Foam Roller Routine

[Murray Truelove]

I've been using a foam roller for months now but without any sort of routine. Would this routine be a good one to follow daily?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE5na0zvVMg#t=382

 

When I've been rolling I've been moving very, very slowly and pausing for minutes at a time when I come to a trigger point. In the video he moves very quickly and a lot of back and forth - Should I emulate this approach? 

 

Thanks.

[Joshua Slocum]

You're doing it right; they're doing it wrong. 

 

The routine seems OK, if you're looking for one to follow. I generally just ask myself what seems tight, and then roll those areas. 

[Richard Hamilton]

I only had a brief look at that video but it looks like he's going too quick to get much benefit though he does say to pause to treat trigger points. The slow approach you're taking is a better one but you could use both methods.

You could use 10 rolls up and down with a quicker motion to warm/soften the muscle a bit but to get any real benefit you need to work slowly on the trigger points and tender areas. For example... start at the bottom of your IT band, roll back and forth 10 times, then starting at the bottom again move slowly up to first tender area and rock slowly from side to side which will create a pressure wave across the muscle... you can also flex the knee and see what effect that has. Once the tension has subsided move up a bit and repeat until you're at the top of your IT Band.

It's better to work towards the heart apparently... something to do with the way valves work in the circulatory system. They touched on that briefly on the introductory massage course I did over the summer. One of the physios on the forum could probably explain in more detail! I hope that's of some help

[Richard Hamilton]

Joshua has a good point. A routine can feel like a bit of a chore sometimes... you're probably better of finding the tight areas and focusing on them. Mobility WOD has some good methods and if you want something to reference then Kelly Starrett's book is worth a look.

[Murray Truelove]

Thanks for the response. I thought he looked too fast. Maybe I'll do Josh says and approach my routine much more flexibly (ha!) and work on what feels like it needs it.

[Keilani Gutierrez]

after spending so much time looking for tension like a steam roller, i do it more focused with a lacrosse ball now. I'll hunt for areas and stay on them for how ever long it takes to dissipate the tension(holding on top of the tender spots, not moving around them) and it's cut the time i'm mobilizing and kept the result about the same, if not improved it (because im not spending so much time in one area)

[Joshua Slocum]

Yeah, I love using a lacrosse ball, too. They're great for working out stubborn knots. 

[Murray Truelove]

My rumble roller is masochistic enough for the time being. When I'm feeling brave I'll have to give the lacrosse ball a go though.

[Keilani Gutierrez]

My rumble roller is masochistic enough for the time being. When I'm feeling brave I'll have to give the lacrosse ball a go though.

yeah, i bet i meant that more for the sake of not "rolling" everything, idling on the trigger points has saved up on time. especially covering bigger areas like thighs or smaller areas like forearms

 

Yeah, I love using a lacrosse ball, too. They're great for working out stubborn knots. 

like under the pit and under the clavicle. #goosebumps

[Joshua Slocum]

yeah, i bet i meant that more for the sake of not "rolling" everything, idling on the trigger points has saved up on time. especially covering bigger areas like thighs or smaller areas like forearms

 

like under the pit and under the clavicle. #goosebumps

Yeah, under the clavicle is great. Same with the hip flexors. The lacrosse ball is also the only thing that can put enough pressure on my spinal erectors to make them release. 

[Cole Dano]

My rumble roller is masochistic enough for the time being. When I'm feeling brave I'll have to give the lacrosse ball a go though.

None of these tools needs be intimidating. It's all about the shape, and be able to get it in the right spot. Self massage, even with tools needn't be masochistic.

[Mikkel Ravn]

Do you guys make it a habit to roll, even if there's no pain to take care off?

 

I use a tennis ball if something's bothering me, but that's quite seldom these days. The slow-ish progressions and mobility of F1 means that I feel pretty good and de-tensified (if that's a word, because I don't mean relaxed) most of the time.

So are there extra gains to be had by rolling when there's no percieved pain?

[Keilani Gutierrez]

i wouldnt know what to tell you there. i've made it a habit to find tense areas and work on'em. my recent sessions took me to around the armpit area and on the first rib, along the bottom of my clavicle.

i dont waste my time rolling in places that don't give me a tender feedback because i could be either moving it through its ROM/C&R. but i dont know if someone more knowledgeable would endorse that. #shrugg

also, i dont necesarily have a routine, yet i do follow some guidelines and move out from there (around joint capsules, then fish out soft tissue restriction farther away from the capsule, then do C&R for tissue elongation)

[Joshua Slocum]

Do you guys make it a habit to roll, even if there's no pain to take care off?

 

I wish that was something I had to worry about 

[Mikkel Ravn]

Ha, yeah totally first world problem

[Douglas Wadle]

I've always rolled my IT bands and anterior tibialis.  Being a runner they're ALWAYS in need, and they've been real lifesavers at preventing overuse injuries.  I've just started experimenting with the lacrosse ball and it is really helpful for piriformis and rotator cuff work.  I'm interested in expanding my use of the roller and the ball more. Especially around the hip girdle region is where I probably need to experiment the most.  Love the ideas you all are throwing out.  

[Alexander Svensson]

Yeah, under the clavicle is great. Same with the hip flexors. The lacrosse ball is also the only thing that can put enough pressure on my spinal erectors to make them release. 

When rolling the spinal erectors, or anything on the back for that matter, is this technique safe to do?

 

 

I'm thinking it's easy to put pressure on the spine itself and that's a bad thing right?

[Keilani Gutierrez]

When rolling the spinal erectors, or anything on the back for that matter, is this technique safe to do?

 

 

I'm thinking it's easy to put pressure on the spine itself and that's a bad thing right?

yeah, it's safe just keep your hip tucked, it'll give you a nice base and not aggravate your lower back. you can also twist, so you can isolate one side of your spine because you don't want to be putting pressure on the spine per ce, only on the muscles that run parallel to it. 

 

i taped a golfball to the side of my bed frame and use it, bear in the woods style and all

 

if you start with the foam roller, it's good to "generally" work the area, the same can be applied to a smaller object, it'll put more pressure in a specific area and this is where you want to -really- be careful with not putting pressure on your spine, only on the muscles. 

 

also, something to note is that he's just steam rolling, not focusing on a specific area. take your time, imagine you're the bear in the woods and want to find that itch that you can't quite scratch. 

[Alexander Svensson]

Haha thanks for the great answer, I'll try to find my inner bear when I try this 

[Andrew Long]

I have my friends And gf walking over my back and it feels fantastic. I'm incredibly tight so the foam roller just doesn't seem to cut it I think tomorrow ill be buying some lacrosse balls and duct tape.

[Keilani Gutierrez]

I have my friends And gf walking over my back and it feels fantastic. I'm incredibly tight so the foam roller just doesn't seem to cut it I think tomorrow ill be buying some lacrosse balls and duct tape.

did you have them try massaging your back with their elbows? 

[Mitchell Rabushka]

I use (not necessarily in order of importance):

 

1.  Standard firm foam roller primarily to roll my lats and back.

2.  "Rumbleroller" roller for a variety of spots including glutes, hip flexors, quads, IT bands, hamstrings, inner thighs and back (http://www.amazon.com/Rumbleroller-Deep-Tissue-Massage-Roller-12-5-Inch/dp/B004INOO8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384301412&sr=8-1&keywords=roller+rumble).

3.  Lacrosse Ball for a variety of spots including glutes, back, shoulders and triceps.

4.  "Rumble Roller Aggressive Massage Ball" for a variety of spots including glutes, back, shoulders and triceps.  It's detachable from its base.  I think it significantly complements a Lacrosse Ball, but does not replace it (http://www.amazon.com/RumbleRoller-Beastie-Aggressive-Massage-Ball/dp/B00ECASX80/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1).

5.  "Rumble Roller Beastier Bar and Stands".  This one I primarily use setting it flat on the floor to roll my calves and hamstrings although it can be mounted to the wall and the handle is detachable from the stands (http://www.amazon.com/RumbleRoller-Beastie-Stands-Grey-Green/dp/B00ECB6UBQ/ref=pd_sim_sg_2)

6.  Medicine ball primarily to roll my lats and back.

7.  Golf ball on the bottom of my feet.

 

The list and descriptions are not exhaustive, but covers most of the things I might implement at one time or another.  I try to hit each spot at least twice a week or more if I think it needs it.

 

Some large areas, like the quads, IT bands and inner thighs, I break up into three sections (I learned this from a personal trainer).  So for example w/ the quads, I roll the upper quads 5 to 10 times then the middle of the quads and then the lower part of the quads and I pay special attention to the tender or knotty areas.

 

There was a time when I used the Rumbleroller roller everyday and I started to feel like tenderized meat LOL.

[Murray Truelove]

I use (not necessarily in order of importance):

 

1.  Standard firm foam roller primarily to roll my lats and back.

2.  "Rumbleroller" roller for a variety of spots including glutes, hip flexors, quads, IT bands, hamstrings, inner thighs and back (http://www.amazon.com/Rumbleroller-Deep-Tissue-Massage-Roller-12-5-Inch/dp/B004INOO8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384301412&sr=8-1&keywords=roller+rumble).

3.  Lacrosse Ball for a variety of spots including glutes, back, shoulders and triceps.

4.  "Rumble Roller Aggressive Massage Ball" for a variety of spots including glutes, back, shoulders and triceps.  It's detachable from its base.  I think it significantly complements a Lacrosse Ball, but does not replace it (http://www.amazon.com/RumbleRoller-Beastie-Aggressive-Massage-Ball/dp/B00ECASX80/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1).

5.  "Rumble Roller Beastier Bar and Stands".  This one I primarily use setting it flat on the floor to roll my calves and hamstrings although it can be mounted to the wall and the handle is detachable from the stands (http://www.amazon.com/RumbleRoller-Beastie-Stands-Grey-Green/dp/B00ECB6UBQ/ref=pd_sim_sg_2)

6.  Medicine ball primarily to roll my lats and back.

7.  Golf ball on the bottom of my feet.

 

The list and descriptions are not exhaustive, but covers most of the things I might implement at one time or another.  I try to hit each spot at least twice a week or more if I think it needs it.

 

Some large areas, like the quads, IT bands and inner thighs, I break up into three sections (I learned this from a personal trainer).  So for example w/ the quads, I roll the upper quads 5 to 10 times then the middle of the quads and then the lower part of the quads and I pay special attention to the tender or knotty areas.

 

There was a time when I used the Rumbleroller roller everyday and I started to feel like tenderized meat LOL.

Damn Dynamo! That's a lot of nice equipment. I was going to pick up a lacrosse ball but that's before I realised there was a rumble roller one. If you had to pick one, which one would you choose?

[Joshua Slocum]

One more thing: most electric massagers are pretty weak and don't really do much for the knots you get from GST. However, I find that an electric car buffer is quite well suited to this task. Though it may leave your limbs feeling like jelly  

[Murray Truelove]

..But I'm not a car....