Why Should You Use A Foam Roller?

Ladies, word on the street is that there’s an offer for a deep-tissue massage that you can have whenever you need with a one-time payment of $30! Have you heard?

It’s called a FOAM ROLLER!!!

Are any of your calves still hurting from that tough stairs workout we did for Martin Luther King Day? Probably not as much if you used a foam roller to help stretch out your muscles. Foam rolling has the power to do what regular stretching can’t always do for your legs. It’s like flossing to pick up what your toothbrush just doesn’t reach! We’re doing that nightly too right? J

Other Times to Use a Foam Roller:

1) Before and after boot camp! Or any workout for that matter.

2) When you get home from work. If you work at a desk job, your whole body can get stiff after all that sitting. Loosening it up a little bit when you get
home can prepare you for an evening workout or can just relieve you of the daily stress.

3) Before you go to bed and/or when you awake in the morning. Not only will foam rolling improve your circulation but it also helps to break down those
knots that tend to build up. We all know how [NOT] fun those are!

4) Any other time. Why? BECAUSE IT JUST FEELS GOD!

How To Use a Foam Roller

You can use a foam roller to massage knots out of any of your major muscle groups throughout your legs, back and chest. DO NOT foam roll over joints or your low back.

Take your quads for example:

1. Lay face down with one leg over the foam roller. Slowly roll your body over the foam roller from just below your hip to just above your knee.

2. You’re going to feel some ‘painful’ areas – those are the knots (adhesions) your need to work out. Choose 1 to work on and keep the foam roller under that knot for 20 seconds.

3. RELAX! Working on tight knots is going to be uncomfortable, but you need to be able to relax in order to let the foam roller do it’s magic. So, if the knot you’re working on is too painful, start in another area that you can relax on – and breathe!

Common Muscles to Foam Roll

Middle back to upper back
Chest
IT Band
Hip Flexors & Quads
Hamstrings
Glutes
Calves

There are ways to roll out just about every part of your body. Roll as often as you’d like but know that simply 20-30 seconds for each set of muscles is sufficient. Foam rolling does not replace your regular stretching, it acts as a supplemental stretch, helping to decrease soreness and injury.

Remember, this is the equivalent of a tough, intense deep tissue massage and not a gentle, relaxing Swedish massage. But we promise, it hurts so good. Seriously, try it out. You will be amazed. You’ll be wondering why you didn’t do this sooner. Thank us later!

 

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