Foam Roller Newbie

I love my foam roller - especially after spin class! I don't do anything specific; I can usually sense where I need the most work, so I start there (typically down the side of my hip / thigh), then to quads and hamstrings, and don't forget the glutes!. I spend about 10-12 minutes per side. I haven't figured out how to roll the inner thigh effectively. Maybe someone else can comment on that for both of us! Oh...a good tip I learned is to cross your legs over when doing the back of your calf for the added weight. It helps with quads and hamstrings too. Using your body weight is key.

If you are the type that likes really deep tissue massage - the more it hurts the better it feels - you will love your foam roller too!

The best advice I received from my trainer was to hold for 20-30 seconds when you hit a sore spot - and BREATHE!

I really liked this article - I use it on my IT bands.

http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/almost-magical-foam-roller