To roll or not to roll

Hello Everyone!

So I’m back! So I just want to do a quick review of some new-ish sports equipment which I have. As you might have guessed already (or not) today’s blog/ review will be about, yes, the foam roller.

The first time I used a foam roller I will not lie to you, it was painful, BUT I can say it has seriously helped me. I have taken up Triathalon training recently and have thus started exercising more often leading to a lot of muscle tightness. The foam roller has changed my life, well to be more exact, my recovery time. I don’t know what I would have done without one the past few weeks.

1. But what does a foam roller do?  A foam roller uses self-myofascial release also know as the self massage to release muscle toghtness or trigger points (knots in the muscle) . Can’t go to a Physio everyday/ week/ month for a sports massage? No problem with the foam roller!
2. How much does a foam roller cost? I aquired my first foam roller around Christmas time for roughly £10 on Amazon.
3. What are the benefits of a foam roller? Decreased recovery time meaning an increase in the results you want to see in a shorter space of time, increased blood flow, better and increased range of movement. Maybe I should have asked what aren’t the benefits of foam rolling?
4. Would I say it is worth the money I spent on it? Although I am not going to tell you that you need a foam roller to succeed in sport, I can tell you that is has helped me 100%. Everyone is different but the £10 i spent have definitely been worht it. It is a lot easier now and A LOT less painfull, which really encourages me to keep using it as I can see the major impact it has when I exercise hard. I guess it was useful for me but even if you dant want to spend £10 (which I thought was a pretty awesome deal by the way!!!!!) I cannot stress the importance of stretching and yoga to release the strain on your muscles.
5. WHY AM I DOING SOMETHING THAT HURTS MYSELF????!!!!! Well working out the knots in your muscles is never easy or painless but the more often you do it the less painful it gets and the more comfortable it feels. When exercise the next time it will feel easier and more fluid.
6. When to use the foam roller? I prefer to use it after exercise and I feel if you use it before exercise you could increase the risk of injury as it loosens up the muscle, when it may be better to keep the muscle more stiff before the exercise. I must stress this is only my opinion and there is still a lot of debate over this.
7. What causes knots in the muscle? Many causes such as posture, diet, hydration, exercise can have a profound affect on knots in the muscle but you have the power to change this by living a healthy lifestyle and using a foam roller regularly.
8. How often should I use the foam roller? At first no more than once a week maybe just continuously rolling for a few seconds- if it’s too painful then shorten the rolling time. As you use it more often then when it gets particularly painful hold the position for a few seconds the continue rolling. The actual rolling part is to find the pain then you ar meant to hold the point of pain for a while to actuallly release the muscle knot. As you become more aquainted witht the roller you can then gradually start to hold the roller on the poin of pain for longer and maybe foam roll 2-3 times a week. Then maybe 3-4 times and so on. There should be 24-48 hours AT LEAST between foam rolls on the same area. This is what I have found for myself but everyone is different you may need longer between foam rolls.
9. Will I ache after a foam roll? There might be some slight muscle soreness afterwards for the next day. DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF TO EXCESSIVE SORENESS. There is good pain and bad pain if you are new or not you need to understand your limits and whether something feels like you are injured or just having a hard workout in the gym.

I first used a foam roller after learning the correct techniques at a strength and conditioning class I was taking. If you have any questions on how to use a foam roller I have also found YouTube videos are very helpful but also ask any questions in the comments below, I’d be happy to answer! I must stress how important correct form is when using a foam roller as not to get injured!! What would you like my next blog post to be on? Thanks for reading!!! If you want more on any of the topics I have touched upon today then please comment below and please follow my blog if you want to see more!!!!

Love you guys,

Runnning Nad

I present to you The Foam Roller