Foam Rolling (4)

Dear Friend,

Have you heard of 'foam rolling'? When I first joined my gym my amazing personal trainer (Hi Kyle) introduced me to foam rolling. He demonstrated how to use it and told me how it helped to ease sore muscles. He made it look easy. I on the other hand was morbidly obese. I couldn't even sit on the floor 'Indian style' without falling backwards. My core strength was non existent. Needless to say, I tried to do what he showed me but it was a disaster. I didn't have the strength to hold myself up on this squishy tube thingy, that had gone a little flat under my weight, while also rolling slowly forwards and backwards. It was very awkward. I was embarrassed and devastated that I couldn't do it. This silly little tube of foam proved beyond a shadow of a doubt just how out of shape I truly was. I wound up feeling worse about myself... temporarily. 

After wallowing in defeat for a few days I went on line and discovered that they have all kinds of rollers that aren't necessarily made of foam. I thought I could buy one of the harder plastic rollers and that would be easier to roll with my considerable weight on it. When it arrived I the tube was indeed made of a harder plastic with nubbies around the outside but it was hollow with an end cap on each end. I lived in a really small house at the time so I didn't have a lot of room between furniture. I made space and stretched out on the floor. I found some suggestions on my phone for beginner foam rolling...

Are you kidding me? Look at that picture, friend. That's basically a side plank. Look how happy and sassy she is with her hand on her hip. Did I mention I had no core strength? Whatever, the gauntlet had been thrown. I felt like this picture was mocking me and I'm stubborn so I was determined to try it. I lowered my self to the floor, positioned myself on the roller and started to roll. I was actually doing it! Then, my over-sized t-shirt got tangled around the roller. Don't ask, friend, I have no idea how that happened. When I tried to untangle myself by raising my hip I realized I couldn't support my weight and plopped back onto the roller. That's when the end caps shot off and ricocheted off of my TV and bookcase. I didn't foam roll again for almost a year.

During that year I ramped up my cardio participation while also doing weight training and I started completing 5K's. I lost fifty pounds but my legs were sore all the time. Stretching and getting a massage helped but I can't afford to have a massage every week or even every month and stretching never felt like enough. I had to revisit foam rolling. I was hesitant.   

While buying a new pair of sneakers I commented on how sore my calves were. The employee, who I can also call friend (Hi Debbie!), grabbed a hand held device with rollers on it. She called it an Adaday roller. It was life changing, friend. I sat on the bench while she sat in front of me and rolled this hand held roller up and down my calf. It felt so good. I was thrilled because that meant I didn't have to lay on the floor like a beached whale. 

Thanks to google I discovered there are lots of other options that are hand held!! I was so focused on the tube style foam roller you use on the floor that I had no idea there were other gadgets and gizmos that served the same purpose!! 

 

Hallelujah!!!

Seriously, friend, rolling out your muscles is beneficial. This article explains some of the reasons why: Top 10 benefits of foam rolling The more I exercise (and the older I get) I realize how important stretching and rolling out your muscles is to staying strong and injury free. Don't neglect the recovery stage of exercise, friend. I did and it slowed me down. I hope you can learn from my mistakes.

XO, Robin

p.s. if you want to learn more about health and wellness check out my Facebook page: Oh my Quad!