DIY Massage with a Foam Roller

Have you seen people rolling around on a foam roller and wondered what on earth are they doing? Why are they doing it? How do I do it? Let me put your mind at ease!

The foam roller is a brilliant tool to have around the house – it can be used before training, after training, before a stretch session, even just to give yourself a massage at the end of a busy day. The benefits of using a foam roller include:

• muscle tension relief (post metafit soreness!)
• correct muscle imbalances
• injury prevention
• increase range of motion & flexibility

In addition to its therapeutic benefits, a foam roller can be used as a training tool – think of it as a way of decreasing stability therefore increasing the degree of difficulty of core exercises that you would normally perform on a solid surface e.g. plank hold with hands on the roller, or lying with your spine down the length of the roller and performing an alternate arm/leg lift whilst maintaining balance.

Foam rollers are sold at most sporting equipment stores and cost anywhere from $15-$60+. Look for one that is solid enough to withstand regular use and retain its shape. There are also rollers with raised patterns and dimples on them that provide additional deep tissue massage – just be careful with how “deep” the massage is!

The diagram below by Greatist.com shows you “How to Foam Roll Like a Pro”. When rolling, the pressure or intensity you feel should be no more than a 7/10 where 10/10 is excruciating. If you feel too much pressure, back off and take it a little more gently.

So, buy yourself a foam roller, keep it in the family room and when you next sit down to watch the TV grab the roller and massage away!

Get health and fitness tips at Greatist.com.