How to use a foam roller + 5 tips to get started

1. You have probably been to Decathlon or Intersport, where you sometimes fall from one surprise to the next: So many materials to support you during sports that you often don't even know what it is for, let alone knowing how to use it. So many mysteries!

1. A good example of this is the Foam roller. Have you ever come across these at the sports shop? If you've been wondering where and how to use it, you're definitely not alone. Although they are growing in popularity, the Foam roller still remains a mystery to many people, and even some professionals.

1. A workout with a foam roller is a form of massage that athletes do before the workout to loosen sore muscles and stiff joints. A kind of warm-up, so. It is also used after training to support muscle recovery.

1. Foam roller workouts are becoming increasingly popular, and there are certainly good reasons for this. This is partly due to the fact that more and more knowledge is being gained about how you can best treat your muscles at home with, for example, a massage. Yes, because using the foam roller is a form of massage.

1. A real massage is, and will remain, the best way to take care of your muscles. In addition, a massage is of course also a wonderful experience, but that is a completely different story. But a weekly massage is unfortunately not for everyone.

1. In that case the foam roller can be an affordable alternative: It is an affordable tool that you can use at home. The foam roller is therefore a very cheap alternative to a massage. A

1. Interesting to you? Then quickly read on for all the information!

Myofascial Release Therapy

1. Huh? Weren't we talking about the foam roller? Ok, let me explain:

1. Correct use of the foam roller is a form of Myofascial Release Therapy.

1. The word â € Myofascialâ € ™ comes from the two words â € Myogeneâ € ™, meaning muscle tissue, and the word â € Fascia, ”meaning connective tissue. (1)

1. The connective tissue is actually the soft tissue that keeps your entire body together. Due to all the stress, training, and incorrect postures, not only the muscles become sore, but also the connective tissue around the muscles. In the connective tissue a kind of folds or other damage appear that no longer heal properly. Muscles can also stick to the connective tissue. And if this is the case, you will find that the muscles are limited by this.

1. Myofascial Release Therapy is what happens when you put pressure on the painful muscles to remove adhesions and release tension. This will allow the muscles to move more smoothly.

2. Myofascial Release Therapy is what happens when you apply pressure to the painful muscles to remove adhesions and release tension. This will allow the muscles to move more smoothly.

The 5 health benefits of a Foam Roller workout

1. There are a lot of benefits to using a foam roller, but I just want to briefly review the five most important ones.

1. It has always been the practice to stretch and stretch the muscles during a warm-up to loosen the muscles and improve flexibility. This prevents possible injuries. However, new research shows that using a foam roller before exercising will improve your muscle flexibility. (2)

2. It has always been the practice to stretch and stretch the muscles during a warm-up to loosen the muscles and improve flexibility. This prevents possible injuries. However, new research shows that using a foam roller before exercising will improve muscle flexibility. (2)

1. Your blood is the transporter of oxygen. So it is literally vital that the flow of blood is optimal for your overall health. Poor circulation can lead to a host of problems such as numbness in your arms and legs, decreased cognitive skills, and a weak immune system. Using a foam roller and other techniques to loosen up muscles can help improve circulation.

2. Your blood is the transporter of oxygen. So it is literally vital that the flow of blood is optimal for your overall health. Poor blood circulation can lead to a host of problems such as numbness of your arms and legs, decreased cognitive skills, and a weak immune system. Using a foam roller and other techniques to loosen up muscles can help improve circulation.

1. After an intensive training or a workout, there is a lot of stress in your muscles. The stress hormone cortisol is present in your body. A study has shown that treatment with a foam roller decreases the release of the stress hormone cortisol, and thus significantly reduces stress in general. (3)

1. Whether you are an experienced athlete or your weekend athlete, you have probably experienced severe muscle pain at one point or another. After intensive training, it is not to be said that this will become a problem at the same time. But that is not absolutely necessary. Muscle pain can manifest anywhere from 24 hours to 48 hours after the workout. (4)

1. Research shows that with the help of a foam roller you can significantly reduce the chance of this kind of terrible pain. (5) This way you can no longer use muscle pain as an excuse to stop exercising. 😠‰

1. “Prevention is better than cure”, that's a very old saying, but still completely true! Often times a consistent warm-up with the correct stretching and stretching techniques, in combination with the foam roller, can prevent many injuries. Over-training injuries, such as runner's knee and other common running injuries.

1. The runner's knee is actually an injury to the so-called Iliotibial band. This band runs from the top of your leg, through your hip, to just below the knee. This band is particularly vulnerable to injuries, especially among runners. A

1. Just a little warning: If you use the foam roller the wrong way for this, or treat it incorrectly in another way, you can do more harm than good. (6) Using the foam roller on an already inflamed area can actually increase inflammation. This gives you the opposite effect.

The best foam roller exercises for beginners

1. Now that you now know what the function of the foam roller is, and how you can take advantage of it, the next question is of course how you can fit the foam roller into your routine.]

1. Ideally, you should apply the exercises referred to below for about a minute to each muscle group you wish to treat. While you are rolling, take a deep breath and exhale as well. In general, we tend to hold our breath when we focus on something. It is important to focus on your breathing during this process. Both during inhalation and during exhalation.

1. Let's take a look at how you can use the foam roller on the different muscle groups.

1. Many people have fairly thin hamstrings, which can become a problem for the lower back. Pain in the lower back is then the result. And that is precisely why you can benefit from the exercises with the help of the foam roller

1. To treat your hamstrings and glutes with a foam roller, sit on the floor and place the foam roller under your legs. Use your arms to support your body as you move your body back and forth. The more you support your body with your arms, the less pressure on the foam roller and the easier it will be on your hamstrings.

1. If you feel like you want to put more pressure on your hamstrings, just shift more of your body weight from your arms to your legs. You therefore support your body less, which puts more pressure on the foam roller.

1. Do this for 1 minute, focusing on your breathing.

1. The front of your legs can also feel painful and tight. A good balance is of great importance in this. So if you've been working on your hamstrings, pay attention to the front of your legs as well.

1. To do this, place the foam roller under your legs and support your body weight on your forearms. Start rolling back and forth from the top of your knees to your pelvis. Keep listening to your body and vary the pressure as needed. Also, be careful not to rest your feet on the ground while rolling.

1. Difficult word, but when I say this is the same as a runner's knee, it probably sounds more familiar to you. While a runner's knee is often associated with runners, anyone can suffer from a runner's knee, which in turn can lead to lower back pain. To prevent this, it is important to do knee strengthening exercises, in combination with exercises with the foam roller.

1. To treat your Iliotibial band, you must lie on the floor, then on your side. Place the foam roller under your legs and roll back and forth. You can decrease and increase some of the pressure from the tire by transferring your body weight to your hands. Let the foam roller move from your hip to the top of the knee. You keep your other leg on the ground for support and balance.

1. Nowadays we sit very much, way too much, and that inevitably has consequences for our back. And especially our upper back. The following exercise is a great way to relax your upper back, as it is absolutely necessary. Not only from sitting, but also from general stress which will eventually also manifest itself in back pain. A

1. So if you've been on the phone way too much today, and you've just been stuck in a traffic jam for an hour with a car full of screaming and crying children, and now you're ice cream melted in your shopping bag, I now invite you to take a moment with your foam roller. It will relax you!

1. Place the foam roller under your upper back, and support yourself with your hands behind your head and your feet on the ground. Gently roll from the top of your shoulder blades to the center of your back. By lifting your hips more or less, you can vary the pressure.

Important tips to get you started

1. After reading all of the above information, here are some more important tips and warnings. Read this carefully before you start. It is important to apply this correctly, especially in the beginning.

1. As with most things, it's important to build it up slowly. Don't go crazy with the foam roller every night, but use it once or twice a week as part of your normal routines. Only when that feels good, you will expand it further.

1. And if you don't have fixed routines, you can still take advantage of the benefits of the foam roller. You can, even while watching your favorite series, use the foam roller without any other routine. You then use the foam roller as a workout in itself, and not as a warm-up.

1. Build it up slowly, we already said that. But that also applies to the speed. Sometimes I see people working with the foam roller as if it were a competition. As if they want to see how many times they can go back and forth per minute.

1. Using the foam roller is definitely not a competition. On the contrary: You have to take it very slowly to give your muscles enough time to really relax and to solve all your problems in the muscles and connective tissue.

1. We are used to thinking that if a 'little bit' is good for us, more of those 'little bit' is even better for us will be. But as with everything in life: In moderation.

1. And that also applies to the foam roller. Everything in moderation, you avoid problems.

1. For example, if you spend too much time with the foam roller on a certain part of your body, you can damage a knot, hit a nerve, or damage connective tissue. The result of this will be a nasty bruise. Don't spend longer than necessary in one place. Don't be a hero by trying to endure the pain and go through your pain barrier.

1. Pregnant women naturally release an important hormone called relaxin. This allows the body to relax so that the growth of the baby and the eventual birth can take place in a natural way. Relaxing with the foam roller during pregnancy can disrupt this process, and can ultimately do more harm than good. Especially if you are still inexperienced in the use of the foam roller.

1. Osteoporosis causes bones to become brittle and brittle. By using a foam roller, there is a good chance that you can break a bone. In this case I advise against using the foam roller.

Finallyâ €!

1. A foam roller is a great tool to use in your regular routines, or to use as a workout. It will make you feel better and help prevent injuries.

1. In addition, it is cheap, easy to use, and offers many benefits for the beginner as well as the advanced athlete.

1. But always listen to your body: If something does not feel right or if it hurts, or if the pain continues to get worse, it is important to see your doctor for any underlying problem and treat it.