Love me some foam roller!

If not, what are you waiting for? An invitation?

If you’re like me you’ve probably got some junk that’s slowing you down. The “junk” that I’m referring to today is not excess weight, but rather tight, inflexible muscles. These knots, spasms and areas of tightness can limit your ability to lift more, jump higher and run faster. And I know you want those things otherwise you wouldn’t care about this blog.

So what should you do? Well, first of all if you don’t have a roller, you should get one. There are many places that sell rollers- Target, Walmart, and Sports Authority have them. We even sell them at our office. We carry the OPTP Axis rollers because they are more durable and in my opinion work better due to their increased density.

If you already have one- Great! Get on it. Really. Go now.

The thing is, the foam roller isn’t going to help you when it’s propped up against the wall in your bedroom. You have to use it.

How?

Roll on the muscle. That’s it. Find a sore, tense muscle that you can get on and roll, baby, roll!

Simple. Easy. Effective. I love it!

Here are a few tips to enhance your rolling experience:

• Roll slow- The muscles that are tight and in spasm need time to relax. By rolling slowly you’ll get a better release of the muscle and connective tissue.

• Stop- Holding tension on the most tender knots and nodules will help them melt away quicker than trying to steamroll them over and over. 20 to 30 seconds should do the trick on all but the most stubborn areas.

• Hit it all- Got a knee problem? Then you need to work everything around it- quads, IT band, calf, groin. By hitting every muscle group around the injury, you’ll stimulate more blood flow to the area and in effect have a quicker recovery time.

• Play music- Seriously? Yep. Play some music to help you dissociate from the pain that this SMR (self myofascial release) is putting you through. Think of it like your own personal massage time. You’ll likely enjoy it more and spend more time at it if you make a big deal of it. Over time you’ll find the sore spots will be less sore and you might enjoy the time you spend rolling your troubles away.

Want more detailed instructions- go here. Now where is my foam roller?

Peace,

Coach “On A Roll” Chris

About the Author: Dr. Chris owns and operates Biles Family Chiropractic in Waxahachie, TX with his wife Dr. Laura Biles. In his fun time, Dr. Chris operates BFC- Better Functional Conditioning, which is a premier training program comprised of bootcamps and group training that helps individuals realize their fitness potential. BFC is not a weight loss program but people do lose weight. It’s not diet program but people learn how food affects them. BFC is a lifestyle for fitness.

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