Foam rolling is one of the easiest, most accessible, and most beneficial recovery methods. I have a love/hate relationship with foam rolling (I’m sure you do too) because even though the pain is real, I always walk away feeling like a got a full-body massage. The goal of foam rolling is myofasical release, or massaging your muscles deep enough to help relieve tension and allow the facia to move more freely. Foam rolling allows contracted muscles to relax, improving and increasing blood flow to areas that need it most. Try using it to help release some of the muscle groups that are commonly tight from lifting, such as the IT band, upper back, quadriceps and hamstrings.
FOAM ROLLING BENEFITS
- Improve flexibility and range of motion.
- Prevent injury.
- Increase speed of recovery.
- Increased circulation & lymphatic drainage.
- Removes lactic acid buildup and break down scar tissue.
Add 5-10 minutes of foam rolling to your next cool down, or even 15-20 minutes on your next rest day.
I’ve started incorporating foam rolling with my strength training and it’s made such a difference in my recovery!