Foam Fail
Hi guys!! How are you?? Hope you’re having a great morning <3 Thank you so much for your amazing words of encouragement about me going back to Valdizzy in the Spring. I’m pretty excited because a friends of my friends’ babies are due in the Spring and I can’t wait to go play 🙂
I woke up early for a breakfast date with this little lady:
We had breakfast at Panera and talked about life 🙂 It was pretty glorious.
I munched a whole grain bagel with peanut butter + half a coffee (any more than that and WATCH OUT, haha)
After breakfast, I called a couple of gyms to see if I can go talk to someone about teaching Zumba, but no one in management is in. Maybe later today I’ll just show up with a resume and see what happens 🙂
So last night, my cousin and I *tried* to film a foam roller video for you before I had to leave for work. We took about 10 takes and one of us started laughing at my goobery-ness at one point or another and it just didn’t happen. I need my Pilot filmmaker 😉
I have a feeling that until I get a tripod and can do this when no one is home, my videos are going to go something like this:
Bahaha.
Here’s an awesome video I found on YouTube, which will hopefully give you some new foam rolling ideas- it includes all of my favorite foam rolling uses.
Some tips:
-Always check with a doc before adding something new into your fitness routine. Chances are that he or she will give you the green light, but be sure to ask if foam rolling is a good choice for you.
-Use the foam roller for injury *prevention*, instead of busting it out when you’re already injured. If you have an injury, make sure to see a doc to see what your steps to healing should be
-Ideally, active people should foam roll every day. I set aside at least 5 minutes each night and will foam roll in the floor in front of the TV.
-As I roll, I usually find a “sweet spot” where my muscle is extra tight. I’ll roll over this small part 5-10 times to really loosen it up.
-As you roll your back, make sure to keep your back supported by contracting your abs and keep your spine neutral by gazing straight up at the ceiling.
-There are many different types of foam rollers- play around in the store to find the one that’s best for you. I have a short one (its about 2 ft) because it’s easy to stash in the suitcase when I travel. I prefer the longer ones (TWSS? Baha), but the shorter ones work just as well 😉
-Many gyms have foam rollers that you can use, but I’d recommend investing in your own. They’re anywhere from $20-40 and act as a personal masseuse.
Do you foam roll?? How often? Any favorite exercises that aren’t mentioned in the video??
Updated to say: Just got word of a crazy awesome OpenSky foam roller promo coming soon- if you’ve been needing one, I’ve got the hook up 🙂 Well I’m off to the gym for a run and then off to work!
See ya later today <3
xoxo,
Gina
Something to do: Please send Reader’s Request ideas my way via the comments or email (fitnessista at gmail dot com)!
Something to think:
Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.
Og Mandino
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I love foam rolling! My favorite thing is foam rolling my upper back, shoulders and lats. It feels like a massage!
I need to learn how to do this. I’m only ok at rolling my lower body right now!
I’m with Jessica. I use my foam roller bascailly for the free massage! I use it after long runs on my legs and upper back.
I love the foam roller. In Pilates we use it for a lot more than just to massage and stretching – we use to for stability and balance as well as stretches & massages. It can be used to modify a lot of different floor exercises – I like to do shoulder bridges with my feet on the foam roller because it challenges my core stability and balance a lot more than doing shoulder bridges on a mat. I could write a novel about all the ways we use the foam roller in class haha.
PS – I forgot to mention that my own foam roller came from one of your Open Sky deals and it was definitely the best purchase I’ve ever made
one more – I have that tank top, in White. LOVE it. Don’t know why, it’s soooo comfy though!!
i love your shirt in the video! may i ask where it is from?
thanks! lululemon 🙂
I love my foam roller (I got it from your shop) 🙂
Some weeks I roll every day, but lately it has been 2-3x per week. I’m just slackin and I don’t know why. My favorite use for it is rolling out my calf muscles. The roller helped me a TON when I was marathon training in the spring. I would get these awful charlie horses in the middle of the night — after I started foam rolling they stopped happening!
This makes me want to go home and foam roll right now! I’ve been skipping out on my rolling the past few days and definitely need to stretch my hamstrings out.
What an amazing quote… I always love the quotes you leave for us readers to ponder 🙂
I love the results of foam rolling but I find it really hurts (aka. I must do more foam rolling!)… a lot of the time I end up moaning in agony and my fiance laughs at me!
When I get home and can listen to the youtube tutorial I will… and then maybe ill do some foam rolling 🙂
I would love to see a post on how you put your lunches together for work! I’m in a rut with mine so some new ideas would be great!
I’ve always wanted to try foam rolling! I heard it feels great on your back! I absolutely adore Panera’s bagels. I hear they have a limited edition breast cancer ribbon bagel that has honey and dried cherries in it. It sounds heavenly, and buying one supports a great cause 🙂
🙂 thank you for such a great quote!
I was running yesterday and thought about sending you a reader’s request post! So funny that you put that out there today. I was hoping you might address fitness challenges when the monthly “friend” is visiting. My workouts (especially running) are always more difficult during that time and I wonder if that is normal or if I am just a being a baby 😉
Great tips. I try and foam roll nightly too. I have a hip that tends to get tight, and rolling it is major.
I love foam rolling my IT band. I own a foam roller, but I also use the one at the gym and I’m pretty sure a few of the older gym-goers think I’m nuts because of how pained I look while rolling. I’m not sure they know exactly what I am doing. It hurts so good!
How do you feel about using the a stationary bike for cardio (straight up bike, no spinning classes because I can’t stand up)? I might have a stress fracture in my foot (I should get the MRI results back today, fingers crossed!), so I can’t run and I am going nuts. I tried the elliptical yesterday and it hurt, so the bike seems to be the only non-impact cardio I can do at this time. I’m so antsy!
Bike is a great option for stress fractures. You can still get a good sweat on and not put too much stress on the foot. Light swimming can work too if it doesn’t hurt your foot.
Thanks! I will keep it up for sure then 🙂 Unfortunately I don’t have access to a pool, so my only option is an open water swim which is definitely not going to happen anytime soon! I’m too much of a baby for now.
I always feel so awesome after foam rolling and know I need to do it more often. Right now it happens about once a week maybe. Must make it a gabit’ no excuses!
You’re so cute! After I’m done working out, I never feel like stretching, or foam rolling for that matter! I know that’s bad though–I just need to do it!
Hey!
Just wanted to pop in and let you know that your green juice suggestion (green apple, spinach, parsley and lemon) is amazing! I’m drinking it right now post-sweaty yoga session :).
my fave! so glad you liked it!
wow… your something to think gave me chills. great perspective to have.
my foam roller is my friend. I LOVE that thing. I go into the yoga room at work during lunch and roll… 😀
Thanks for that video! I’ve been wondering what the heck a foam roller is/does for a qhile now, but never bothered to look it up myself and wala I have my answer now.
Bahaha what happened!? You were doing so well 🙂 I foal roll occasionally–when it’s REALLY necessary. Otherwise it sits in the corner and we give each other mean glares.
Here is a reader’s request, what can I do to rid of water retention or water weight? I’ve taken up a new activity, Krav Maga. It is a VERY intense workout. My body is bruised up in certain areas. After class I’m wet from sweating so much. I try to drink lots of water and to consume protein in the form of a shake and in my food. I just don’t see this helping me very much and the scale is very unstable. One day I’m up 3 pounds and 2 days later I’ll be down 2, then up again, etc. Is this normal for my weight to fluctuate so often? It is frustrating and I accepted having a 3 pound weight gain from last year but I’m not happy with the new extra 3 pounds gained that constantly go up and down.
it’s totally normal for your weight to fluctuate like that- weigh yourself once a week, at the same time of day. that’s it. anything more than that will just make you go crazy 🙂
I love foam rolling. I need to be more diligent about it though. It really does work so well.
I’ve never tried foam rolling (bc I have a fused spine & not sure if I should/ can – gotta talk to the doc), but it sounds like it would be really good for me. Seems like when I am tight from being so active, I can’t stretch enough.
I love you lulu jacket and I may or may not need to go back to the store to check them out ;P
Aren’t you two little Lulu yogis so cute?! I foam roll every few days, although I should do it every day. I’ve been doing it a lot more the last few weeks with my running injuries right before my marathon. The best/tightest spots for me are the hamstring, glutes/rear, IT band and quads. It hurts so good. 🙂
My foam roller is the best 20 bucks I ever spent. Its name is Frank….I have dates with Frank every night while watching Chelsea Lately 🙂
i actually bought my foam roller via a promotion that you were having back in the spring! but i haven’t been faithful to it. is 5 minutes all you do?! i think that’s manegable but i keep thinking i need to dedicate so much time to it so i haven’t done it
yep, all you need it 5 minutes!
Ah, the other love of my life, the foam roller. I especially love to do upper body and shoulder stretches – they feel like Heaven after a day in front of the computer.
I read your blog every day…and what a surprise to see you post a picture of a former co-worker of mine! I worked with Ashley at Outback years ago! What a small world 🙂
so crazy!!
I have a foam roller, but I really need to learn what to do with it. For now, it’s really more of a dog toy than anything else. My puppy loves to roll it around and chase after it! 😉
You are too cute! Love your blooper! 🙂 And I would barely exist without my foam roller.
i only foam roll my back to stretch it out, otherwise i don’t use it for anything else.
i dont have a player to watch the vids now at work, i’ll have to remember to look at them later!
One of my favourite things to do with the foam roller (you need a long one for this) is to lie down on it, flat on your back and put your arms out 90 degrees, parallel to the floor to stretch out your chest. Keep stretching by slowly trying to put both arms on the floor (hope I described this ok!). I often lie down and stretch like this for 3 + minutes just because it feels so good and is really relaxing!!
I’m not big with the foam roller cuz it kills my IT bands, but it does serve some good purposes.
Great quote btw!
Love foam rolling but i’m always in pain when i do it! especially my quads!! aaackk! does it get better as you do it more?? love seeing your pics with ashley, bc i read her blogs too. nice to see the connection ya know.
Ahhh that lulu zip-up you are wearing is the one I want! I saw it at the regular store but it was just too expensive for me right now. But I’m totally in love with it!!! I love that Panera has breakfast sandwiches now (or did they always??)-I got an egg white sandwich the other day and it was awesome!
Yay! Thanks so much for the foam roller post. I’ve been wanting to get into foam rolling since I’ve been running more but haven’t really been sure what to do with the roller. Definitely appreciate the post.
And love the Lululemon zip up you’re wearing!
Thank you Thank you for posting that video! Obviously I wish it were from you:) I’ve only foam rolled once but it helped a ton and am looking into buying one. HELLO opensky offer!
Ive never foam rolled in my life, crazy huh. I have heard nothing but great things about it! Basically I am a huge sucker for massage and bodywork of any kind and pretty much get some sort of backrub from Scott when he’s home every day, even if it’s just 5 mins. Those are the best 5 mins of my day. Maybe I can trick myself into thinking Im getting a massage if I foam roll… 🙂
Going to panera, coffee,girl talk…the best thing!
The last quote is very powerful, great words to live by!
🙂
Hey girl, I noticed your coffee mug. Is it the green recycled one from starbucks? If so I used to have the exact same one… but I tossed it when I saw that the plastic was one of the dangerous ones. Not sure if your a freak like me but I thought I would give you the heads up anyway. As you may know the WORST plastics to come in contact with heat are #3, #5 & #7 and my mug was one of them.
what?!? gah. i’ll check it
It’s incredibly painful to roll out my IT band–yikes!–but my knees appreciate it.
I havent foam rolled before but I heard it can really help..my gym doesnt have them though and I just havent bought any 😛 Stretching seems to work enough for me.
Can’t wait to watch the video! I just ordered a foam roller for home and I’m so excited – it’s a pink one to support breast cancer awareness! http://www.pilates.com/BBAPP/V/store/props/rollers/pink-foam-roller.html?BBInit=ProOct2010
ahhhh! i love it!
I fell in love with foam rolling while I was training for my half-marathon earlier this year– it’s essential for runners!! (I still feel really silly when I do it, though!) It’s good motivation to run early in the morning, before my husband wakes up, because he looks at me funny when I use my foam roller. 😉
I love your “something to think” quote!
I try to foam roll at least every other day, but would probably do it every day if I had one at home. My favourite exercises are for the calves (especially after a day of wearing heels!) and IT band (which gets super tight with running). I love your video! 🙂
Never used a foam roller. I always see them though! That video of you is so funny =)
I love my foam rollers! I love rolling the side of my leg to stretch out my IT band. It hurts like heck but always feels so good when I am done!
I don’t own a foam roller, but I’m thinking I really should invest in one. Thanks for the video with the exercises- very helpful!
It’s kind of hard to belive that this simple foamy thing could be as great as you all say. Souds too good to be true!
I do have a request of some kind – I’m wondering what kind of workout DVDs you use and/or like the best, if you use them at all? Right now I am doing some serious “body torture” supervised by Jillian Michaels, and I’m having a blast in every sense of the word 🙂 And as it’s always fun to keep it interesting, i’m curious what would you suggest, for like whole body workout, interval training, yoga, etc.
Oh, and I like Maria’s idea, too, about “that-time-of-the-month” suggestions 🙂
Have a nice day and good luck with the zumba interviews!
Gah!! I NEED a foam roller. My old gym had them and they felt so gooood. I’ll check back at your open sky promo
I used to foam roll – need to get back at it maybe!
That’s a great mantra at the end of your post to live by!