Foam Roller Fun

Do you use props when you workout or stretch? You might have some at home that you bought along the way and you are not sure what to do with them. It sounded good at the time, right? Now you trip over it in your closet, but you know that one day you will be using that fitness toy and thankful you kept it. Sure you will. I have a few of these fitness toys as well, and thankfully several have left the building, but there are some that you should dust off and start using today.

Were you lucky enough to get a foam roller along the way? I LOVE this thing! I recommend it to people often, mostly for the therapeutic benefits, but you can use it to add some challenge to strength exercises as well. If you have tension or tight muscles, you would benefit from a foam roller. I love to just roll on the foam roller. I can get a nice massage on my upper back and leg muscles when I am tense. Stretching is also wonderful on the roller. The photo below is actually adding some challenge to a side forearm plank. There are many more ways to add challenge to exercises, but this article demonstrates a few stretches and therapeutic uses of the roller.

The routine below works great as a warm-up or cool-down.  These exercises will open the hip joints and stretch the hamstrings and hip flexors.  There is also a great stretch to open the shoulder joint and chest muscles at the end.  Of course, this routine is still great for core, lower back and pelvic stability.  Keep your abdominals engaged throughout each movement and I promise you will feel the muscles work. Be sure not to pop your ribs or abdominals throughout the exercise.  Perform the exercises slow and controlled. We are using the 3’ long and 6” round foam roller.  Enjoy!

The easiest way to get on the roller for these exercises is to lie down on your back and bend your knees.  Put the roller under your legs and lift your hips to place the roller under your bottom.  Bring one knee at a time toward your chest and then extend the legs to the ceiling and begin.

Scissors

Begin with your feet extended directly toward the ceiling. Inhale to prepare, and exhale open the legs to a scissor position, keeping the lower back-pelvis region stable and reaching the energy out of the toes. Inhale to bring the legs together, and exhale to control the scissor motion in the opposite direction.  Repeat 8-10 times.

Windmill

Begin with your feet extended directly toward the ceiling. Inhale to open the legs to a scissor position, keeping your lower back and pelvic region stable and reaching the energy out of the toes. As you exhale, both legs open and reach out to either side to stretch, then keep the legs circling to finish into the opposite scissor. Inhale and bring the legs back together as you begin again. Perform 3–5 times on one side and reverse.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Begin with the foam roller under your bottom and hug your knees.  Keep the left leg in the same position as you extend the right foot to the floor, without changing the position of your pelvis and low back. Do not arch your back. Hold 10 seconds to stretch and bring the right knee back in.  Repeat the stretch to the other side. The picture below shows both legs straight. You can bend either leg for comfort. The leg reaching toward the floor should be almost straight. You want to be sure you feel the hip flexor stretch.

Adduction

Start with legs reaching toward the ceiling. Inhale to slowly abduct your legs to a side split as far as you can while still staying stable in your lower back and pelvis, then exhale as you turn out, and flex your feet when bringing your inner thighs back together.

Chest Stretch

This stretch is the bomb! Sit on one end of the roller and roll down so that you are lying on the roller.  Keep your feet slightly wider than hip width to keep a comfortable base.  As you inhale, slide your arms to your side and try to bend the arms toward a 90 degree angle.  Try to relax your chest and shoulder muscles to stretch.  Take several deep breaths keeping your deep abdominal muscles engaged.  To get off the roller, slowly roll to one side and then carefully sit up.

Therapeutic Massage

Now for the good, but sometimes uncomfortable part. You will actually rest the middle of your back on the roller. Lift your tush off the floor and just slowly let the roller move from your upper back to lower back. This should feel good. You should not feel pain. Keep your abdominals in and just move slowly up and down for a bit of a massage across your back.

You can also massage your leg muscles in a similar way. Lay sideways, lifting up on your forearms, like you are going into a side plank, with the roller about mid thigh. This can definitely be uncomfortable, especially if you have tight muscles. You will slowly move so that the roller goes from just above your knee, to up to your hip bone. You do not want to roll over the bones, just the muscle. When you feel a tense spot, like a knot in your muscle, just pause and breathe for about 10 seconds, then move on. Keep your abdominals engaged while you roll to help support your back. Now, for the quadricep, turn as if you are going into a regular plank, on your forearms or hands, and let the roller rest mid thigh. You can do the same for your thigh muscle, quadricep, and roll slowly from just above the knee, and up to the hip. Again, this could be a little uncomfortable 🙂 if you have really tight muscles. Breathe!

Please let me know if you have more questions and get you a foam roller today!! There are so many options with the foam roller. This is just the beginning.

Enjoy!