I was first introduced to the Foam Roller by Tony Horton while I was doing P90X2. He used it almost every workout, but especially in the Recovery and Mobility video. This tool has literally changed my body. And over the years it has become a “go-to” tool for releasing tight muscles and tendons.
The basic principle behind using foam rollers is that of Myofascial Release which improves blood flow to muscles and aids in recovery from pulls and strains.
When I purchased my first foam roller, I got a basic one from Amazon and it was similar to the 36″ one below:
What I found was that after a while that my body got used to the pressure of this and I actually needed to get more pressure to my muscles to help undo knots and tension points, so I ended up purchasing the smaller version of the “Rumble Roller” below and it is MAGICAL!
Here is a tutorial on how to use a foam roller for a complete, total body massage that you effectively give YOURSELF. No need for a personal massage therapist for that tight hip flexor or lower back strain (however, I would still highly recommend getting a massage occasionally!). Let me know what you think and feel free to pass on this info to anyone who might benefit using the social buttons below! Thanks!