Foam rollers are a well-known tool to help athletes release muscle knots and relax trigger points. Myofascial adhesions (MFA) are rigid areas that can be caused by muscle imbalance, injuries, scar tissue, and dehydration and over use among other things. The process of rolling out knots can be cause discomfort, but working through it can help you to increase your range of motion and decrease recovery time after a hard workout. To get the most out of using your foam roller to relax muscles, there are three main things to understand:
- Basics of using a foam roller
- When to use a foam roller
- Exercises to target some specific areas
How foam rollers are used and what they are best for depends on the size, shape, texture as well as density of the foam roller. To help decide what type of foam roller is right for you keep reading to discover the uses and benefits for your individual needs.
When To Use A Foam Roller:
For general muscle discomfort, you can do exercises with a foam roller at any time. Many people like to use a foam roller in the morning or prior to going to bed. Some trainers and fitness professionals suggest that athletes who work out on a regular basis use foam rolling instantly before or after a workout for the following reasons:
- Before Workouts: Foam Rollers may help to loosen up your muscles, and allowing more well-organized movement during the workout.
- After Workouts: Foam Rollers may help to reduce muscle pain and shorten the recovery time.
How To Use A Foam Roller?
Using a foam roller might be a bit ticklish, so it is advised to use the roller smoothly instead of forcefully, especially when you are starting out learning how to use a foam roller. You can adjust your intensity level as you learn how your body responds. Normally, you are looking for pain points and your level of discomfort. Pushing through the period of discomfort into real pain would not speed up results, but can risk injury. So it’s important to know your threshold and not damage or aggravate muscles by rolling too strongly.
Follow These Steps To Use Your Foam Roller:
- Identify the painful or stiff places at your muscles.
- Organize your body and gradually lower down the selected area so it got mid position over the foam roller.
- Lower your body and place it on the foam roller until you get to a point of uneasiness and keep it there.
- Hold your position for 20 to 30 seconds.
- The pressure alone provides benefits, but you can also roll gradually in a position of to and fro to further kindle that place.
- Carry on roller to move little by little along the muscles, stopping and holding in the areas that need more focus.
Common Foam Roller Exercises:
There are several advanced and basic foam roller exercises which are designed to target your specific muscle groups. Here we show you how to get started using your foam roller.
Hamstring Exercise:
Sit on top of the foam roller and adjust to a position just under your thighs with your arms spread behind you, set on the floor for support. Roll forward and back from above the knee to below your butt. You can roll both hamstrings at once or move one leg off to the side to work one hamstring at a time.
Adductor Exercise:
Lie flat on your stomach and extend one leg out to the side with the knee bent. Keep adjust the face of foam roller just underneath your groin region on the side of your spread leg. Support yourself up on your elbows and then roll your inner thigh from your groin to just above your knee.
Calf Exercise:
When you are sitting on the floor, spread one leg in a straight line out in front of you and position the foam roller under that calf. Loosen up your other foot on the floor with the twisted knee and backing yourself up with your arms reached out behind you down to the floor. Lift your butt off the floor somewhat and start on moving from your lower leg to simply underneath your knee.
Roll slowly and when you arrive at a gentle spot, delay and hold the roller for 20 to 30 seconds prior to proceeding onward.. You can turn around your leg in and out to work the sides of your calf and similarly repeat on the other leg.
Quadriceps Exercise:
Lean back, face down with the foam roller and keep under your thighs as you can roll at once or move one leg off to the other side and at the same time work on one leg. Sustain yourself up on your elbows and roll forward as well as back from above your knee to your hip. Repeat this process again.