Hurts so good {giveaway}
You know the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and his Windex?
That’s me and the foam roller. It helps with everything, from sore hamstrings to a broken heart.
I tell everyone that it “hurts so good” – that is, if you like a little pain.
So I wouldn’t recommend it in every possible situation, but for me, it’s helped with the chronic IT band pain I used to have, word on the street is that it reduces the appearance of cellulite (I’m a believer!) and it’s like a free massage. So when I ask the Pilot for a back rub and he pretends to not hear me, I can foam roll instead 😉
Here are some benefits of using a foam roller:
-Self myofascial release —> fancy way of saying “self massage” and enables soft tissue work. Many athletes accredit their fitness gains to soft tissue work. While using the foam roller, you use your body weight to apply pressure to sore spots and the eventual release can help restore or maintain full range of motion. When you have full range of motion, you aren’t forced to compensate by changing your normal movement patterns (which can cause muscular imbalance). This way, you’re less likely to become injured.
-Foam rolling helps to reduce fascia buildup, which makes us stiff. To read more about the benefits of thinning out fascia, this is a fantastic and thorough article.
-It’s easier to roll certain tight areas that are difficult to stretch in a static manner (like psoas and IT band). Static stretches also do not provide the compression that occurs while foam rolling- it’s similar to the release of a massage. This has worked WONDERS for my IT band, which can give us some issues if we do repetitive exercise (like running, spinning, walking/hiking, etc). It’s a difficult area to stretch and constant IT band rolling has helped reduce the knee pain I’ve experienced. One of my friends suffered from intense plantar fasciitis and foam rolling her calves helped immensely.
-It can help you de-stress and relax. If anything, it feels good! Of course the sore spots will be a little painful, but to me, always feel better after a foam rolling session. After a long day, I love rolling out my back, too.
*Heads up: if you’re currently injured or experiencing pain, check with a doc, Physical Therapist or Exercise Physiologist in your area before starting a foam rolling routine.
Here are some of my favorite ways to foam roll:
Tips:
Start to roll very slowly in long, sweeping motions.
When you find a tight spot, hold the foam roller on the spot for 30 seconds – 1 minute.
Continue to roll until you find the next tight spot, hold (30 seconds – 1 minute) and release.
Use your arms to support your body. If it’s too much, transfer more weight to your arms. If you want more, try lifting one leg (or one arm) to transfer more of your body weight to the roller.
See the blue Thera Roll in the above pics? It has ridges which helps penetrate the muscle a little deeper. It’s like the original foam roller’s angry cousin- and I love it.
OpenSky generously offered to send one to a lucky reader 🙂
Here’s how to enter:
–Follow me on OpenSky and leave a comment with your favorite way to sweat and/or any sore spots you’d like to foam roll
-Already follow me on OpenSky? Just leave a comment with your favorite way to sweat and/or any sore spots you’d like to foam roll
I’ll pick a winner from the comments tonight (5/23) at midnight EST.
Have a great day!
xoxo
Gina
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My favorite way to sweat is roller derby endurance practice or crossfit workouts. And I really need to get better at rolling out my quads and calves. I only roll them 2x a week before crossfit workouts.
I already follow you on Open Sky! 🙂 Thanks for all the Sunwarrior deals. lol. I love foam rolling my IT bands and hamstrings! Definitely helps!!
Hi Gina, I follow you on Opensky! I would love to try a foam roller… I have had bad pain in my hip flexors recently, enough to have to stop running :(. I stretch all day but it’s a tough one to really stretch! I never thought to use a roller on them.
Thanks!
I follow you on opensky already too! My favorite workouts are the high intensity circuit training I do as part of my tough mudder training…hello trampolines, zip lines, bosu balls and sandbags galore! I would love to roll out my calves and back 🙂 they take a lot of beating!
I already follow you on Open Sky. I love to roll my hip flexors and IT band. This foam roller would take it to the next level!
followed you! I can’t believe I wasn’t already. I would love one of these for my poor back…I had back surgery 3 years ago this fall, and I get really stiff in the mornings.
I follow you on OpenSky. I went through physical therapy for my back last year and they showed me how to foam roll not only my back but everywhere else. I have meant to buy one but have not gotten around to it. I would love this!
I definitely need one because the one I have is a hand-me-down; not sure how effective it is…
I already follow you on OpenSky. I have been dying to try a foam roller!
I already follow you! I would love to use it on my calves. My physical therapist is always telling me to stretch them more but static stretching does not help me much!
I would LOVE one of these for my knees and hamstrings and everything else that aches!!
I already follow you on Opensky, and my favorite way to sweat is CrossFit! I love to roll out my legs and glutes 🙂
My favorite way to sweat is definitely Zumba! I’ve been hooked for over a year now! And I’d love to foam roll my glutes and hamstrings right about now, I took a bodyworks class yesterday and I’m SO sore.
I am in dire need of a foam roller today 😉 I had an impromptu need to run yesterday (as in need, not desire) and the muscles of my lower leg are crazy sore from it today (as always happens when I run >:l ). Also: IT band woes as of late! I miss the foam rollers at my campus gym haha.
(I’m following you on OpenSky already.)
I already follow you on open sky! My favorite way to sweat is running! It’s cheap and can be done anywhere! Although I lOve spin class at my gym too. I’ve never used a foam roller, but I think I need to start!!
I’d love to foam roll my upper and lower body at home. Between early morning Crossfit, playing basketball on lunch with the guys, and ending the night with some Zumba love I am constantly trying to stretch and roll out my muscles. A foam roller at home would do so much better than the lacrosse ball I keep at my desk to try to “sneak” in some rolling throughout the day.
I love to foam roll my hips after a long run or my lower back.
I have ALWAYS wanted to try a foam roller-I see people at my gym using them all of the time and now I want one! Thanks for the pics of different positions so I won’t feel stupid when I try it! : )
I already follow you on OpenSky. My favorite way to sweat is the intense ‘warm up’ we do at my MMA class: push ups, pull ups, abs, punches, kicks, etc. I love pushing myself!
I run a lot and desperately need to roll my IT band!!!
I already follow you on Opensky…and i would LOVE a foam roller for my hips! Running has really done a number to them.
My IT band is always tight and hurts like crazy, which affects my hips and my knees and my back!!! ACK!!!
i started following you today and left a comment under the foam roller section. my lower back is crying out for this! and my calves!
My favorite way to sweat is to run! When I started running though, I also discovered I needed to roll out my IT Bands – its makes such a big difference!!! I also like to roll out my quads – it feels so good! 😀
Hi Gina! I already follow you on Opensky, but could really use the foam roller’s angry cousin, so my favorite way to sweat is with Crossfit and my favorite sore spots to roll out are my shoulders, upper back and neck (very carefully of course!) which are always tight from constantly sitting at my computer working and from Crossfit. Thanks for the giveaway!!! 🙂
My favorite way to sweat is pilates! I love it!!
After I completed my first half marathon my quads were a pain for weeks! I used a foam roller at the gym, but its not the same as being able to use one at your home!
I would love to roll my IT bands/hips and my lower back!
Ahhhhhhhh I am OBSESSED with my foam roller, I would love to try this spiky one! My favorite way to sweat is the new softball league I just joined — it is SO MUCH FUN! I would like to learn how to work on my psoas better with the roller.
My trainer introduced me to foam rolling last week!! I absolutely love it, especially with the back pain I constantly seem to have. There’s nothing the foam roller can’t fix! 🙂
I followed you on open sky! My favorite way to sweat is crossfit and I always have to roll my pesky glutes and hips. I learned how to release my psoas with it and it is AMAZING.
I’ve used the foam roller on my legs… My old trainer thought it was hilarious when I only felt that feels so good pain on my IT band. But I’d love to give it a shot on my back… I have a feeling my shoulder will love to hate me while working on that sucker. haha
I already follow you on Open Sky 😀 I love to run to get a good sweat!
I run and sometimes have knee issues. Rolling out my IT band cures it!
I love to foam roll my hamstrings after a long run. I have wanted one for myself, but just haven’t gotten one yet!
I already follow you on Opensky and desparately need this for my lower back. An injury two years ago still leaves me aching and in need of a good stretch!
I already follow you on OpenSky! My favorite way to sweat is zumba or sports conditioning classes. I would TOTALLY foam roll my upper back. After lifting, my back is always SO sore.
Did you use it at all during pregnancy? I haven’t researched to see if there would be any issues, but my shoulders are SO tight, and my lower back too.
Just followed you on Open Sky and I am a HUGE foam roller fan . . . although I use the sweet cousin of this one you’re giving away – the angry cousin would certainly be lovely (not so much) on my chronically cranky right IT band and calf. Or my quads. Or my mid-upper back. What can I say? Almost 43 and super-active, this bod requires a lot of TLC!
My favorite way to sweat is a good run. I would love to use this on my sholders and back.
I also have chronic IT band tightness! So many people have recommended foam rolling to me but I still have yet to get one! The time I have tried it at my PT’s office felt sooooo good!
Favorite way to sweat is to go for a run after work or if I’m not feeling that to take the dog on a nice long walk.
I already follow you. I love taking bootcamp classes. I’d use the foam roller on my legs and my back!
My fav ways to sweat are on the Pilates reformer and at Bikram 🙂 and I would love a foam roller for my INNER THIGHS. My right inner thigh is too tight, and it keeps my right knee turned in a little.
I follow you on OpenSky! I have been having some IT band issues as well. I started a running program and was sidelined about 3 weeks in — my friend got me started with the rolling and it’s helping so much, but I’m sure she’d love it if I got my own roller so that I can return hers 🙂
My favorite ways to sweat are running and Turbofire. I have never tried the foam roller, but it looks wonderful! I already follow you on open sky! 🙂
I always try to foam roll my hip flexors and quads but need to start on my calves! They have been super tight my entire life which has lead to foot problems. Time to get on that sucker!
I would love this for my lower back!
I’m already an OpenSky member, and I follow you, of course!
My quads are so sore from doing overhead squats yesterday! The ridges on the foam roller seem like they’d be perfect to help loosen them up some!
Current favorite sweat session is Insanity – which means my quads and hammies could really use a good foam roll! (Already follow you on OpenSky!)