By Hayley Jones
A foam roller might just be the answers to all of your prayers…
Spending too much time sitting down at your desk and looking down at your screen can leave you feeling ache and sore, which can drag your energy down.
You can be left feeling that only dropping onto a cosy sofa and zoning out in front of the TV is the answer. But what if there is a quick, easy solution to get you back on your feet and feeling energised ready to hit the gym?
Getting your hands on a foam roller may be the answer. By adding just 5-10 minutes of foam rolling into your daily routine, you can release muscle tension in your body, leaving you feeling more energy from gaining more freedom in your body.
Foam rollers are used to apply pressure by lying on them to target tension areas of muscle and along areas of connective tissue. This is called myofascial release.
1. Think pressure not “rolling”:
Roll on the foam roller intuitively to find the area of tension in the muscle you are focusing on. Once you target this “good pain” spot, keep a stationary pressure on it with your foam roller. Hold for 20-30 seconds or until you feel the muscle relax and tension ease.
2. Know when to ease off:
If the pressure you are applying changes from therapeutic “good pain” to “bad pain” then ease off the pressure or stop completely.
3. Don’t shock your body:
Let your body ease into the foam roller massage, rather than shocking the nervous system by attacking the muscle tension too quickly. Aim to go slow and ease into the roller massage.
4. Don’t push yourself to do too much in one go:
Spend no more than 20-30 seconds on each area. Spending too long on an area can cause discomfort and cause apprehension, rather than the relaxation response. If you find one area very sensitive then work on the muscles around it.
5. Aim for a consistent routine:
Prevention is always better than cure. Aim to use your foam roller every day or every other day at a low intensity, rather than only when your muscle tension is screaming at you for your attention.
Ready to get started?
Here are some Instinct Personal Trainer approved foam rollers you can buy on Amazon:
Get started with Instinct in Tarporley.
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