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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I would love to be able to foam roll my calves. Oh would I!
Running is my favorite way to sweat and I would definitely use the foam roller on my upper and lower back!
Spin class is my favorite way to sweat! I would love to foam roll my hamstrings
At 7 months preggo I would foam roll literally every part of my body possible!!!
My favorite workout right now is TurboKick! It’s unbelievable the workout you get during one class. I could definitely use a foam roller on my thighs and lower back.
Favorite way to sweat is running! Would love to start rolling my IT band!
I’ve always wanted to try a foam roller!! My fave way to get a real good sweat is with an intense zumba session 🙂
Awesome giveaway! I would love to roll my neck and upper back. My favorite way to sweat is hiking in the mountains of Maine.
would love a foam roller. have been in the market for one forever.. just havent gotten to it yet!
I follow you on OpenSky and I would love to foam roll my back.
LOVE to foam roll my quads and hammies… they get so tight it makes me sweat! that nobby roller of yours looks intense (and amazing!)
I have never foam rolled, and now I’m convinced I need one 🙂
My favorite way to sweat is RUNNING!!! I have had a lot of IT band issues and have been researching foam rollers:)
im following you on opensky!
my favorite way to sweat is to run, its such a love/hate relationship haha
Fave way to sweat…stair master! Could use that foam roller afterwards on my calves. They are always screaming!
After long runs foam rolling really helps!
Favorite way to sweat is any group fitness class that my favorite instructor teaches, and I need to always foam roll my hamstrings.
My favorite sweat exercises are lifting and spinning, definitely break a sweat with this last one!
I already follow you on open sky (and get my sun warrior through you!)
I never used a foam roller before, but would love to try it on my sore sciatic nerve, I am always havingmflares of pain in my bum area.
Ana
Fav way to sweat- a circuit style workout! weights+cardio! My fav lately!!
I already follow you on OpenSky, but my favorite areas to foam roll are my quads and hamstrings which always seem to get so tight from running! I was actually only just introduced to foam rolling 2 months ago and it is LIFE-CHANGING : ) I rely on the one at my gym so I would love having one at home!
I’m already an OpenSky follower! Fav way to sweat = run!
I love running and am recovering from an IT band injury (thanks, foam roller!).
I follow you on Open Sky! Rolling out my IT band and glutes always helps keep my hips loose for running!
My fav way to sweat is INSANITY! I also love Turbofire and dancing! Yoga is up there too!
My favorite way to sweat is by mixing it up: running, elliptical, boxing, body pump and yoga. I feel like my chest and quads could use the most foam rolling!
I type this as I lay on the couch, too sore to move from a killer lower body workout! My quads and glutes are praying we win!
I could really use a foam roller for my legs after a long run!
My favorite way to sweat is running, Insanity, or vinyasa yoga. Lately I’ve noticed more tension in my upper back so I would like to try foam rolling that area. Thanks for the gievaway!!
I love rolling my IT band and glutes after bootcamp or spin or even Zumba…really anytime! I agree it’s just like a massage except Im the one doing the hard work 🙂
My favorite is definitely my glutes/ hips. Hurts so good 🙂
I could definitely use this for my back. Between working out, carrying my kids around and being on my feet all day at work…my back could use a good rub down.
Favorite way to sweat is in hip hop class! I love o foam roll glutes and Hamstrings!
I already follow you on Open sky. I think I must have ADD when it comes to working out, because I’m always mixing it up (Turbofire, Yoga, Pilates, walking, running, weights). They do say variety is the spice of life. 😉 I’ve been wanting to try foam rolling and think my tight hamstrings would scream with joyful pain trying it! Haha
Favorite way to sweat is a long run on a Saturday morning! I’ve been wanting to try a foam roller on my knees.
My absolute favorite way to sweat is doing some HIIT!
I love to run and would love a foam roller to get out the tight spots on my legs and hips!
Dance cardio! Dance cardio!! Love it! (:
I will never forget the first time a trainer rolled me out. Besides the fact that it was slightly awkward because he was super hot and really close to me while I was laying on the pilates table, it hurt SO. BAD. I mean good, but wowza. I’m pretty sure I made some really hot facial expressions haha.
We have a foam roller as part of our at-home chamber of torture (aka the workout room) and its the best thing ever!
Favorite way to sweat is running & would love the foam roller for my back.
I’m loving P90X & Insanity at the moment! They are a killer work out but I love how I feel after doing each workout. Not to mention, I’m loving the transformation that I am seeing!
Hot yoga is definitely my fave way to get my sweat on! Currently I would looove to foam roll my calves which are super sore but I also have pretty regular back pain/tension, maybe the foam roller would help!
OOh, I’ve been meaning to buy a foam roller for a few weeks now. I use one at our Crossfit box, but want to get one for more focused rolling at home!
Would love a foam roller! I’ve been wanting one. My favorite way to sweat is with a good butt kicking boot camp 🙂
I love/hate to foam roll!! I have never seen one with divots in it but I would imagine it is a more wonderful/painful experience!
My new favorite way to sweat is crossfit and heck yes it makes me sore and in need of a foam roller!
What a coincidence…I saw a demonstration about using a foam roller last week, and just talked to one of my co-workers who also praised the benefits of foam rolling! I have been having a lot of stiffness in my knees post-workouts due to arthritis, so I’d love to see how a foam roller might help me!
I’m loving TRX right now! And I need a foam roller for my calves.
Foam rolling! This is something I haven’t tried yet, but really want to. Especially because I have a husband like yours who pretends not to hear me when I ask (okay… beg) for a massage. 🙂
I’ve just started running and it’s my favorite way to sweat….for now 😉