Have you ever wondered what those big, long, and hard Styrofoam things are laying around the gym? Well, if you did they are called “Foam Rollers.” I always used to see people using them and wondered what the hell they were used for. After extensive research on foam rollers, I am pleased to say I have fallen in love with them and they are awesome! Let me put it this way, a foam roller is the best 25 bucks you’ll ever spend. The 5-10 minutes you take for foam rolling exercises each day will pay great dividends. Foam rollers are very beneficial for many different reasons such as: Your body will be able to move again more fluidly and freely, foam rolling exercises are a great way for pre-workout preparation, post-workouts, and tune-ups between workouts. Also it is so easy to use and convenient to take different places; you can use a foam roller to pretty much stretch every muscle in your body.
Foam rolling is an excellent way to treat your “FASCIA” and improve its quality on a daily basis. Fascia is the web like sheath that envelops every muscle, tendon, ligament, nerve, vein, and artery of the human body. To get a better visual of what your Fascia looks like, picture uncooked chicken or beef, it’s the white covering around the muscle that runs through it and around it, pretty interesting right? It also supports your organs and joints from head to toe, acts as a shock absorber, and is extremely rich in nerve supply. Your strength, flexibility, and fitness performance depend on its health. Do not be one of those that over look foam rolling exercises or say it’s for women only. Be smart and value your health and body.
Make the word “FASCIA” stick in your brain somehow and be aware that a healthy fascia is a critical element in releasing your potential. Imbalances in your fascial system need to be addressed directly with consistency and daily effort. I promise you foam rolling will restore your fascia to its pliable and relaxed
form. A good tip to know when performing foam rolling exercises is if the muscles are very tight it may cause discomfort, but it also means that muscle or area needs more attention so keep rubbing through the pain. As you continue to work at it slowly, roll back and forth in small movements to create a release and make sure to breathe. Each time you use a foam roller it makes the next time a little easier, but it should be a bit painful at first.
So now you know why using a foam roller can be so vital to your body and health. When you think about it, our bodies take a lot of abuse day in and day out, whether it’s from working, working out, stress, ect. We need to really take the time and give our bodies
the proper treatments they deserve. Especially as we age, everything starts to wear down. Everyone doesn’t have the money to pay for Manual Therapy from Chiropractors and other specialists to treat their bodies, so go with what’s cheap and effective. Remember, if you don’t like it, you need it! I personally use a foam roller before, during, and after my workouts, and in all honesty my
body feels great after using it. Look at it as a poor man’s massage! Our bodies are machines everyone, we must maintain them to the best of our abilities so we can live strong and healthy lives for many years to come. Peace and god bless everyone!
Here is a video I created that can assist you on certain
foam rolling exercises…Foam rolling video.
“Live A Dynamic Lifestyle”