Foam Roll To Feel Energized, Light, Supple, and Vibrant!

A study in the the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research had subjects foam roll their quadriceps for 60 seconds, rest 30 seconds, then repeat for 60 seconds. Two minutes following the foam rolling, flexibility was increased by 12.7% (11 degrees), and ten minutes following the foam rolling, flexibility was increased by 10.3% (9 degrees). In short, the study suggests foam rolling increases range of motion without diminishing neuromuscular performance. So, when deciding pre run to static strech or foal roll - FOAM ROLL. Especially since too flexible of muscles actually cause sub par tension needed for optimal force and energy production.

How can a piece of foam allow for the flow of oxygen and blood, which in turn carries healing nutrients to sore and achy spots?

When your muscles become chronically tight, the surrounding fascia (a thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or organ can also become tight, causing restricted movement, gait change and potential injury.

Healthy fascia is flexible and can easily be separated from the muscles below. In healthy fascia, the muscles are also flexible, pliable, and free of knots.

Foam rolling, also known as self myofascial release, is the application of pressure to eliminate scar-tissue and soft-tissue adhesion by releasing trigger points and freeing up fascia for pain-free running.

As a coach and an athlete, I’ve seen foam rolling transform the speed, recovery and injury profiles of the runners I support as well as my own

Foam rolling is much more than rolling back and forth over a piece of hard foam.

It is a treatment, that when done correctly, is effective in promoting pain-free, full range of motion, efficient running!

I am continually surprised by the number of runners who haven’t heard of foam rolling or who don’t foam roll until they become excessively tight or injured. Some runners are just doing it wrong out of impatience and proper breathing and then stop because they aren't feeling any progress.

I've also found most runners who roll, spend the bulk of their time on their IT bands and obvious tight spots, neglecting other areas of the body, instead of balancing all

running muscles, they create a pattern of imbalance that affects everything from how their arms swing to how their foot strikes the ground.

This is why all muscles should be released whether they are in acute pain or not.

I find when runners perform a foam rolling session, mistakes are made. Many times rolling is performed across tendons, bones and sore spots, sometimes making things worse.

Remember, unhealthy fascia is inflexible with a thick consistency and are chaotically aligned, making it painful to separate the fascia from the underlying muscles.

Trigger points are tight knots where fascia and muscle have adhered together. Trigger points can be painful to touch, refer pain, and if not released, eventually be replaced with scar tissue, which contributes to more restriction and gait dysfunction.

For instance, tight fascia around your IT band can cause your knee cap to track incorrectly; loosen the muscles around your it band and magically, your knee cap begins tracking correctly and your knee stops hurting. Or you may have discomfort in your achilles or peroneal tendons, that requires nothing more than than getting several correct calf passes on a roller to relieve discomfort.

I would love to teach and guide you through an effective foam rolling session at Emerge and have you leaving with a 10 minutes a day routine you can actually use.

Yep, after you get those tough spots worked out - you can be in MAINTENANCE mode with just 10 minutes a day: this is enough time to make a real difference. And the more consistently you foam roll, the better results you will have. Let me teach you the types, the places, the techniques, and your options for when to foam roll for optimal results.