Foam Rolling
Chances are you already know the benefits of foam rolling, but let’s review some important ones.
Usually, people use foam rollers to target trigger points, knots, sore muscles or areas of increased muscle density.
For example, picture a muscle as a band with a knot in it, the foam roller is what unties the knots. This is what allows us to create tissue length, and what allows us to stretch.
Using the foam roller over these tender areas/trigger points will decrease density and over-activity. As a general rule of thumb, ten slow rolls are done in each position, although there are no hard and fast rules for foam rolling.
Upper Back
How to do it: Start by laying on your back and placing the foam roller on your upper back. Place the hands on behind your neck/head for support. Make sure not to crank on your neck. Slowly go up and down while using your legs for leverage.
Lats
How to do it: Start by laying on your side and placing the foam roller toward the back of your armpit. It is important to go just along the Lat (meaty part) and not directly onto your ribs. Grab the hand closest to the floor and pull it over your head to stretch on the Lat. Slowly go up and down making sure to breathe. You can reduce the amount of pressure y either laying on the foam roller without movement or using your legs to push off the ground to reduce the amount of weight on the foam roller.
Lower Back
How to do it: Start by laying on your back and placing the foam roller on one side of your lower back. Important to not go directly over the spine because it does not have much musculature in that area. Hence why we go left and right on the lower back when foam rolling. You can use your hands to reduce the amount of pressure by pushing away from the ground. Slowly go up and down.
Glutes
How to do it: Start by placing one glute on the middle of the foam roller. That respective leg will cross over the opposite knee so we get a nice stretch along the glute. Place hands behind you and on the floor for support. Slowly go up and down. Repeat on the other glute.
Hamstrings
How to do it: Start by sitting on the floor with your hands behind you for support. Place the foam roller along the back of one leg and then cross over the other leg for some over pressure to get deeper into the hamstring. Lift your butt of the ground and slowly go up and down. Repeat on the other side.
Adductors
How to do it:
Iliotibial Band (IT Band)
How to do it
Quadriceps
How to do it:
Calves
How to do it: Start by sitting on the floor with your hands behind you for support. Place the foam roller along the back of one leg and then cross over the other leg for some over pressure to get deeper into the hamstring. Lift your butt of the ground and slowly go up and down. Repeat on the other side.
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