Reasons to foam roll:
• it can Reduce muscle soreness by speeding up your recovery time.
• Faster recovery time.
• Increase mobility/range of motion
• Increase circulation
• Myofacial/soft tissue release
• Reduce the appearance of cellulite, moving/freeing up certain types of fat distribution.
• mentally/physically relaxing
• helps with metabolism of body and even with certain types of sinuses or maybe even certain headaches
How does foam rolling speed recovery time?
Foam rolling creates pressure on the areas you roll out and this pressure helps to generate more circulation to the area.
What does the increased circulation do that helps reduce soreness, and speed up recovery? More circulation, means more fresh blood… more fresh blood means fresh oxygen and nutrients to the healing muscles. Fresh blood also means a trash pickup for all the byproducts and “garbage” the muscle does not need.
Myofacial whattt?
Myofacial refers to soft tissue like muscle and the fascia that surrounds it. Our entire skeletal muscle system is all connected from the toes to even your tongue. It’s all in one giant “balloon” that attaches to certain parts of our bones and surrounds our muscle groups. The fascia is the balloon /elastic material that surrounds, encloses and attaches our muscles. Our fascia can get stuck or if we are tight in one area the fascia pulls and just like a chain it ends up pulling on a connected area and can create tightness in an area totally different. For example really tight calves can contribute to tight knees/knee pain or even tight hips.
By putting pressure on the fascia we bring in oxygen and allow for a release to occur. The idea behind Myofacial release is that if we can release the areas that attach and surround a group of muscles, the muscles as a result will release as well. When you find those… lose your breath spots just hold it there and take some nice long deep beaths- in though nose and out through nose. *this type of breathing helps the muscles to relax* Then do tiny little moments over that spot.
Foam rolling your body including your hips/glutes, entire back body, shoulders and using it to stretch and release your neck will help you relax and stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system…if you do this while focusing on diaphragmatic breathing you are allowing your muscles to relax, your metabolism to run more efficiently and all other types of fantastic things to happen. By creating blood flow it can also help reduce inflammation.
Diaphragmatic Breathing is done by inhaling through your nose and filling your belly with air. Making your stomach rise and fill with air verses your chest and then exhaling emptying your stomach as well. I’d try it in through nose and out through nose first. But this type of breathing alone stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system allowing us to relax and certain systems of the body (metabolism, liver emptying, etc) to work.
How does foam rolling help reduce cellulite? It can free up soft tissue that might be stuck, and also by increasing circulation it can help free up the fat to be pulled into the blood stream where it has the possibility of being used up for energy. It mainly helps in fresh circulation which helps removal of toxins, fluids and connective tissue (Myofacial, etc ) helping to smooth out these areas.
Increase mobility and range of motion by allowing for that Myofacial release to occur ! This is great for muscle hygiene and can really make a difference PRE – WORKOUT!!
Try 10 full rolls over an area back and forth to start with in your foam rolling regimen.
If you don’t already have a foam foller, buy one! A ton of stores carry them you can easily find one online… if you are new to foam rolling I’d go with a medium/soft firmness. Not too soft unless you are REALLY tight/knotted and sensitive. Once you get used to a medium firmness then go to a more firm roller. I would avoid the ones with raised surfaces unless you are a super advanced roller and don’t bruise real easily. 🙂
HAPPY Foam Rolling!
-Sammie Rose
SammieRose 