Foam rolling
- Thread starter Crackle
- Start date
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Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Yoga compliments this technique
Just watching it I could feel tightness dissipating and relief in my leg muscles. I have been doing just this but this is the first time I have seen this vid or anything like this. Thanks.
This is complimented nicely with Yoga.
Just watching it I could feel tightness dissipating and relief in my leg muscles. I have been doing just this but this is the first time I have seen this vid or anything like this. Thanks.
This is complimented nicely with Yoga.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
For me it is a good painful as the technique massages the pain/tenderness and it makes you feel so good a short time after. I imagine if you rolled too hard, too soon or too frequently or were not very co-ordinated or delicate in applying the rolling action then problems could be caused. Unfortuntaely everyone is different so what I would say take it easy and go carefully. I tend not to stop or hold on areas as this IS painful, the wrong type of pain. I was always try to keep moving if only very slowly or side to side rocking like Dan Martin does or move an inch or two back and re-roll. But as I say once you have done it a few times you get to know how your muscles, tendons react and the sensation and after is soooo good. I feel so good after. Don't suffer any aches or pains or muscle group seizing up come the next day's ride like I used to. It's all about looking after your body and this is one technique I wish I had known about years ago as it would probably would have prevented a few injuries I suffered.
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
From what I saw of the Ashes series in Australia last winter on TV, England, despite being crap at the cricket, were champions at foam rolling: there's a silver lining in every cloud. 
The way that he roles straight and then rotates his leg in a static point, I find quite difficult (just tried it). Instead I do the same thing by pointing my toes as I work the roll down my leg. I can do that more easily and it seems to get deeper. I think it's basically doing the same thing though.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Pointing toes, toes pulled up or rotating foot, clockwise/counterclockwise, each different position affects which leg muscles further up get the full affect of the rolling. There are so many combinations and points of muscles and tendons to apply pressure to. Some times by changing body orientation, leg position slightly I discover new tissue which previously I had not been giving full affect to which is good. As I say I look forward to rolling. Did I say this already?
Possibly....
One thing watching that vid confirmed for me, is that I've been putting too much pressure on my adductors, which I'd begun to suspect. Modified that one now.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Good vid Crackle. As I said everyone is different, different sensitivities, so maybe you can't take as much pressure in this area say compared to some one else? Nothing wrong with this, but better to find out sooner with help of a vid such as this, what is the best pressure and location to apply it for YOU sooner than later. This vid has certainly helped.
jarlrmai
Veteran
Self massage can be beneficial, but don't go too painful the pain is not always good for your muscles, if you have trigger points go and get them sorted by a sports massage person.
Lots (too much) of pain will cause the muscles to tighten having the opposite effect to that intended, seems to the current idea.
The IT band should not be heavily rolled on its "designed" to be tight.
I quite like using tennis balls for massaging my feet.
Sources: multiple people I know work in the advanced treatment of musculoskeletal issues, I understand that lots of you will have anecdotal and other evidence that you think the more painful the better, but the most recent research is not showing that it is the most beneficial way to self massage.
Lots (too much) of pain will cause the muscles to tighten having the opposite effect to that intended, seems to the current idea.
The IT band should not be heavily rolled on its "designed" to be tight.
I quite like using tennis balls for massaging my feet.
Sources: multiple people I know work in the advanced treatment of musculoskeletal issues, I understand that lots of you will have anecdotal and other evidence that you think the more painful the better, but the most recent research is not showing that it is the most beneficial way to self massage.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Not necessarily.
There are books on rolling but I didn't get one after reading the reviews. Instead I found that watching videos on youtube was the most helpful in giving instructions. There are of course lots of different techniques on display but the one universal constant is not to roll over joints, after that it seems very much down to what works for you.
I did buy a good book on stretching which had good diagrams in of all the muscle groups. This helped me to 'see' where I was experiencing discomfort and which muscle groups might be responsible for it.
400bhp
Guru
Bought a foam roller a month ago and have been using it about 3 times a week. Wow, what an instrument of torture. Libotial bands and calves bl00dy hurt.
But, it works. I didn't use it last week, bar saturday. I was walking around like an 80 year old. Instantly felt more supple after a sesh.
I'm thinking along the OP lines from now. I ride 6 days a week and will try and do some each evening after a ride, see how it goes.
But, it works. I didn't use it last week, bar saturday. I was walking around like an 80 year old. Instantly felt more supple after a sesh.
I'm thinking along the OP lines from now. I ride 6 days a week and will try and do some each evening after a ride, see how it goes.
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You can certainly roll your calf's. Bum up or down, depending on how much pressure you need and point toe's or roll leg to do all areas. There are different rollers too, so though I roll my calf's, if I needed to concentrate on them, I might think of a smaller roller than the one I have.
