2701: 7 Foam Rolling Mistakes to Avoid by Lea Genders of Lea Genders Fitness on Enhancing Recovery

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_02]: This is Optimal Health Daily.

[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_02]: 7 Foam Rolling Mistakes to Avoid by Lea Genders of LeaGendersFitness.com

[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm Dr. Neal Malik.

[00:00:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Hey there, happy Saturday.

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much for being here and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily where I act as your narrator of the best health and fitness blogs all for free.

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_02]: Alright, with that let's get right to today's post and start optimizing your life.

[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_02]: 7 Foam Rolling Mistakes to Avoid by Lea Genders of LeaGendersFitness.com

[00:01:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Do you foam roll regularly?

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_02]: Some people get scared off in the beginning because it can hurt, but if you ease into it by controlling the pressure,

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_02]: it gets better with consistency and can even feel enjoyable after a while, kind of like a deep massage.

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_02]: With regular use, foam rollers can help runners manage recovery, improve mobility and be a part of an injury prevention plan.

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_02]: Many runners give up before seeing any results because they think it's too painful,

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER_02]: they're not consistent and they don't use the proper techniques to progress.

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_02]: It doesn't have to be that way. Foam rolling can be effective and enjoyable if you're doing it right.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_02]: Get the full benefits and leave behind the pain by applying proper foam rolling techniques and practices.

[00:01:47] [SPEAKER_02]: Here we'll review some of the common mistakes runners make with foam rollers that can inhibit results and discourage continued use.

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Slowly move the roller over the entire muscle from different angles to locate the tender spots, you'll know when you feel them.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_02]: Perform a small range of motion roll to find the hot spots that need work.

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_02]: Divide the muscle into smaller areas, for example, roll the top of the quadriceps, next the lower part above the knee, then do the right side, then the left.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_02]: Mistake 2, not holding in place for 30 seconds.

[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Once you locate the tender spot, lean into it for at least 30 seconds while breathing normally.

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_02]: If you're skipping this step, you're not getting the full benefit out of your foam rolling sessions.

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_02]: Mistake 3, only rolling.

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_02]: You'll get the best results if you roll, rock and release.

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Besides rolling and leaning into it, also rock back and forth against a tender spot.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_02]: Finally, release by moving the joint through the full range of motion while applying pressure.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_02]: For example, you might lift at the knee while pressing into the adductors, or flex and extend at the knee while engaging pressure on a hot spot on your quadriceps.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_02]: Mistake 4, tensing up and holding your breath.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_02]: If it hurts so much that you are tensing your muscles or holding your breath, ease up on the pressure because it's counterintuitive to roll while tensed up.

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_02]: Do not lean into it with all your body weight if it's too painful.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_02]: Foam rolling is not supposed to cause excruciating pain.

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_02]: It may be a bit uncomfortable at first, but you'll find with regular practice that the pain will lessen and you'll be able to apply more pressure as you progress.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_02]: You can manage the intensity by controlling the pressure.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_02]: Start with one calf pressed on the foam roller and the other leg on the ground.

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_02]: Advance by rolling both calves simultaneously to distribute the pressure across the muscles evenly.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_02]: Advance again by stacking one leg on top of the other and pressing into the roller.

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Mistake 5, foam rolling your IT band.

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_02]: The IT band or iliotibial band is that connective tissue on the outside of each thigh and extends from the top of your shin to your hips.

[00:04:15] [SPEAKER_02]: Your IT band does not respond in the same way as muscles to the foam roller.

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_02]: It will hurt like hell and you're probably making it worse.

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_02]: The IT band is not a muscle and you cannot roll it to loosen it up.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Mistake 6, not practicing consistently.

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, you can temporarily improve range of motion and tightness with one foam rolling session, but habitual work gives long-term results.

[00:04:40] [SPEAKER_02]: Aim to spend 10 to 15 minutes every day working on areas that need improvement.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_02]: And mistake 7, not progressing.

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_02]: Just like with exercise moves, your body adapts to the stresses we place on it.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_02]: When your smooth foam roller isn't finding tender spots anymore, it's usually time to advance to a foam roller that digs a bit deeper.

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_02]: After a month or two of daily work with a smooth foam roller, most people will be ready to advance.

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_02]: I love the rumble roller.

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_02]: I admit it looks scary with the spikes. I thought the same thing before I tried it, but they feel like a deep massage into the muscles.

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_02]: I'd venture to say that it feels better than a smooth high-density foam roller.

[00:05:21] [SPEAKER_02]: Have you made any of these mistakes? I think we all have.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_02]: The bottom line is if your foam rolling sessions are miserable and painful, there's no way you'll be consistent enough to see progress.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_02]: But you can build the habit of regular foam rolling by spending just 5 to 10 minutes every day on the areas that need the most work.

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_02]: Forget no pain, no gain and all or nothing.

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_02]: Ease in with appropriate pressure so that you can breathe normally and relax your muscles against the roller.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_02]: You'll get better results with 5 minutes every day of targeted work than 40 minutes once a week.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_02]: After a while, you will find foam rolling can be enjoyable and effective.

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_02]: You just listened to the post titled 7 Foam Rolling Mistakes to Avoid by Leah Genders of leahgendersfitness.com and I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_02]: Dr. Neal here for my commentary.

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_02]: Many of these foam rolling fundamentals are similar to performing stretches.

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_02]: So if foam rolling isn't your thing, you can actually apply most of what today's author, Leah, shared in today's post to stretching too.

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_02]: For example, Leah mentioned that when we're using a foam roller, we want to apply pressure for enough time so that it will actually have an effect.

[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_02]: For foam rolling, Leah recommends 30 seconds.

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_02]: When holding a stretch, 15 to 30 seconds is great and we want to hold that stretch until we feel that slight discomfort.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Don't go any further than that.

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_02]: Just like with foam rolling, we don't need to experience extreme pain in order for it to work.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_02]: And just like with foam rolling and stretching, even just five to 10 minutes a day over time can lead to improvement.

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_02]: Don't worry about getting 40 minutes of straight stretching or foam rolling in one day a week.

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_02]: Again, it's better to incorporate smaller sessions but more consistently.

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_02]: All right, that'll do it for today.

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_02]: I hope you're having a great weekend and I'll see you back here tomorrow as usual where your optimal life awaits.