A foam roller is a great self-massage tool to be incorporating into every workout. Form rolling is not only beneficial post-exercise but also before a workout. Foam rolling can improve your mobility before an exercise, improve range of motion, decrease neuromuscular exhaustion and reduce post-exercise soreness. Here are 4 foam roller exercises that you can follow to do step-by-step.
(1) Back
Sit on the ground with a foam roller on your lower back. Rest your hands behind the head. Tighten your abs and bend knees slowly. Move the foam roller up back to below your shoulder blades. Roll back to start.
Benefits:
If you always sit all day in the office, you may suffer from back stiffness or soreness. This foam roller exercise can provide immediate relief for lower back pain. It can help reduce tightness and improve muscle activation of the thoracolumbar, which surrounds the back muscles and attaches to the spine.
(2) Hamstrings
Sit with your right leg on a foam roller. Rest your hands on the ground behind you and keep them straight. Bend your left knee bent. Roll up and down from your knee to just under the right butt cheek several times. Then, switch legs.
Benefits:
This foam roller exercise is good for rolling your tight hamstrings after an intense leg exercise to reduce post-workout muscle soreness. It can loosen up three muscles that attach to the pelvis and improve the hip mobility for decreasing stress on your lower back.
(3) Butt
Sit on a foam roller. Rest your hands on the ground behind you and keep them straight. Cross your left leg over your right knee and lean toward your right hip. Put weight on your right hand for support. Roll over your right butt cheek slowly. Switch sides.
Benefits:
Many people have difficulties to activate the gluteus muscles, which are the largest muscle group in the body. This foam roller exercise can help improve fascial mobility and hip range of motion by enhancing the blood flow and fascial gliding of the butt muscles. It can also activate the gluteal muscles for daily movements like stair climbing or running.
(4) Outer Thighs
Position your body on the left side with a foam roller under your left hip. Place your left hand under your left elbow. Brace your abs and glutes for balance. Use your left arm to roll down from your left hip to your left knee slowly. Switch sides.
Benefits:
Women tend to have wider pelvic brim and tighter outer thighs than men. Keep rolling the outer thighs regularly can improve the tightness for women. This foam roller exercise can enhance the soft tissue mobility and reduce stress on the long band of connective tissue, which runs from the outer hip to the outer knee.