A Beginner’s Guide to Foam Rolling

Let’s talk about foam rolling. When used correctly, foam rolling can be the best and simultaneously feel like the worst part of your entire workout but it is definitely important to incorporate into your routine. I like to think of foam rolling as a deep tissue massage that you can do from the convenience of your own home, at any time, and if you’re brave enough, anywhere. Now, massage has many, many, health benefits and a foam roller can’t replace a talented masseuse by any means, but it can definitely help you recover faster, warm up those muscles a little quicker, and help you get the best performance out of your workouts!

 Foam rolling is a great way to get into that myofascial tissue and prevent or lessen the effects of something called DOMS, short for delayed onset muscle soreness (aka the reason why we hurt so good after a tough workout). When we roll out our aching muscles we are also working on our flexibility and stretching the muscle out which is actually a pillar in the five components of physical fitness. Foam rolling can be done before or after a workout to warm up or stretch out the muscle. Warming up the muscles helps you achieve better performance faster. As you warm up the muscle there are certain muscles and fibers that “wake up” and get moving when you need them to.  When you stretch them out it’s able to loosen up the muscles and get them to relax, resulting in a quicker recovery. 

Today I am going to demonstrate how to roll out four lower body and two upper body areas. Keep in mind, there are many different kinds of foam rollers and ways to roll out the places that need attention but these are just a few basic movements you can incorporate either before or after your workout. 

Calves

Hamstrings

Glutes and Hips

Lower Back

Upper Back

Triceps

Living a healthy lifestyle comes with all kinds of new hobbies and activities that will benefit you in more ways than one but I find that each step toward bettering yourself and your health is always worth it. Next time you find yourself at the gym or even with a few extra minutes to spare before bed or right when you wake up, take some time to stretch and roll out your muscles. This can be done before workouts, after workouts, or it could be your actual workout but it’s definitely worth investing a little more time into your health routine. Happy rolling!