Spend a little bit of time in a gym or a physical therapy office and you’ll see plenty of people rolling a piece of dense foam along their muscles to help stretch or massage away any soreness. The idea of foam rolling almost might sound a little too simple to actually be believable, but there’s a good reason so many people engage in foam rolling—it works.
Foam rolling is what’s known as a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique. Yes, you can think of it as a self-applied massage. As with other forms of myofascial release, you can release tension by applying pressure to tight or sore spots on your muscles, which helps your muscles relax and (ultimately) function more efficiently.
Many people do foam rolling before workouts to warm up their muscles, after their workouts to improve blood flow and aid in recovery, or as part of physical therapy to ease any discomfort in their muscles. It can also be helpful for people who have to deal with sedentariness, such as a desk job where they are sitting for prolonged periods of time.
Want to give foam rolling a try? If you’re curious to experience this growing trend within the fitness and rehab circles, you can teach yourself a few basic massages. Make sure you start by choosing the roller that’s right for you: If you’re a beginner, you may want something that is slightly softer with a smooth surface; on the other hand, something denser with a textured surface could help you get a deeper-tissue massage and feel more intense relief.
As you roll, spend about a minute or two on each muscle group, allowing yourself to gradually build up tolerance for the amount of pressure you can withstand from the foam roller. As you can tolerate more, you can perform the massage for longer, use a denser foam, or find a roll with texture.
Here are three massage options to target your calves, hamstrings, and glutes:
Calves: Start on the floor with your legs extended and the foam roller placed under your calves. Lift your hips off the floor and let yourself move backward so the foam rolls from below your knee down to your ankle. Roll back to your starting position and repeat. If you want to increase the intensity, try crossing one of your legs over the other so you can roll one calf at a time.
Hamstrings: Start on the floor with your legs extended and the foam roller under your thigh just above your knee. As with a calf massage, lift your hips and roll along the foam, allowing it to move from your knees to just below your glutes. Roll back to your starting position. By adjusting the angle of your leg, you can target different parts of your hamstring.
Glutes: Begin by sitting on the foam roller on the floor. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Lean slightly to the side of whichever ankle you have crossed, allowing the foam to roll along your hip to your upper glute. Roll back to your starting position and repeat. Change crossed ankles and roll along the other side.
