Foam Roller Dos and Don'ts

Foam Roller Exercises

1. Massage the bottom of the calf. The foam roller is placed under the calf. Move the calf back and forth to let the yoga column roll-up. The speed is uniform and you can change legs.

   

   
   

2. Massage the underside of the thigh. The foam roller is placed on the lower thigh. Move your thighs back and forth. The speed is uniform. You can change legs.

   

   
   

3. Massage the inner thigh. Lie on your side. Place the foam roller on the side of one thigh. The other leg supports the ground. Support the yoga mat with both hands. The body moves back and forth. Perform a massage on the side of the thigh.

   

   
   

4. Massage of the buttocks. Place the foam roller under the hips. The whole body is supported with both hands. Land on both feet at the same time. Move your body back and forth.

   

   
   

5. Waist massage. A person lay flat on the ground. Bent your hands to support the ground. Support your legs on the ground. The foam roller is placed on the waist. The body moves back and forth evenly.

   

Different Types of Foam Rollers and When to Use Each One

From the appearance point of view, there are many types of foam rollers.

• Smooth surface foam roller

  The surface of the roller is completely smooth, without any bumps on the foam shaft.

  

  
  

• Micro-floating foam roller

  The surface texture is relatively soft, with slightly raised spots on the surface. This kind of pain can be tolerated by ordinary people, and it is more suitable for ordinary fitness enthusiasts.

  

  
  

• Mace foam roller

  As the name suggests, the foam roller with a convex spike design on the surface is the mace foam roller. This kind of foam roller is more suitable for people who require deeper muscle massage after training and requires sufficient softness. Otherwise, excessive massage will cause skin surface damage or bruise, which will have a counterproductive effect. The shoulders, neck, and back of people who use computers will be tight and uncomfortable. The mace foam roller is more suitable because it can stimulate multiple trigger points in one area.

  

  
  

• Mixed foam roller

  This foam roller surface design takes into account the three designs mentioned above: flat surface, micro-floating point, and spikes. It is more suitable for people who have different massage needs for subtle parts, such as pressing the calf deeply, pressing the thigh shallowly, pressing the waist tightly, and strongly pressing the shoulder and neck.

  
  

  
  

• Electric foam roller

  The electric foam shaft is mainly based on the general foam shaft with vibration technology. With the addition of technology, the depth of the massage is deeper and more in place. But be sure not to use it to roll the joint position, it is easy to be injured.

  

Just choose one of them to buy according to your needs. Not every foam roller is suitable for our use. Be sure to combine your physical condition and exercise status to buy.

Foam Roller Dos and Don'ts

Do

For beginners, it is best to choose a less rigid foam roller. Until your body gets used to the pressure, you can try to use a harder one, even a mace foam roller. In addition, the size of the foam shaft needs to be considered. If you want to relax a large muscle group, such as the hamstrings on the back of the thigh, then you need a larger diameter foam roller. A smaller diameter foam roller is more suitable for small muscle groups, such as the forearm.

Don’t

Rolling too fast. When many people are rolling the foam roller, because it is too painful, they roll very quickly, thinking about the end as soon as possible. But this is a mistake. Rolling too fast can only speed up the blood flow in that area. Although it will gain some benefits, it does not achieve the desired effect of relaxing the fascia.

Don’t

Roll every day. Some people may feel that the more frequently you roll, the better the effect. But in fact, fascia relaxation is just like training. If you train at high intensity the day before, you should rest the next day. After the fascia relaxes, it also takes time to recover. Rolling every day can even cause more inflammation and pain.

Do

If it's just a problem of waist muscle stiffness, you can use a foam roller to relax, but you must control the intensity and strength. If it is accompanied by pathological changes such as lumbar disc herniation, then this method is not recommended. Timely medical treatment is the safest way.

Do

When performing foam roll relaxation, in addition to the parts that need to be relaxed, other muscle groups must also cooperate to maintain the balance and stability of the body. If the movement is loose and the posture is not good, not only the purpose of relaxation will not be achieved, but also some parts will be subjected to excessive pressure, which is counterproductive.

Don’t

Forget about breathing. This is also a mistake many people make. Some people even hold their breath involuntarily. Maintaining normal breathing while rolling the foam roller can help further relax the muscles.

Do

Put the muscles that need to be relaxed on the foam roller, and use your own bodyweight to repeatedly roll on the foam roller for 1-2 minutes. If you feel pain during the rolling process, stay on the pain point for 20-30 seconds until the pain level drops by 50%-75%. Keep the core tightened during the process to ensure stability during the action. And keep breathing normally during the whole process, don't hold your breath.