Unlock Faster Recovery: 7 Simple Foam Rolling Exercises for Athletes
Foam rolling has become all the rage in the world of athletics and fitness and for good reason.
The foam roller is a tool you should be incorporating into your everyday pre and post workout routines. Foam rolling has been shown to improve range of motion, decrease neuromuscular exhaustion, and decrease post-exercise soreness.
According to the Journal of Athletic Training, foam rolling before and/or after a workout can help decrease muscle fatigue and improve your performance.
Types of foam rollers
Foam rollers can vary in size and firmness to bring about different results. When it comes to deciding which is the right foam roller for you, a smaller foam roller (18 or 24 inches) can target most parts of the body and is easier for portability.
The benefits of a larger foam roller (36 inches), allows for more versatility and can be used to target larger body areas like your upper back.
Depending on your needs, you can experiment with one or more type of foam roller to help improve muscle recovery, circulation and also help improve circulation.
Foam roller balls can more intensely target specific areas.
Soft, low-density foam rollers are a gentle option suitable for people newer to foam rolling or with a lot of sensitivities.
Firm, high-density foam rollers put more pressure on your body.
Textured foam rollers have ridges, grids, or knobs on them. They target your muscles more deeply.
Travel foam rollers are ideal for your arms and calves. The small size is optimal if you want to carry your roller to the gym.
Vibrating foam rollers use various settings which can improve circulation and flexibility and to deeply loosen your muscles and release muscle knots.
Heat and cold foam rollers can be heated or cooled to deepen muscle relaxation and relieve discomfort.
Foam rolling sticks can put pressure directly on areas of concern and a deeper more specific pressure point.
It's important to note that the more firm the foam roller, the deeper the pressure it will provide—so if you're a newbie to foam rolling, start with a softer roller to adapt your body to the technique.
Ready to get rolling? Try these seven exercises—it takes less than 10 minutes to get through this routine and your muscles will thank you for it!
Be sure to roll over each major muscle group at least 10 times.
Calves
How to: Sit on the floor with legs straight out, hands on the floor behind you supporting your weight. Place the foam roller under both calves, cross one leg gently over the other at the ankles. Slowly roll back and forth along the length of the calve at least 10 times and then switch legs.
Why you should do it: Tight calves and limited ankle mobility can seriously hamper your movement. This exercise can improve your ankle mobility and help prevent injury and improve sports performance.
Hamstrings
How to: Sit with your legs on the foam roller, and hands on the floor behind you. Roll back and forth from knee to just under your butt cheeks.
Why you should do it: There are three hamstring muscles that attach to the pelvis which impacts the mobility of hips. Hip mobility is important in order to relieve stress on your lower back.
Quads
How to: Lie facedown on the floor and place the foam roller under hips. Roll back and forth from hip to knees at least 10 times.
Why you should do it: Your quads are a very dense muscle group with multiple layers of muscles, most of us are quad-dominant athletes. There are four quadriceps muscles and they all have a common attachment to the knee cap. Foam rolling this area improves the flexibility of the knee and decreases the stress it may be having on your knee.
Back
How to: Sit on the floor with the foam roller on the middle of your back, with your hands behind your head. Tighten abs and slowly bend knees to move the roller up and down along the upper part of your back, to just below shoulder blades. DO NOT ROLL DOWN INTO YOUR LOWER BACK!
Why you should do it: Back pain is incredibly common, and foam rolling can provide immediate relief. There’s a large area of connective tissue in your back called the thoracolumbar that surrounds the back muscles and attaches to the spine. Foam rolling this area can help improve muscle activation and reduce tightness.
Upper Chest and Back
This stretch can help to relieve tension in your upper back and release tightness in your pectoral muscles. Laying with arems wide open to the floor also help alleviate poor posture that stems from leaning or hunching forward often. It also helps to align your head, neck, and spine.
MAKE SURE YOU Lie with a foam roller under your spine, supporting your head and tailbone.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
Spread your arms wide and out to the sides with your palms facing upward.
Breathe deeply and relax into this position for up to 1 minute.
Outer Thighs
How to: Position your body on the right side, with foam roller under the right hip and right hand under right elbow. Bracing abs and glutes for balance, use your right arm to help you slowly roll down from right hip to right knee. Switch to the other side and repeat.
Why you should do it: Women tend to have tight outer thighs due to our wider pelvic brim. Rolling the outer thighs can be particularly important for women athletes to help alleviate this tightness. This move will target the long band of connective tissue that runs from your outer hip to your outer knee called the iliotibial band or ITBand. Foam rolling this area can help decrease the stress on your hips and your knees.
Butt
How to: Sitting on the foam roller, cross right leg over left knee and lean toward right hip, putting weight on right hand for support. Slowly roll over the right butt cheek. Switch sides.
Why you should do it: Your glutes are the largest muscle group in your body, and they have a lot of fascial layers. Foam rolling can help improve mobility and hip range of motion. By improving the blood flow and fascial gliding of the butt muscles, foam rolling could also help with muscle activation of the gluteals, which are an important muscle group for everyday activities and athletics.