In my last blog ‘OCR Training‘ the first section I mentioned that is important was Nutrition and Recovery. This weeks blog is going to look at the Foam Roller and how it can help you with your obstacle course training – or general training.
Foam Rollers are perfect for massaging out tight and sore muscles and can also help to enhance flexibility and balance. Foam Rollers are commonly used by athletes, runners and cyclists as a form of self-myofascial release for a quick muscle massage and to help aid recovery.
So what is self-myofascial release? According to Strength and conditioning research it is:
Self-myofascial release is a form of self-manual therapy, most commonly performed with a foam roller. Foam rolling involves lying on the ground, with the foam roller placed between the body and the ground. The foam roller is pressed into the muscle group being treated, and then the body is moved back and forth over it, using an even tempo. Foam rolling can be used immediately before exercise to increase flexibility, particularly as there seems to be no adverse effect on athletic performance. Regular use may also improve flexibility long-term. Foam rolling can also be used in the short-term after exercise to reduce the sensation of muscle soreness.
With this in mind it seems using a foam roller before or after exercise should be a must if you train in any particular way. It will aid with recovery from the session as well as potentially create more range of movement before training to build strength.
Here are a few ideas of foam rolling you could perform before or after exercise:
For more examples of foam rolling exercises please check out my You Tube Channel here: