When to do it, why to do it, and what exactly is happening when we do it!
The foam roller is a tool you may have been encouraged to use, you may already own, but many of us may not actually use them because we don't know what to do with them, or what it is they will do for us. I know I definitely owned one and let it sit for a while before I learned how and why to use it.
Let's dive in!
What are the benefits of foam rolling?
Foam rolling has been shown to reduce muscle soreness, inflammation, and tightness. Foam rolling can help us warm up our muscles and help our muscles recover. As we bring foam rolling into our wellness routine, we may notice increased range of motion as well as improved posture and alignment.
When to foam roll
Anytime you have time! As mentioned above, foam rolling can be part of your warm up, helping to release any tightness that may inhibit movement or limit range of motion.
Foam rolling can also be part of your cool down, helping with recovery and potentially reducing soreness. You can also use foam rolling on recovery days, maybe taking a bit more time and hitting up the entire body.
What is happening when we foam
Foam rolling is a form of myofascial release, which means as we take the time to roll out our body we are releasing the fascia.
So what is fascia? For the purpose of this post we will talk about fascia as the layer covering the muscles in your body. When the fascia is tight or stiff, then our body will likely feel tight or stiff too: the muscles cannot move as well as we would like.
When we foam roll we are applying pressure and inviting movement into the fascia, helping it to become more flexible, allowing the muscles the ability to move.
Now that we understand the why, when, and what, come join me for some foam rolling workshops!
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