Implement foam rollers into your workout and you will wonder what took you so long to hop on board with this fitness trend. Foam rollers are affordable and quite versatile. They don't take up much space yet they produce massive dividends. Load up on bulk foam rollers and you will always have a means of relieving tight muscles and enhancing your workouts.
The Purpose of Foam Rollers
Foam rollers eliminate those pesky knots from your muscles. They also help sculpt a chiseled set of abdominal muscles. Foam roller exercises even provide your body with a wonderful deep tissue massage. Slowly roll foam rollers across your body and you will break up scar tissue and muscle knots while hastening the healing and recovery process following a taxing exercise session.
Use Bulk Foam Rollers to Loosen up Muscle Tightness
Failing to eliminate muscle knots will inevitably cause pain. So keep your foam roller handy at all times. Anything from stress to muscle imbalances, overuse of particular muscles and even regular exercise can spur the onset of painful knots. Eliminate these knots along your muscles' connective tissue and you will feel refreshed.
Plenty of people endure muscle tightness, especially along the outer portions of their thighs, the upper back and the quads. Foam rollers can loosen up these spaces. Position yourself on the roller and use your body weight to roll back and forth across it. Roll in a gradual manner for optimal results. Refrain from using your arms as a means of support. Let your body relax as much as you can as you slowly move over the roller. Avoid rolling over the bony areas of your body such as your kneecaps. Engage in a thorough stretching routine after using the foam roller.
How Runners use Foam Rollers
Plenty of runners have obtained significant relief from running foam rollers across the iliotibial band that stretches down the leg between the knee and the hip. This section of the leg tightens quite easily and is one of the top causes of knee pain in those who run with regularity.
Foam roll this area by laying on the roller with your hip pointed to the ground and the other hip pointed to the sky. The foam roller should be positioned between the hip and the knee. Lightly roll your knee and hip back and forth across the roller. Apply some additional pressure to the most sensitive areas. Engage in this foam rolling exercise for a full minute before switching to the opposite side.
Enhance Your Push-ups or Planks
Engaging in push-ups or planks on an unstable surface will bolster the strength of your core muscles. Buy a foam roller and you won't have to perform regular, less effective push-ups or planks ever again. Position one or both hands on top of a foam roller during your push-up or plank, or slide the foam roller beneath your toes during these exercises. The use of the foam roller will require your body to work much harder. These exercises can be made slightly easier by making use of a half foam roller with a flat bottom. You can use a full foam roller once you are ready for a more grueling workout.
Foam Rollers as a Yoga Prop
If you engage in yoga exercises and feel back pain during certain poses, you are not alone. Yoga demands significant stretching and some bodies just aren't up to the task. This does not mean you have to scrap your yoga routine. Make use of a foam roller and it will work wonders for your yoga performance. Slide a foam roller beneath your knees to relieve substantial pressure during the savasana pose.
Incorporate a short roller and it will dramatically improve your balance while you attempt to hold the extended yoga poses like the triangle pose. Foam rollers can be used for all sorts of other yoga poses and postures. If you struggle with balancing and muscle release during particular yoga exercises, this is the solution you have been looking for.
Foam Roller Exercises That Bolster Your Core
A foam roller will greatly enhance your ab workout. Incorporate a foam roller in your workout and it will force you to work you core much harder as you attempt to balance your body. The bottom line is performing ab workouts on an unstable surface like a foam roller brings those routines to the next level.
As an example, give the marching crunch a try. Lie on your foam roller, bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Interlink your hands behind your head. Move your elbows out, lift your head/shoulders up off the foam roller and gradually lift your left foot of the ground. Switch to the right foot and march your feet. Continue alternating legs to complete 10 reps.