Do you suffer from DOMS?
Delayed onset muscle soreness, the aches you have a day or so after exercise. You can feel it most after introducing a new routine, or focusing your exercise on a different set of muscles.
As a Les Mills Body Combat, Body Balance, and a Yoga instructor I struggle to remember the last time my muscles didn’t ache. Massage is good for relieving soreness, especially if you can find someone to deliver a hot stone massage. But frequent massages cost money and for a few years I looked for an alternative.
Over a year ago I heard about Foam Rolling. As usual when I come across something new I researched the concept on the Internet. Google and YouTube came up with a stack of great content about how to use a Foam Roller. So I bought one of these great big long blue foam tubes. And armed with the YouTube videos I started to roll my aching muscles.
I have to say the sensation of relief the foam roller brought surprised me. My quads and glutes in particular seem to enjoy the foam rollers attention.
But I couldn’t avoid the sneaking suspicion that I wasn’t using the equipment properly. I wasn’t benefiting from the full effect.
Then I saw an advertisement for the Trigger Point course “Foam Rolling Principles and Practice”. I was also delighted that my good friends from LIVEWright, Kevin and Diana, were hosting the session.
The training was just what I needed. Kevin delivered a simple but succinct summary of the anatomical benefits of Foam Rolling. And we spent most of the Saturday afternoon in practical sessions rolling each muscle group in turn. Some of the releases are quite painful. But as Kevin and Diana were keen to point out Foam Rolling is not about creating pain it’s about relieving pain.
By the end of the session I had gained a full understanding of the science behind the method. And most important, the correct application of the Foam Roller on each muscle group.
As we have limited time on the training course, we could only run through each muscle release on one side of the body. So by the end of the session the left side of my body felt relaxed and floppy. Unlike the right side of my body which was still tense and wooden. What a strange feeling.
Foam Rolling isn’t just about relieving DOMS. Use it to improve form during exercise. For example if you roll our calves, quads and glutes you can benefit your performance of squats. It increases flexibility and range of movement.
Are you interested in learning how to use a Foam Roller? Do you want to incorporate it into your personal daily fitness exercise practice. Or are you are a fitness instructor or personal trainer looking to introduce Foam Rolling to your clients? I highly recommend Kevin and Diana’s course. Check it out.
Your Turn
Do you use a foam roller? What benefits have you felt? Has it helped improve your overall form? Please share your experiences. Leave a comment or share on social media.
