How To Do Foam Rolling?
Hello All!!
As one ages, the body’s muscles lose their elasticity in the connective tissue and joints. This results in pains, aches and injuries. Is there a way out? Yes, there is!! You can maintain a healthy body at any stage of life that too at an affordable price! I am talking about foam rolling. This post focuses on how to do foam rolling properly.
What does foam rolling do?
Foam rolling helps in doing miofacial release. When pressure is applied to sore muscles directly using a foam roller, muscle knots will be rolled out. This enables your body to bring blood flow to the area that is troubled. Nutrients and oxygen are transported to the muscles to enable faster repair.
Tips to make foam rolling effective
Avoid directly rolling on the area of pain
Do not roll on the source of pain directly. You should instead target the muscles surrounding the area. When you happen to roll a few inches away from the source of pain, you will enable the muscles to relax and repair themselves. This will prevent any kind of inflammation to the injury.
Be slow
In order to reap maximum benefits from foam rolling, you need to give sufficient time to your brain so that it tells your muscles to relax. There is something called the sensation scale where one feels pressure on a scale of 1 to 10. You need to find the tension area that makes you feel the pressure at the level of 8.
- You need to sit into that pressure point and take deep breaths until the sensation reduces to 4 on a scale of 1 to 10.
- Work on the same muscle; roll over a few inches above the actual point and repeat sitting into a pressure point, enabling tension to melt away.
Do foam rolling twice a week for 10 mins
Doing foam rolling will provide relief from stress, improve posture and prevent injury. Here are a few foam roller prescriptions for different situations, to help you lead a pain free life.
When you are injured
There are times when you have felt knee pain and pain in your lower back( It would have happened at least once in your lifetime!). this happens due to the muscles in those areas. When the muscles in that area get relieved, there is pain relief and increased flexibility and mobility.
- Lie on your side and place the foam roller under your hip. It should be perpendicular to the length of your body.
- For support, place your elbow on the ground.
- Using the sensation scale, find a point that feels like 8 on the scale and breathe through it.
- Gently roll the area with the foam roller.
- Your lower back should never be foam rolled. In order to relieve back pain, the foam roller should be above the rib cage or be focused on one’s hips.
When your body is stressed out
To fight stress out of your body, foam rolling is a great option. It enables you to access spots that are hard to reach like hips and shoulders. It is mainly in these areas where people have muscle tension. Try viewing the time spent with the foam roller as a meditation for your physical being. Watch your breathing pattern with a focus on relaxation and unwinding muscle tension.
- Lie down facing up with your knees bent and feet on the ground.
- Place the foam roller under your upper back.
- For support, place your hands behind the head.
- The foam roller should then be rolled along the upper spine, spending more time on the shoulders’ tight spots.
- Now use a longer foam roller that extends from your neck to pelvis and place it along the spine vertically.
- Relax your arms and keep your knees bent and feet on the floor. Hold the position for 2 to 3 minutes.
To help an athlete’s muscles
Foam rolling should be an inseparable part of your warm up and cool down if you happen to exercise more than 2 times a week.
Prior to heading out for a big cardio workout you should use the foam roller to get you major muscle groups ready. With firm rolling, the muscles will get more O2 and will be able to work harder and swifter.
- Sit down with legs stretched in front.
- Place the foam roller under the calf (lower half) of your leg.
- Keeping your hands on the floor, lift your hips and roll the calf along the foam roller.
- Switch legs and carry out the same steps.
- You can get deeper pressure when you place both the calves side by side. If you want less pressure, you can work on one calf at a time.
Ready for some foam roll??
You may also like reading-
- All About Ebola Virus-Spread,Symptoms,Precautions,Treatment
- Ebola Virus In India-News Or Rumors?
- Honey-Uses,Benefits And Nutrition Facts
- How PH balance affects your body weight?
- 5 Ways To Balance Your Hunger Hormones
- A Week’s Menu Of Protein Packed Indian Breakfast
- Are Your Weight Issues Due To Insulin Resistance?
- Jennifer Lopez’s Diet And Workout Routine
- Weight Loss Myths And Ways To Master Them
- Low Carb Baking With Coconut And Flax Seed Recipes
- How To Make Your Workout Fail-Proof?
- Childhood Obesity In India-Shocking Truth