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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What a great giveaway! I definitely need a foam roller as I just started training for my very first half marathon. Right now I use a rolling pin (but it hurts quite a bit more than a foam roller haha). My favorite way to sweat is definitely DANCING (zumba, hip hop, etc). I already follow you on OpenSky!
That foam roller looks crazy! I would love to use it to get my back muscles to relax after a hectic day. I love the suggestion to use it on your lats too, i would not have thought of that!
I already follow you on Open Sky!
My favorite way to sweat: Hot Power Yoga
Favorite Place to Foam Roller: Upper back which is always SUPER tight from working at a computer all day!
Oh man I would loooove to try a foam roller !! I have been hurting so much lately and the BF ignores my pleas for a massage hahaha. We’re both doing P90X right now and I would kill for some rubdown on my hamstrings !! (;
I already follow you for the sunwarrior promos :). I love spinning, which makes for tight IT and butt–foam rollers are magic!
I’ve been wanting to get a foam roller recently, hope I win this one!
I already follow you on Open Sky! I would love to foam roll my calves and hamstrings — they have been SOOO tight lately!
Running will always be my favorite sorce of sweating!!! But with a lot of running comes a need for a good foam roller fo sho!! Ive been eyeing one like that to help get a little deeper on my calves.
My upper back is begging for a foam roller. Way too much hunching at my desk going on over here.
I would love to try the Thera Roll on my calves and hamstrings! The Thera Roll will sure loosen up toughs tight spots after a long workout.
oh my i need this foam roller. i have a dense black one but this one looks even more intense. LOVE. i runn about 30 to 40 miles a week and constantly have sore hips, and IT band pain. would love this. and yes i already follow you on open sky!
My boyfriend just got a foam roller and I use it any time I go over to his place! Now I need one of my own 😉 My favorite way to sweat is taking a kickboxing class!
I’ve never used a foam roller! I’d love to win it and start using it! My favorite way to sweat is cleaning out a horse stall. I know I’m sure everyone reading this is thinking gross! But hey I’m a cowgirl thru and thru! 😉
After some serious deadlifts/running last night my hammies sure could use a good foam rolling! I have also had a bit of knee pain recently and I know foam rolling (plus appropriate streching) could do it a lot of good.
fave way to get in a good sweat is to go for a morning run. and my IT band and hammies are ALWAYS super tight and in desperate need of foam rollin. and I’d be really excited to try a different foam roller! I have a pretty basic one I picked up at REI a year+ ago that’s getting all soft on me 🙂
I already follow you on open sky. My favorite way to sweat is a BodyPure class. Yoga is a close second. I’ve done Pilates mat classes on the foam roller, and they are intense!
I loved using a foam roller at my old gym. I’ve totally been missing one lately – my legs could sure use it! I have a love/hate relationship with foam rolling my IT bands because it kills, but then feels sooo good after.
I already follow you! And I also have IT band issues, which has not helped me in my favorite way to sweat-running! But it has forced me to try out other workouts, including all the “burners” you post!
I follow you and would loooooove a foam roller. I live in a small town in Mississippi and no where sells them!
My favorite way to sweat is taking a bootcamp class! I would use a foam roller for my upper and lower back. Carrying a 1 year old around all day while chasing a 3 and 4 year old makes those back muscles little tight.
Just followed you on OpenSky.
I would use (and NEED) this bad boy on my upper back.
Following you on OpenSky! I would LOVE this foam roller for my back, which is always, always tight. Seems like it will be more effective than my hubby’s half-attempts at a back rub 🙂
I follow you on OpenSky now. I need a foam roller for my quads and hamstrings badly!
Already follow you on OpenSky! I love to sweat by strength training and running/hiking with my dog! My IT Band could definitely use some foam rolling! My husband ignores me, too, when I ask that question. Ha!
I follow you on Opensky. I not only need a foam roller I might even share it with my husband who has plantar faciitis.
I already follow you, how else do I get Sun Warrior?!? Anyhow, I need that bad boy for my quads and glutes!
I follow you on OpenSky, and my hamstrings desperately need this!
I have been following you for a while and I truly enjoy your blogs : ). Well, I have done so many different workouts, but for the last year, I have been hooked on RUNNING!!! I never thought I would be able to run a mile, and now I have ran 13.1 on my own (there isn’t a half marathon close to me : ( and it’s difficult to travel with my daughter. So, I’m running anywhere from 40 to 50 miles a week however, I’ve been cutting down because my calves are killing me. I’m stretching, eating healthy, drinking water all day and nothing is working. I have heard of the foam roller but didn’t completely understand the concept of it but after reading your blog…makes sense : ) thank you for all the great and positive information you provide to us : )
I already follow you on opensky, and I would LOVE a foam roller for my IT band…I used to go to physical therapy for my knee pain while running, and would foam roll my IT band to ease pain. I gave up running (too painful) and now I walk; but I would love to have a roller to ease the occasional overuse pains I get now.
I follow you on OpenSky! I love rolling out my psoas – especially after a good dance class.
I just bought some Sun Warrior from you on Open Sky, though I think they might have my old email address, not sure.
I’m going to do Turbo Sculpt (your Chalene posts made me dust it off) today. I could need a roller for many things after because I haven’t touched a dumbbell in a while.
I follow on OpenSky! I love a good cardio workout on the treadmill or elliptical. I’m a new gym goer, so it’s still fun. And on strength days I follow with weights.
I love to foam roll my hips and lower back. It seems to help me sleep better!
I would like to use it to see if it reduces cellulite.
I have never heard of open sky…but i just joined and followed you.
My favorite way to sweat is definitely kickboxing…I love the fast pace and full body workout….I am also interested in trying cross fit.
I am really into triathlon, but I’m training for my first FULL marathon! I know I’ll be foam rolling a LOT leading up to that! I love to foam roll my butt muscles (leg propped up on the knee and really dig in there), and I don’t love, but need, lots of rolling of my IT band. Hope I win that cool looking foam roller, and if not I’ll just have to buy it 😉
I follow you! And I love rolling out the glutes and quads!! Ahhhhh.
i love/hate foam rollers. i remember the first time i tried them-it hurt SO bad it was weird! u just reminded me i need to foam roll more often..especially my it band and piriformis.
I already follow you! I love spinning class and running! My hip flexor muscles are always sore! My arms too…I tend to over work them in hopes of rocking the sleeveless shirts in the summer.
Following. 🙂
I would love a foam roller because I have hip pain and this looks like it would feel so good!!!
I love to foam roll my IT bands, my hips and my glutes. I’ve been doing this at the gym at work but would love to do this at home. I’ve been meaning to buy a roller and just haven’t done it yet. If I win this one, I promise to love it and use it!
My glutes for sure, dealing with piriformis syndrome. Oh I already follow you on opensky.
I follow you on OpenSky already, and really want to buy some snacks from there now that I think of it. Anyway, I have never used a foam roller! However, I love a massage, and my favorite is always my butt…feeling those big butt muscles relax with the pressure always feels great. I’m a runner too, so it’d probably do wonders for my IT band as well. As for my favorite way to sweat…I love sweating during the first round of legs during bodypump. My legs are always shaking and I’m always dripping after squats; it makes me feel like I must really be pumpin that iron!! 🙂
What a great giveaway! I already follow you on OpenSky, And this is another excuse to check it out and do some shopping 😉
I loved foam rolling when I had a gym membership, I have a really tight hamstring from an old injury that rolling really helps. It was also priceless fixing my plantar faciitis (I know I butchered that spelling) when I was marathon training.
I follow you on Open Sky already.
My favorite way to get my sweat on is definitely with a heavy weights session. I love foam rolling and it is absolutely the best thing for my IT Band! My entire body is so much more relaxed and stress free when I foam roll regularly!
I love to do the Zwows and old BR workouts along with some running, yoga, walking, and the occasional bike ride. I’d love a foam roller for my stuff upper back/shoulders
Right now…
I would love to sweat in a pool! It is SO HOT in Texas!
After that I could hop on my foam roller and roll away the night on my back
Now that’s what I call an evening!!
Thank you Gina!
I am intrigued! A co worker used to swear by this and I forgot she recommended it to me.
I would LOVE to use it on my upper back…I’ve been switching up my love of running and kettle bell for attempting wheelies on my bicycle. AND IT HURTS SO GOOD! My arms feel very strong but it hurts!
My hamstrings could really benefit from some foam rolling!
Just opened an open sky account. Now to win that MUCH needed foam roller for a hip injury from Bikram gone wild! My favorite way to sweat (now that Bikram is out) is old school 80’s Jazzercise! Yep, it is still around. I always wanted to do Jazzercise as a kid in the 80’s but was too self conscious. Now that I am hitting 40 and could care less about what others think, I love to go, sweat and laugh really heartily at my “moves”!