How to use a Foam Roller
Foam rollers can help you with everything from working out the knots in your muscles to sculpt your abs. This inexpensive, super-versatile piece of equipment is still relatively new, and somewhat unknown to the majority of people. For this reason, we decided to write up a simple guide on how to use a foam roller. If you do not have your own foam roller yet, you can get our excellent new Adidas foam roller.
But first, let’s find out why you should be using it.
Benefits of using a Foam Roller
Regularly using a foam roller gives you many of the benefits of a sport’s massage. This can be reducing inflammation, scar tissue and joint stress, as well as improving circulation.
Foam rolling regularly will have many other important benefits, as the ones listed bellow:
- prevents injury
- helps you recover faster
- improves mobility and flexibility
- removes lactic acid to help recovery
- saves you money (compared to having a sports massage)
- can be used as a workout tool
How to use a Foam Roller
This versatile accessory can be used to before, during and after your workout, depending on the intended goal.
1. Massage your Muscles
A great, affordable way to give you a deep tissue massage. By slowly rolling over the various areas of your body, you will massage your body breaking up scar tissue, working on knots, and aiding your recovery.
You can use to loosen up common areas of tightness, like upper back and quadriceps.
2. Perk Up your Plank or Pushup
Performing exercises on an unstable surface, is a sure way to engage your core muscles further and make the exercise more challenging. You can use the roller to provide this instability, as shown in the picture bellow.
3. Extend your Stretch
The softness and gentle give of the foam roller makes it the perfect prop to help you with stretching. You can increase your range of motion in a hamstring stretch by propping your foot up on the roller. You can also use it as extra support in poses like this hip flexor stretch.
4. Build your Balance
Similar to training tools such as balance boards and discs, foam rollers can also be used for a variety of different balance drills and exercises. Take advantage of the roller’s cylindrical shape (and it’s ability to move with you) and use it for exercises like this rolling lunge.
The Foam Roller
For a brief introduction to foam rolling, you can watch the video bellow.