Foam Rolling

harringtonp

Anyone here do this ? Do you find it helps much ?

Bought a roller and started a couple of weeks ago, very handy as you can easily do a few minutes while watching the TV.

Doing the quads though is a killer, usually have to leave the toes on the ground to take some weight off. I gather this is not normal and is a sign of tight or sore muscles ? And presumably the discomfort should ease over time ?

aFlabbyPanda

Yes I roll pretty much everyday, if not I start to get very tight. And Yes the more often you do it the easier it is. Plus it depends on the roller you have. Some have more cushioning and this obviously makes for more gentle pressure. Other like the trigger point or rumble rollers are more aggressive but better for deeper tissue.

sparrowcar

I'm the exact same as you OP. Have to take some weight off as well to ease the pressure.

I find it tiring on my upper body/arms after a while as well. Have an 11 month old baby which prob doesn't help my upper body stamina.

Plastik

All the time / not as often as I should. Love it and hate it in equal measures. No where hurts like the ITB hurts.

I've a black Triggerpoint Grid. Must have it two years now at least and only for a few kitten chew marks it still looks good as new.

terrydel

Deffo works, but theres a skill to using one, you need good technique to get the best out of it, so practice is required.

Alf Veedersane

Just on the ITB...rolling the ITB directly isn't really going to yield much benefit because of the type of tissue it is. You're better off rolling the muscles it attaches to, i.e. the glutes and TFL. Those muscles probably also need a bit of strengthening as well.

The more regularly I use the foam roller, the less uncomfortable it is. A lacrosse ball is really good for getting in and around the glutes as well.

mossym

Yup, little point in rolling the ITB. Roll the muscles attached to it. Especially the glutes which tend to be a particularly weak area for a lot

The tiger tail can be better for some muscles, but if you think the foam roller hurts you're in for some shock

harringtonp

Plastik wrote: »

All the time / not as often as I should. Love it and hate it in equal measures. No where hurts like the ITB hurts.

I've a black Triggerpoint Grid. Must have it two years now at least and only for a few kitten chew marks it still looks good as new.

My one is a plain one got from decathlon:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/pilates-foam-roller-id_8344800.html

Yes the ITB is the next sorest for me, calves and hamstrings aren't too bad

harringtonp

Have been using

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/article/izn20140807-Physiotherapy-Foam-Roller-Routine-0

as a reference

Alf Veedersane

Worth giving the sole of your foot a go if you're having 'tight' calves. A golf ball is a good but nasty way of doing the trick.

mossym wrote: »

The tiger tail can be better for some muscles, but if you think the foam roller hurts you're in for some shock

I was intrigued so did some looking...it's like a lacrosse ball on string

DKmac

Your best long term option is to look at some strength training on the antagonist muscles i.e. the opposing muscles to what's tight and sore. Chronic tight quads can be eased by doing work on glutes and hammys. Its a more long term solution than punishing yourself with a wavin pipe for short-term relief.

On ITB if you can imagine trying to stretch a car tyre you're pretty close to how effective rolling your ITB is. It's there to stabilise your knee and not designed to be nice and flexy!

gaffmaster

I use mine on my calves primarily. I find it's great for loosening them up.

Here's a fun video of Dan Martin using a foam roller...

mossym

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Worth giving the sole of your foot a go if you're having 'tight' calves. A golf ball is a good but nasty way of doing the trick.



I was intrigued so did some looking...it's like a lacrosse ball on string

It's actually the stick shown here I have. Very evil yoke altogether

http://www.wayandpath.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Rollers-300x150.gif

I have the opposite problem, when I get pain on sole of foot I roll calves more and that sorts it.

Alf Veedersane

mossym wrote: »

It's actually the stick shown here I have. Very evil yoke altogether

http://www.wayandpath.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Rollers-300x150.gif

I have the opposite problem, when I get pain on sole of foot I roll calves more and that sorts it.

Ah. They had a few different things on the tiger tail website so I assumed the ball on the strong was it.

That's the thing with pains etc....the site of the pain isn't always where the issue is so no surprise that rolling calves relieves soles!

harringtonp

mossym wrote: »

I have the opposite problem, when I get pain on sole of foot I roll calves more and that sorts it.

Interesting. Side of my left foot sole gets sore if I do any amount of walking. From september went back to heavy gym leg work. Suspect that a combination of this and turbo work may have something to do with it. Will have to wait and see how the rolling goes.

harringtonp

Would I be correct in thinking that if you don't tend to do recovery days on the bike that foam rolling is almost as good ?

Alf Veedersane

harringtonp wrote: »

Would I be correct in thinking that if you don't tend to do recovery days on the bike that foam rolling is almost as good ?

I wouldn't have said it's as good but it's nota bad idea for recovery days.

But I don't think you should need to be spending all the long on a foam roller after a week or two using one every day. I would be inclined to do it in conjunction with some exercises to strengthen muscles to try and reduce soreness being caused by muscular weaknesses.

Miklos

I do it the odd time, I'm not regimented enough with it because it hurts like the dickens every time.

harringtonp

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I wouldn't have said it's as good but it's nota bad idea for recovery days.

But I don't think you should need to be spending all the long on a foam roller after a week or two using one every day. I would be inclined to do it in conjunction with some exercises to strengthen muscles to try and reduce soreness being caused by muscular weaknesses.

Not sure if the stiffness is down to muscular weakness. Aim for 2 gym sessions a week where deadlifts and barbell squats are the main focus. Also try and throw in 2 turbo sessions with 30 mins of threshold work and a club spin also with some threshold work during the ride. Suspect this could be the source of stiffness, it's probably a bit too much...

ford2600

harringtonp wrote: »

Not sure if the stiffness is down to muscular weakness. Aim for 2 gym sessions a week where deadlifts and barbell squats are the main focus. Also try and throw in 2 turbo sessions with 30 mins of threshold work and a club spin also with some threshold work during the ride. Suspect this could be the source of stiffness, it's probably a bit too much...

When you are not on bike or gym are you predominantly sitting (like the rest of the Western world)?

Seems fitting in training around hectic/stressful primarily sedentary lives makes foam rolling a modern necessity

ABEasy

Not sure if yea guys heard of the back baller, its a new type of foam roller. Been using it for the past 3 months, great for controlling your movement over it, you don't need to control the roller. Great improvement over my old roller! www.backballer.com

harringtonp

ford2600 wrote: »

When you are not on bike or gym are you predominantly sitting (like the rest of the Western world)?

Yep, the life of the IT guy

kg2017

have any of guys tried the hyperice vyper foam roller from athlete specific? i read it is very good and scientifically proven to be very effective etc... any opinions?