The foam roller. My friend, my enemy. It truly is that piece of fitness equipment that “hurts so good.” You’ve probably seen all kinds of foam rollers. But how do you know which one is right for you? Well, in this simple guide you’ll not only learn all of the great things you can do with a foam roller, and that is quite a list, but you’ll also find out how to pick the best foam roller for you.
Just What is a Foam Roller?
So, what is this innocent-looking but pain-inflicting device all about? A foam roller is a versatile and affordable piece of training equipment that most people would benefit from using every day. Yes, I said every day. It can be used for physical therapy rehabilitation, self massage (also known as self-myofascial release), Pilates, core strengthening, and balance training. I personally use a black foam roller for self-massage. I run four times a week and definitely get my share of muscle tightness and soreness. Using an extra firm foam roller helps me work out some of those aches and stay loose. And hopefully, injury free. But since that may not be what you are looking for, I’d like to share with you information about the different types of foam rollers and their various uses.
The Different Kinds of Foam Rollers
Foam rollers come in a variety of densities, lengths and colors. Finding the right one really just depends on your needs. First, you need to decide what you will be using your foam roller for. If you want to use it for balance and core training, you may want to try a half round foam roller. A half round is exactly what it sounds like – it is only half of the round roller. This type of roller is often used to improve posture and balance and make those “easy” core exercise even harder. Try standing on the flat side to improve balance. Try push-ups with your hands balancing on the flat side. Or how about squats or lunges with one or both feet on the flat side? For work on your posture, sit on the rounded side. To engage your core, sit on the flat side. Here’s what a half round foam roller looks like:
The Full Round Foam Roller
Most common, however, is the full round foam roller. This is the type I use. The full foam roller is best for self massage, trigger point therapy, and Pilates. Using a foam roller for self massage can initially be a painful experience. While deep rolling pressure over knots of muscle (trigger points) and tight spots can improve blood flow to muscles and allow for fuller muscle movement, your muscles have probably been in knots for years and that deep muscle pressure can take a while to get used to. In a Pilates classes, the full foam roller can be used to more fully engage core muscles while working through routines. Balancing on the foam roller while doing scissor kicks, planks, and ab work can bring your Pilates workout to a higher level. Here’s a pic of a full round foam roller:
Foam Roller Density
After you’ve picked which type of foam roller you want (half round vs. full round), you need to decide about the density of the roller. The more dense foam rollers, typically made out of molded composite foam, are usually black in color and offer maximum support. These are best when using your full body weight for balance or deep massage. Unfortunately, the massage pressure can often be too uncomfortable, i.e., painful, for the foam roller novice. Some people may be more comfortable starting with a softer roller, typically white in color and made of less dense polyethylene foam, and graduating up to the harder ones. There are also medium-density foam rollers. These are often green or blue and sometimes covered in vinyl. This can make cleaning them fairly easy (if you’re into cleaning them – I never have). I myself started with the denser foam roller right from the beginning and just choked back the tears.
There are just a few more decisions you need to make when you are picking out a foam roller. You can pick from a variety of sizes and “bonus features.” Typically, foam rollers are about 6 inches in diameter and can come in lengths of 12, 18 and 36 inches. Shorter foam rollers are more travel-friendly and can also help to isolate smaller muscle areas while the longer ones are better for the bigger muscle groups and full body exercises. And, yes, I admit that I have a big foam roller and a small one, which I have brought along on vacation.
Spikes and Grids
As for the bonus features, some foam rollers come embossed with spikes and grids. These would be most beneficial when you are using the foam roller for deep tissue massage. The spikes and grids are supposed to allow continued blood flow to the muscle area you are working on, even while you apply firm, direct pressure. Here’s a photo of a spikey foam roller:
So there you have it: a simple guide to choosing your foam roller. And if you’d like to see a few foam roller maneuvers that you will probably want to use with your new best friend/worst enemy, check out this article from Runner’s World: http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/roll.
Peace out –
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