Confession: I never use afoam roller.
How could someonewho’s a runnerand a fitness editor NOT use a foam roller?!
Because no one has convinced me that it’s worth my time.
Foam rolling the arm
Some days, it takes a lot of schedule hacking and sacrificing to just fit in a quick workout.
Like, a lot.
I always do afew quick stretchesafter my workouts before I run off to the next thing.
Foam rolling the outer thigh
But foam rolling has always just sounded like extra work, so I’ve ignored its existence.
People are nowpayingto foam roll.
I called group fitness studioTone Housein New York City to book a spot in their newishRecovery class.
Foam rolling the front of the quad
Here’s how it helped make a believer out of this skeptic.
I needed to get more info on foam rolling before I did it.
Just like a massage, foam rolling helps break up knots in this tissue and release tension.
Foam rolling the calves
But the benefits of using a foam roller specifically for this purpose have only recently begun to be studied.
First, he reassured me that it’s notreally badthat I don’t foam roll.
But it could help me.
Foam rolling the back of the quad
And then you’re underusing some," Jeffers says.
The way you do it is simple.
Pause for a couple seconds there, and then continue rolling.
“Listen to your body,” Giordano says.
It should feel like a massageone that hurts so good, not one that just plain hurts.
Jeffers also says I should avoid rolling on my joints or anything hard.
“You want to stay where the muscle is,” he says.
You should also never foam roll your lower back.
I went on my foam-rolling spree a few days after returning from an epic hiking trip in Yosemite.
So most of the muscles in my legs were pretty damn tight.
“You’ll find you have some spots you better roll more than others,” Yusuf says.
Everyone is built differently.
What I learned: The arches of my feet need some serious TLC (thanks, running).
My calves are insanely tight.
So is the outer side of my quads.
My hamstrings are not tight at all, and neither are my arms or butt.
So I’d say keep going to barre class."
Both experts said not really, but foam rolling too hard can definitely leave you bruised.
Both experts also tell me that ideally, one should foam roll after all workouts.
Real talk: My life is stupid busy.
But I have started doing it about two times a week just on the spots that need it.
Can I conclusively say if it’s made a huge difference?
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