A foam roller is a great tool to help decrease muscle tension. If you sit, exercise often, or have an injury, your muscles will tighten. Tight muscles can lead to a decrease in flexibility and mobility, create adhesions of muscle fibers and increase your pain. Try these 5 simple foam rolling exercises to help keep your muscles optimally.
#1 – 4-Muscle Roll
Lie on your stomach, then raise to your forearms. Prop yourself up on your toes, maintaining alignment with your ankles, hips, and shoulders. Position the foam roller just above your knee, then roll to the hip area and back. Repeat the movement.
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4-Muscle Roll
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform the exercise in a smooth controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is moderate. The purpose of this exercise is to self-massage the quads and hips to relax the muscles.
Alternative Exercise: Massage Stick
Sit upright on a chair and extend one leg in front of your body. Hold an end of the massage stick in each hand. Begin by rolling the massage stick through your quadricep, from just below your hip joint, to just above your knee joint and back. Be sure to reposition the rolling stick to target both the inner and outer parts of the quad. Repeat the movement.
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#2 – Roll your IT Band
Lie on your stomach, then raise your hands. Prop yourself up on your toes, maintaining alignment with your ankles, hips, and shoulders. Position the foam roller under your hip, then roll to just above your knee and back. Repeat the movement.
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Roll Your Band
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform the exercise in a smooth controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is moderate. The purpose of this exercise is to self-massage the IT Bands to relax and loosen up the muscles.
Alternative Exercise: Massage Stick
Sit upright on a chair and extend one leg in front of your body. Hold an end of the massage stick in each hand. Roll the massage stick through the IT band, along the outer side of the leg. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
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#3 – Glute Mid Roll
Sit on the floor with the foam roller under your seat. Place your hands on the floor for support, bend one knee and straighten your other leg. Targeting the gluteus maximus area, roll through the top of the hip and throughout the seat bone and back. Repeat the movement.
To intensify the exercise and to target the piriformis area, cross one ankle the opposite knee as you go through the movement.
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Glute Mid Roll
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform the exercise in a smooth controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is moderate. The purpose of this exercise is to self-massage the glutes to relax the muscles.
Alternative Exercise: Rolling on Ball
Sit upright on a chair and roll a small ball around under your seat. The more weight you press into the ball, the more intense the massage.
#4 – Back Roll
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Position the foam roller under your mid-back area. Roll up to your shoulder area and back. Repeat the movement
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Back Roll
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions. Perform the exercise in a smooth controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is moderate. The purpose of this exercise is to increase mobility in the mid-back area.
#4 – When You’re unable to get on the floor to roll
Begin in an upright sitting position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place your hands at your head. Arch your low back by shifting your hips forward and tilting your head back. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
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Back Openers
Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions. Perform the exercise in a smooth controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is moderate. The purpose of the exercise is to increase mobility in the mid-back area.
A foam roller is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can use. Not only can it help speed up your injury recovery time, but it can also help prevent future injuries from occurring. The ability to easily adjust the pressure applied to your muscles makes the foam roller a safe and effective tool for everyone.
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