How to Use Foam Rollers?

Duffman'05

Well the roller I got my hands on is actually solid plastic as I've been told it is more effective and durable than the foam ones.

How hard do you have to push it to make it beneficial? When my DOMS has my legs on fire the rolling makes the pain ten times worse, so how much should I be doing? As in drive my full body weight into the target area or go reasonably gently? Should I feel noticeably less sore after a proper go at it?

boomtown84

Rookie mistake going with plastic first...foam is tough enough when starting.
with the plastic one you'll have no choice but to go easier on yourself.also....don't start when you have doms or you'll end up throwing it in the bin!!;)
loads of vids on youtube for proper technique

Dermighty

Duffman'05 wrote: »

Well the roller I got my hands on is actually solid plastic as I've been told it is more effective and durable than the foam ones.

How hard do you have to push it to make it beneficial? When my DOMS has my legs on fire the rolling makes the pain ten times worse, so how much should I be doing? As in drive my full body weight into the target area or go reasonably gently? Should I feel noticeably less sore after a proper go at it?

You get over the pain after a while, I love how it feels, though not when I'm doing my Illiotibial band on my leg :P

I use a foam roller both before and after a leg workout primarily, but it also helps with my back and shoulder and chest workouts.

Think of your muscle as having a thin plastic layer over it, warming this up allows a greater range of movement, thus allowing you to use it more completely (this could be completely wrong but that's how it *feels* to me).

By using the foam roller you are helping yourself by warming up the muscle but also your body, if you notice yourself getting a lot warmer then it's working, by warmer I mean it hurts so you sweat. I used to use a golf ball when foam rolling my lats, really, really helps, feels like someone just put wd40 in your shoulder joint. The harder and smaller the object you use to roll the greater the amount of force it applies to the area, so a golf ball would be far more intense than a plastic roller, which in turn (should be) is more intense than a foam roller. Plastic is fine, but it'll be a sharp (And painful) learning curve at the start

I like Bodybuilding.com and I use their info quite extensively in my workouts, both from the supersite and the forums. Here's their foam roller exercise list.

nice_guy80

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyBcYI-BBN8

support your bodyweight with the opposite leg at first
then progress onto using your whole bodyweight

eventually you start enjoying the routine.
hamstrings, calves, quads, it band, glutes, hockey ball into the hamstrings and glutes
I find it a very relaxing 10 minutes before any exercise and stretching

whoever told you to get a wavin pipe and not a grid roller was taking the píss

Jimmy Iovine

I've only found out about the rollers in the last few weeks. I've had tight leg muscles for ages, and I pulled my hamstring a few months ago. Going to order the grid roller later on tonight. Hopefully I'll see some improvement.