She Strengthens

Unlock the Power of Foam Rolling: Boost Strength, Balance, and Recovery

Foam rolling is more than just a tool for easing muscle soreness and aiding recovery. Its unique design also makes it an excellent device for challenging your balance and building strength. By incorporating foam roller exercises into your workout routine, you can experience a significant boost to your overall fitness.

The Benefits of Foam Rolling

Foam rolling, a form of self-massage or self-myofascial release, offers numerous benefits, including:

• Easing muscle soreness
• Aiding recovery
• Challenging balance and building strength

Get Started with Foam Roller Exercises

To get the most out of foam rolling, try incorporating exercises like overhead squats, table rolls, and plank jacks into your workout routine. These moves will help you build strength, improve your balance, and enhance your recovery.

Create Your Own Workout

To create a well-rounded workout, pick two moves from each section below (upper body, lower body, and core), and then do plank jacks as the seventh move for some extra cardio goodness. Repeat the full circuit 3 or 4 times.

Upper Body Foam Roller Exercises

1. Overhead Squat: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width and toes turned out. Extend arms overhead while holding the roller horizontally. Squeeze palms toward each other as you draw shoulder blades together.
2. Side Roll-Out Push-Up: Start in a modified push-up position with knees on a mat, left hand on the roller, and right hand on the floor. Slowly lower your body with right arm while left arm stays straight and the roller works its way from fingertips to wrist.
3. Table Roll: Sit upright with legs extended and ankles on the foam roller. Place hands on the floor behind you, with fingertips facing feet. Keeping legs straight, thrust hips up as high as you can and look toward the ceiling as the roller moves up your calves.
4. Plank Jack: Start in plank position with hands on the roller directly under shoulders. Hop feet apart and then together as you would for a jumping jack, staying on toes.
5. Airplane: Stand, holding the roller behind back with fingertips facing away. Transfer your weight onto right leg and lift left leg behind you as chest hinges forward into an airplane position.

Lower Body Foam Roller Exercises

1. Hamstring Bridge: Lie faceup with palms facing down and foam roller under feet. Lift hips into a bridge position so hips, knees, and heels are in line.
2. Plank Leg Lift: Start on all fours with hands on the roller. Lift knees into plank position and engage core. Raise right leg about 4 inches, then sweep foot out to the right, pause for 1 count, sweep leg back behind you, and lower to the floor.
3. Single-Leg Wall Squat: Lean against a wall and sit so your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Place the roller horizontally behind your back, just below shoulder blades, and extend both arms in front of you.
4. Inner Thigh Bridge: Lie faceup with knees bent, feet on the floor, and arms extended with palms facing up. Place the foam roller between your legs and flex feet to balance on heels.
5. Inner Thigh Plank: Lie facedown with hands under shoulders and roller between inner thighs. Press up into a high plank.

Core Foam Roller Exercises

1. Alternating Heel Tap: Lie faceup with the roller vertically under your spine. Place fingertips on the floor as you lift legs into tabletop position.
2. Sawing Plank: Start in a forearm plank with wrists on the foam roller, hands clasped, feet at hip width, and hips level.
3. Side Plank Reach-Through: Lie on right side. Place feet on roller with right foot in front, like you’re on a tightrope.
4. Walking Plank: Place the roller vertically between your arms and legs while you hold a high plank.
5. Dead Bug: Lie faceup with the roller vertically under your spine. Lift legs into tabletop position.

Sample 30-Minute Foam Roller Workout for Strength

Try incorporating these exercises into your workout routine to experience a significant boost to your strength, balance, and recovery.

Foam Rolling Workout Tips

• Tight muscles may feel a little tender at first. Always stop wherever the move makes your muscles feel too tight or painful.
• Deepen the roll by inhaling and then slowly rolling through the move as you exhale.
• Work slowly and stay on softer tissues and muscles. Avoid rolling directly over your bones or joints.
• Don’t force a move that feels impossible. Adapt it to make it work for you, and then see if you can gradually build up to the full move.