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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Just “connected” with you on OpenSky. I’ve never used a foam roller, but I’ve been wanting to try one out. I am “learning” to run and my hamstrings and calves definitely tighten up. I’d love to have this foam roller to try it out!!
I already follow you on Open Sky! My favorite way to get sweaty has to be Zumba!!! I would love an actual foam roller to use. In the past I just cut up those cheap pool noodles. Some work better than others…haha
I try to foam roll as often as I can and love to hate rolling my calves. I also get some awesome cracks and pops when I roll my back that feel oh so good!
I already follow on OpenSky. I love yoga and walking!
I love the foam roller. I used to use it after pilates reformer sessions. I think I would have to say I would use it after dancing (which does a number on my calves) . i also love it after a yoga or pilates class.
i followed you! i love foam rolling & would love this evil version of one! My tightest places are my hammies and calves! I love to do interval training to get a good sweat. Its short and not so sweet, but wonderful 🙂
I love long bike rides 🙂 This would feel great on my tight calves and quads!
I keep telling my husband I need to suck it up and buy a foam roller for my IT band. It has been so sore from running. Completed my first marathon in March.
Already follow you on opensky! My favorite way to sweat is running and dancing 🙂
I definitely need to roll out my IT band more! It tends to get sore from training and, like you, have also experienced knee pain because of it. Further, that blue roller looks killer!
I already follow you on Open Sky and my favorite way to sweat is Zumba!!!
Of course I already follow you on Open Sky. 🙂 My favorite way to sweat is to spin, and I would love a foam roller. I sit at a desk all day and would love to try it on my upper back.
Definitely my hamstrings, they are always tight and sore after a run!
Definitely would work on my hamstrings and lower back!
Thanks for the info! Iv had a foam roller for a long time but really didn’t know what to do w it!
I follow you on OpenSky (and I posted an adapted recipe of yours on my blog today!). I would love to use a foam roller on my quads today… they’re so sore from my leg workout last night!!! Thanks for the awesome giveaways and wonderful blog!
xoxoxo
Rosa
I already follow you 🙂
my favorite way to sweat is hiking!!!!!!
I have never foam rolled, but I’d love to give it a go!
I follow you on Open Sky and I have been eager to try the foam roller for ages now!
Already follow you! And I totally need that for my back, u have so many knots and issues with my back and neck. The ridged foam roller looks awesome, even if I don’t win, I think I need to buy one!
I just started running this year, and completed my first 5k last Saturday. Right now, running is my favorite way to sweat, but I like to change things up a lot so I don’t get bored. I have been looking into foam rolling, so your post came at just the right time! Thanks lady!
Love to run! Fav exercise
Favorite way to sweat: running. Lots of running = lots of foam-rolling for my quads!
Im following you!! That foam roller looks awesome!! I would totally use it for my legs!
I already follow you on Open Sky…I need to roll my hamstrings…so tight from running!
I recently used a foam roller in my hip area for the first time . . . it was amazing! It eased the tension and soreness in my hip area so well! Awesome!
My favorite way to sweat is a total toss up between Bikram yoga and a good, long run outside! I could really use the foam roller for my back/shoulders — I often feel like an old lady with all the silly back pain I have!
I would love to have a foam roller, especially for my hamstrings and hips–running always makes them sore!
(p.s. I already follow you on Open Sky)
I would love to roll out my hams and back!
Hi Gina,
I’m already following you on Open sky. I love to run but in the last year I’ve started doing Zumba and Dance Central for the Kinect as well. I’m 3 months post partum so dancing games for Kinect were good lower intensity workouts to do as I eased back into fitness (Zumba for Kinect is way easier than the real life classes but still super fun!). Anyway I need a foam roller for my ITB for sure as well as for my calves. Also holding the baby to breastfeed all the time tightens up by upper back and shoulders as well. Even if I don’t win I’m probably going to buy one of these. Thanks for the great post!
I love the stairmill or a heavy legs workout complete with lunges, squats, and HIIT! Would definitely use the foam roller on my back, neck, and shoulders after long days of working in front of a computer.
I love to run so I try to do lots of hamstring exercises as well. I have been wanting to try a foam roller and I would love to use it for glutes/hamstrings since I never feel like I can get a good enough stretch there!
I already follow you on Opensky. I feel like this equation pretty much sums up my life…
ICU nurse (12 hour shifts on my feet) + Turbofire workouts = LOTS of sore muscles!
I definitely carry a ton of my tension in my shoulders/upper back and hip/IT band area, so I would love to have that fabulous foam roller to massage these muscles.
I follow u on open sky! My favorite way to sweat is running on the lakefront path in chicago
I love to get my sweat on in spin class!! 45 minutes of non stop riding and then being drenched after, such a great workout and great feeling!
Just started doing the Zuzka Light at-home workouts and love em already! My fav way to sweat 🙂
I’m following you already! I would love to foam roll my neck/shoulders- they get so sore from being hunched over a computer every day!
My favorite way to sweat is taking a spin class followed by 15 min on the stairmaster, then a little ab session. 🙂
I’m following already!
My favorite way to sweat is to go for a long run in a beautiful setting!
My fav place to foam roll… I don’t know cause I haven’t tried one! That’s why I want to win!!
I follow you on opensky! Would love a foam roller for after running. I’m doing a 10 mile race this weekend in Chicago and this would feel awesome on my muscles after!!
I already follow you on Opensky. If I had a foam roller, I would be using it on my lower back and my IT band for sure!
I already follow you on Open Sky – and now am a Sunwarrior addict 😉 I, too, have had major IT band issues and the foam roller is heaven (in a sick, painful way). HA! I can really tell when I neglect to get into a regular rolling routine.
My favourite way to sweat is combat class or zumba.
I have some chronic pain in my hips that it looks like could benefit from one of these. If I don’t win, I think I might pick one up soon.
Love running & spinning! Did both today. I have a leg injury and foam rolling seems to help it, along with all other benefits. Been meaning to buy one for months.
Right now my favorite way to sweat is Zumba!! I go through phases with Cardio…up until a week ago (when it got ridiculously hot in FL) I loved running…I can see myself becoming a Zumba-maniac! That hour FLIES by! I would love that foam roller for my glutes!! Those babies have been SORE!
My fav way to sweat is good outdoor run for sure! It’s my favorite stress relief and my body always feels so good afterwards!
I’m following! I love working up a sweat in a cardio kickboxing class, and foam rolling my quads sounds amaaaaaaaazing right now! Have a great day! 🙂
I just followed you on OpenSky! That roller with the ridges looks so great for a sore back! I’ve had trouble with my lower back in particular for a couple years, and it’s even worse now that I’ve started my first job and sit in an office chair all day. I’m so glad I saw this blog posting because I’ve never seen a back roller with ridges in it, and I think it could help a lot of my back problems. Even if I don’t win I think I’m going to have to pick on of these up asap!
I already follow you on OpenSky – my favorite way to sweat is instructing Zumba or doing yardwork on a hot day. I would love a foam roller for my always sore lower back!
Already follow you! I’m somewhat new to running seriously, and one of these would probably be a HUGE help to the ridiculous stiffness I still get after my long runs. Might have to get my hands on one of these!