Foam Rolling 101: How to start foam rolling today!

If you have been starting or maintaining your fitness routine, then chances are you’ve had your share of muscle soreness. The problem is when that soreness turns into pain and starts interfering with your workout routine. It can be hard enough to maintain a fitness schedule without combating pain issues!

One of the BEST solutions I have found is foam rolling. As a runner, knee pain is something I am way too familiar with. By rolling out prior to my runs, and then again after, my knee pain was completely eliminated. Seriously. 

The 2 main reasons to foam roll?

• Increase flexibility as this stretches and lengthens tight muscles which decreases chance of injury.
• Increase blood flow which helps performance and recovery/repair of muscles which helps heal mild muscle pains (plus there’s a claim it helps reduce cellulite…bonus!!)

Step one: get a foam roller.

I have ones similar to this and this . When I first started out I liked the longer one better. The foam has a little bit of give to it which seems to decrease the discomfort of foam rolling (it can be pretty uncomfortable on tight muscles). Also, the width of the roller makes it easier to work with if you are brand new to foam rolling, since positioning can feel awkward at first.

After a while, I bought this one because I thought the textured foam would somehow improve the experience. It’s basically just padding, which is nice (and necessary – trust me), but that alone does not make it the acupressure or trigger point massage tool I have seen it marketed as…just FYI! The biggest difference (besides the size) is it doesn’t have the same give as the high-density one, which now I really like because it feels like a much deeper treatment to my muscles. 

Overall, between the two, I much prefer this shorter one. It’s convenient to store, travel with, and I get such a great stretch with it. 

How to roll?

Here’s a breakdown of how I use the foam roller. Or, to see it all put together in a quick video check out my insta!

Calves and Shins:

To target your shins, either go face down and roll out the front lower leg, or as you roll out your calf muscle, rotate your leg externally so you get the side and a bit of the front of your lower leg. Those little muscles of your shins get super fatigued from running and really benefit from some TLC. 

The ITB:

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If you have only enough time to roll out one area, this is it!! This targets your ITB (iliotibial band) which runs from your hip to your knee. For me, it was the culprit for my knee pain. By focusing on this area, my pain went from 10 out of 10 to ZERO!!

Glutes:

Next, roll out your glutes. They need the love too! Keep shifting your body weight from back to side in order to target the whole area. 

Hammys & Quads:

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Finally get those hamstrings and quads. These are the easiest ones to get, just be cautious of the position of your wrists as you are rolling out your hamstrings.

Tips:

• Working on a yoga mat is helpful to cushion your knees and forearms. The more comfortable you are, the easier it is to keep good form. I really like this one because they are non-toxic, non-slip, thick, and have such beautiful designs!
• Try to roll each area for 30 seconds to a minute. That means it wouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes to complete a lower body roll out session!
• This could be but is not necessary to be done at the same time as your exercise. The end of the day or first thing in the morning is great too!
• Switch up between rolling out long sections of your muscles and shorter areas. 
• Don’t be afraid to move around the roller to target the right spot. 
• Aim for slower rather than faster rolling. 
• You are aiming for the muscles and their attachment sites, not the bony areas. 

So that’s it! Feel free to leave any questions below in comments. Hope you are able to fit this into your fitness routine, you won’t regret it!