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Foam and rumble rollers

haroon_awan
haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
edited January 16 in Social Groups
Hi SideSteel and Sara (again!),

I'm currently on a bulk doing a 4 day routine, but I've recently starting taking up running again at college. But my legs are so God damn sore. I've been seeing a lot of bodybuilders on YouTube talking about foam and rumble rolling and would like to buy one, but I have no idea which to buy. I've had a look on Amazon/eBay and found these:

1) http://www.amazon.co.uk/66Fit-Elite-Foam-Roller--Blue/dp/B002IKO2YU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362656540&sr=8-1
2) http://www.amazon.co.uk/3gFit-Alpha-Foam-Roller-Blue/dp/B005QQSQHC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1362654838&sr=8-5
3 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Physio-World-Foam-Roller-15cm-x-45cm-Free-Spikey-Ball-SPECIAL-OFFER-Free-P-P-/221156808084?pt=UK_Yoga_Aerobic_Equipment&var=&hash=item337df91594
4) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Beast-Foam-Roller-Gym-Pilates-Yoga-Excercise-Pyhsio-Trigger-Point-/170994208594?var=&hash=item6d7c3d42b0&vti=Colour Blue
5) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/J2X-Fitness-Trigger-Point-Therapy-Yoga-Foam-Roller-/130833842808?pt=UK_Yoga_Aerobic_Equipment&hash=item1e764e0278

I would make an assumption and say that the 1, 2 and 3 are pretty much the same; and that 4 and 5 are similar?

Aside from foam/rumble rolling, how did you alleviate the soreness from a 4 day routine (http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout) and athletics? Current supplements I'm using for soreness are citrulline malate (5g per day) and fish oils (3-10g per day).

Also, is it just a case of upping my calories to compensate for the calories lost while running?

Thanks.

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,438 MFP Moderator
    I would recommend against the rumble roller until you have used the foam roller for some time. The foam roller already acts as a deep tissue message if you work it right. Once you work the muscles enough and eliminate the knots then you can move up to the rumble roller. I have been using the foam roller for six months and it still hurts. And when i work the IT band i still want to cry.

    I will say its quite awesome. I can not comment on the links as i am on my cell now.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Good point actually! I forgot to mention that a few people on the videos did say work your way up to a rumble roller. I think I only know a couple of people who do use the rumble roller (they do it with a P90X2 DVD workout) and say it's great. I'm not sure if they jumped right onto a rumble roller or used a foam roller first, but I shall ask.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    The rumble roller hurts like a b*tch, I have that and the number 1 in your list which is what I use most of the time. (the white version is too soft you will grow out of that quickly).

    Foam rolling won't help with muscle soreness by the way, if that is what you were thinking.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I'll be honest: I have no clue on this one. I've foam rolled a bit myself, never rumble rolled and have done very little in the way of reading/research on either topic/item.
  • ladyace2078
    ladyace2078 Posts: 460 Member
    We have a rumble roller and even with a heavy bath towl wrapped around it's too much pressure on the trigger points. I purchsed a foam roller like one of the first 3 and it has been much better. It still hurts quite a bit, but the pain is more tolerable. Beyond my personal experience, I don't have any other knowledge about them. The New Rules of Lifting authors keep up with their FB site pretty well and answer questions. Foam rolling is part of each workout in their new Supercharged book, so perhaps they have answer on how to select the right roller.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    #1 looks very similar to the one I have and it sucks. Mine is hourglass shaped now and it didn't take long to get that way. I can't tell if #2 or #3 are constructed similarly or if they are denser. If you can go to a store that has them and actually feel them you want one that's pretty hard. If you can mash your thumb into it and it caves pretty easy look for a different one.

    Like stated above: It won't really help much with soreness. The idea is to release knots and tension in the muscle fibers. It also won't help with muscle recovery - that comes from rest and nutrition.

    I don't have any experience with the rumble rollers but a friend of mine just uses a piece of 4" (I think) PVC pipe when the foam roller isn't doing enough.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Foam rolling doesn't help with soreness? I thought that was the whole point of a foam roller?

    This is one of the reasons I wanted to buy it:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxXemUhXcH0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG8k3NB_K20

    With this one here maybe?
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trigger-Point-Performance-Revolutionary-Roller/dp/B0040EKZDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362696293&sr=8-1
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    It releases tightness and knots in the muscle. That's not always the same thing as soreness. Also, I don't know how much you're running and I'm not familiar with what all goes into intentionally bulking but you may be shooting yourself in the foot trying to bulk and doing a lot of running at the same time.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    I totally understand your concern about running and bulking, but I most of my friends are long distance runners and running is the best way to reconnect with them after recovery from my injury. My college life has become quite boring as I've lost contact with them and I am much more social when I am with them, otherwise I am bored during my spare time and just stressed. Stress for me is just a killer and makes me unable to focus of my studying.

    I was looking into foam rolling as a way to continue to eg squat and do leg press/curls as well as run 3-4 miles a couple of times a week. Yesterday was just hell. I was staggering home from the gym like an imbecile lol. Which is also why I don't really eat much junk food (aside from a bit of dark chocolate) as I find nutrient dense food much more satisfying and would rather not waste a few hundred calories on crap - but I certainly don't consider myself a "bro" by any means.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Start with a foam roller.

    elitefts.com sells them. Good site with loads of good equipment for lifters, and they have good info on there/actually give back to the lifting community. I'd reccommend picking one up from them.


    After you've been foam rolling for a while, then get a rumble roller, or a lot of guys use a 4" PVC pipe and just roll on it. Hurts a lot more than the foam, but it'll release the tight stuff.
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