The Importance of Foam Rolling

With all the daily stress we put on our body and constant moving around, it’s no wonder our bodies have aches and pains. Especially when we are regularly working out or just as we get older. So what is self-myofascial release (SMR), other wise known as foam rolling and how is it beneficial?

SMR helps with breaking up fascial adhesion (aka knots) that are caused by stressed being placed on muscles. By foam rolling our knots, we are not only relieving those aches and pains, it also:

• allows muscles to perform at the optimal range of motion.
• provides better mobility for tight muscles and restricted joints
• corrects any muscle imbalance
• increases flexibility
• reduces soreness for faster recovery time

Foam rolling should be done before and end of workouts for about 5-10 minutes. Here is some common and larger muscles groups to get started on:

Hamstring
Place hamstrings (back of the leg, above the knee) on the foam roll with hips unsupported. Roll from the knee to the hip while keeping quadriceps tightened.

Quadriceps
Place the quadriceps (front of the leg, above the knee) on the foam roll. Roll from pelvic bone to knee, emphasizing on the outside thigh. Keep the core tight to prevent low back compensations.

Latissimus
Lay on one side placing the foam roller beneath the one side of the latissimus (aka lats) closer to the arm pit. Roll up and down your back, closer to spine (but not directly on the spine) or rock back and forth facing the ceiling. Movement should be minimal in order to keep the foam roll on the lats.

Erector Spiae
Pace your lower back, just above the hips, onto the foam roll. Lean on side of the muscle, so that your spine is not directly placed on the foam roll. With slight movements roll back and forth or up and down. Hold for 30 seconds if feeling tension in one spot.

If your looking for an awesome foam rolling routine, here are some videos from the Tone It Up girls (link).