your heart. Apply deep pressure as you move from your knee to your glutes, in the hamstrings exercise. There is a little science behind it. Blood veins have little valves that prevent blood form falling back down to your vessel. When blood goes through the vessel, the valves opens to allow the blood through, then closes to keep gravity from pulling it back down. When you apply pressure again blood flow, those valves can rupture. This results in varicose veins and blood pooling. Whenever you work your arms or legs, apply pressure when moving towards the trunk. Avoid rolling on the back of your knees and the inner elbows as these areas are not protected by muscles. I have been regularly foam rolling for over a year now. I do light foam rolling 4-5 times a week right after my workouts. It has helped me with my flexibility issues. My posture has improved. If a muscle feels tense, I foam roll it until it goes away in a few sessions. I am still using my first foam roller and it has not changed the shape. It is on the short side but for my 5’5 120 lb frame it works perfectly. I would say it was the best 10 bucks I ever spent. However, I am currently eyeing another pricier roller, also selling on Amazon. This one seems to target knots a little better as it has a grid pattern on a surface. Have you tried foam rolling? What do you think? < Previous Post Next Post >