Guide to Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is a great place to start if you’re looking to reduce muscle soreness and tension after a workout.
Foam rolling, also known as self-myofascial release (SMR), is a form of self-massage that allows you to apply targeted pressure to certain points of the body to release tightness and ease muscular tension.
It works by improving the mobility of the fascia - the fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds all of the muscles in our body. Without proper mobility, fascia fibres become cross-linked, binding to muscles and nerves, inhibiting a normal range of motion which causes muscle tightness and tension.
Using a foam roller to target certain muscles stimulates the fascia’s mobility and improves blood circulation. The increase in blood circulation delivers oxygen and nutrients to our muscles and tissues, reducing tension and allowing them to heal quicker.
If you’re new to foam rolling or looking to target a specific muscle group, I’ll take you through a series of instructions and videos showing you how to release muscle tension with your roller.
Let’s jump in.
Benefits of foam rolling?
Foam rolling doesn’t just release muscle tension. It has many other benefits, which I’ve highlighted below.
Prevents Injury & Helps You Recover Fast
Breaks Up Scar Tissue
Improves Mobility And Flexibility
Removes Lactic Acid To Aid Recovery
It Saves You Money on expensive sports massages
It releases pain if you’re sitting at a desk all-day
Fewer headaches
Improves balance when used in dynamic pilates workouts
Calming effect on the Nervous System
Different types of foam rollers
As I’ve mentioned, there are different types of foam rollers available; I’ve highlighted the most popular types available:
Smooth Foam Rollers
Smooth foam rollers don’t have a textured surface. Instead, the smooth surface creates an even pressure along the roller.
They are a beginner-friendly option if you’ve never foam rolled before because they don’t place as much pressure on your muscles.
Smooth foam rollers are also often cheaper than textured rollers, which means they are great if you’re just getting started.
Gaim sell a range of rollers perfect for anyone who is not sure where to start, Check them out here.
Textured Foam Rollers
Textured foam rollers have a bumpy or ridged surface, which helps to target and apply a deeper pressure into your muscles to relieve tension.
If you’ve never used a foam roller before, textured rollers can cause a painful sensation, but this usually eases the more you use one.
Textured foam rollers are preferred if you want a deeper self-myofascial release.
TriggerPoint is a fantastic high-quality brand that has now released eco-friendly sustainable rollers. Check them out here.
Is foam rolling painful?
This is a question I get asked by my students often, and in all honesty, foam rolling can be slightly painful initially. However, this depends on the type of foam roller you’re using, whether you’re rolling correctly, and how long you’ve been foam rolling for.
For example, if you’re using a deep tissue foam roller to target an extra tight muscle, you may feel uncomfortable until the muscle is released. But, again, if you’ve been foam rolling for a long time, you’ll know that your tolerance to withstand these sensations builds, meaning foam rolling can even become quite relaxing and enjoyable.
Foam rolling should never be extremely painful if you start to feel extreme pain, stop immediately and switch up the area you were rolling.
Foam Rolling Exercises
If you’re suffering from muscle tension and want to know how to foam roll correctly, check out the videos below, which explain how to roll different muscle groups correctly.
I’ve used a textured foam roller in the following pilates foam rolling exercises, but you can do all the movements with a smooth roller instead.
These pilates foam rolling exercises are not just for pilates lovers; you can use them to relieve tension or warm up your muscles before or after any sport or activity.
So grab a mat and a roller, and let’s get started.
Foam rolling lower & upper back
If you’re suffering from lower back tension and wonder how to foam roll your lower back, check out the video below.
Firstly, start on your mat, ensure your legs support you and place your foam roller lengthways under your lower back. Then, press down on your feet and lift your hips off the ground, rounding your lower back and slowly roll backwards and forwards. You can use your arms to stabilize and support yourself. Repeat the movement 10-15 times.
To change from foam rolling the lower to upper back, move the roller under to roughly in line with your chest area or bra line. Next, place your hands behind your head and gently roll back and forth over the roller, you can switch this up by gently rotating your body to one side and rolling along one side of your spine at a time. Repeat 10-15 times.
2. Upper Back Stretch
For an upper back stretch, interlace your fingers behind your head for support and gently extend your upper back over the roller, return to the starting position and repeat 10-15 times.
3. Foam Rolling Quads
To foam roll your quad muscles lay face down on your mat with your roller placed under your quads.
Using your forearms in a ‘plank’ style position, lift your feet off the floor and begin to roll backwards and forwards, stopping just before your knee and just before the crease at your hips. Make sure your legs are not tensed, we are aiming to relax our quads as we roll them. Repeat this movement around 10-20 times.
4. Hip Flexor Stretch
Lay your body onto your back, place the roller lengthways under your hip, and support yourself using your arms and alternate leg, as shown in the video below.
Gentle hug one knee into your chest as you extend your other leg towards the floor. Allow your extended leg to slowly fall to the floor with the help of gravity. Hold this stretch for 30-60 seconds on each side
5. Foam Rolling Glutes
Sit on the roller with both feet on the floor, your glutes touching the roller, and your arms supporting you from behind.
Begin to slowly roll your glutes back and forward over the roller, turning yourself left to right slowly to ease out any tension.
Variation: Place one leg over the other knee and flex the foot as though you’re doing a figure 4 stretch, roll out the glute of the leg that is crossed over.
Repeat this release 10-15 times on each side.
6. Foam Rolling Inner Thighs
Starting on your forearms and knees, gently position one leg over the foam roller, so your inner thigh is in contact with the roller surface - you may need to position yourself slightly to one side.
Make sure you are in a comfortable position (as shown in the video below), and slowly roll the roller up and down your inner thigh towards your knee then back towards your groin. Repeat 10-15 times, and then change to the other side.
*Kala Tip - push into your arms and opposite foot if it is too strong!
7. Foam Rolling Lats
If you are wondering how to foam roll your lats, lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the mat, and place the foam roller under your mid back (bra line). Ensure you are in a comfortable position.
With your arms crossed along your chest, hold your opposite shoulder, and gently turn your upper body to one side so your lat muscle is resting on the roller (aim to get under your shoulder blade). Then, gently twist your upper body left and right, to massage out your lats. Repeat 10-15 times, on each side.
Want to learn more?
If you enjoyed this foam rolling guide and want to try more foam rolling exercises, I offer a 7-day free trial that includes online live classes and unlimited access to my on-demand library, including lots of stretch and foam rolling videos.
Let me help you reach your full potential today.
