Anyone who has experienced a fitness class with me knows that my love for the foam roller runs deep. Foam rolling is a form of self myofascial release – like a deep tissue massage! It has transitioned its way from professional sports into every day fitness practice to prevent and release muscle tightness.
Foam Rolling Benefits
1) It feels so good
Like a firm massage – it’s good pain I swear and the best thing is, you can do it to yourself, for free. By applying pressure to specific tight spots and trigger points on your body, you are able assist muscle recovery – making them healthy, flexible and ready to perform at a moment’s notice.
2) Cellulite be gone!
Now we’re talking! Foam rolling improves cell recovery and blood circulation of your fascia (your connective tissue) muscles, tendons and ligaments, which in turn helps improve cellulite. Say goodbye to expensive firming creams and just keep on rolling ladies.
3) It lengthens your muscles
The quadriceps are often the major “ouch” spot for the foam roller. Exercise and everyday movement can make them tight, shortened and in turn limit the function and range of motion in the hips, whilst adding stress to our lower back. Sound familiar? This is why foam rolling is great as a maintenance tool to flush your legs. I suggest rolling every couple of days.
4) It’s the perfect warm-up and warm-down
Foam rolling (in a perfect world) should be performed before and after your workouts. As a dynamic warm-up, it gets the blood flowing to the areas that need it most pre-cardio and strength training. As a cool-down, it’s a great tool for flushing out the toxins and blood that has built up during your workout. It also helps move new oxygenated blood through the muscles and speed up the recovery process.
5) It can help shape the perfect butt
Perky, peachy butt in, sad saggy bum out! Rolling can loosen up the ITB (that sore muscle down the side of your legs) the quads, the glutes and the calves, which is important to maximise your range of motion. Basically foam rolling allows you to lunge and squat deeper, in order to really target and tone the butt.
Now you know the benefits, let’s get rolling!
As seen on rescu
