Foam Rolling for Specific Workouts
By Amanda Jane Snyder
Do you foam roll?
If you do roll out, do you roll out before your workout or after your workout? Or maybe both?
When you foam roll, is it arbitrary or is it based on something specific such as the workout you're about to perform or your own personal injury prevention?
Foam rolling or soft tissue work is important not only for the relief it brings to sore muscles, but also for its ability to inhibit our over active muscles.
Everyone has natural body imbalance, and imbalances will perpetuate if we don’t inhibit our over active muscles with soft tissue work.
Which is why rolling out for specific workouts can be super beneficial in improving our form and overall lift.
Let me take you through the perfect foam rolling sequence to prepare for a squat.
1. Roll out the Adductor Muscles
A lot of people have over active adductor muscles. To prevent the knees from caving in a squat, roll our your inner thighs.
2. Roll out the calves
Rolling out the calves allows for greater ease of ankle mobility which is important to have good squat form.
3. Roll out the erector spinae
Let's face it, a lot of people over use and over compensate with their lower back. To reduce the overactivity in our lower back, roll out the erector spinae by using a lacrosse or yoga ball against the wall. Be sure not to roll out your actual spine, but instead the muscles along side it.
All of this should be done BEFORE the workout.
I require all of my clients to roll out before we get to work, and rolling out after is optional. Rolling out after simply just feels good.
Don’t skip foam rolling !!
Does this change your perception of roam rolling? Let me know in the comments below.
Amanda Jane Snyder is a certified FRCms instructor, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Mindset Coach living in Brooklyn, NY. She has been vegan since 2016. She specializes in Strength and Conditioning for Actors, Singers, and Dancers.
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