Hi Everyone!

Today I am going to talk about the importance of foam rolling. I really like the benefits that I get from doing it and I hope to pass that along to you. So, what is foam rolling? According to healthline.com, foam rolling is a type of self-massage that allows you to alleviate tightness or trigger points by using a piece of equipment known as a foam roller. Who should foam roll? Literally anyone that experiences muscle pain can do it. This could be from a workout, sporting activities, sitting at a desk all day, poor posture, etc. I can fall into multiple categories and I’m sure you can too. You can do this before or after your workouts, or both if you are feeling really motivated.

What are the benefits?

Foam rolling can decrease late onset muscle soreness, increase range of motion, and aid in recovery. It increases blood flow to the areas in which you roll so that increases the amount of oxygen your tissues are getting. In turn, it aids in quicker recovery. I have found that when I do roll, when I return for my next workout, I am less sore and able to get a better workout in. An eight-person study in the Journal of Athletic Training suggests that foam rolling after a workout can help reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness, and therefore boost your performance in later workouts.

How do you use a foam roller? Healthline.com has some awesome gifs to show you great ways to use a foam roller on different muscles. I have included them here. Make sure that you are relaxing and not rushing through rolling. You need to relax your muscles in order to experience the largest benefit from rolling.

Quads

Calves

Hamstrings

Upper Back

Lats

Shoulders

Where can you get one? I personally got my foam roller from Target. I have also seen them on Amazon, at Walmart, and at sporting goods stores. If you workout at a gym they may even supply you with one you can use there. I know here in Utah at VASA Fitness, they do. They come in many different sizes and types. You will have to decide which type you would like to get for yourself. I like a smooth foam roller but you can also get a textured roller for a deeper massage. If you are just starting out, I would definitely suggest getting a smooth roller first and moving up to the textured roller when you are ready and more experienced.

I really feel the benefits of using my foam roller! I hope that you loved today’s post, let me know in the comments below. If you love my blog posts, please subscribe below. It would mean a lot to me.