foam rollers

firemedic

firemedic

Cathlete
I just seen in my news letter that Cathe has new products and one of them being a foam roller. I've never used one. I've only done stretching (like Cathe's dvds) or yoga. How does this differ? Can anyone recommend a good video or instructor to see if this is something I would like to add. I would like to get it while they are on sale from Cathe, along with the mini step mat.

Thanks for any help
Kim
 
Kim, definitely get yourself a foam roller. I don't have Cathe's foam roller but I use mine daily. DAILY! It is amazing for recovery, mobility, muscle relief. There are tons of free YouTube foam rolling videos. I highly recommend the CDornerfitness channel on YouTube. She has quite a few of foam rolling routines.

Also I have a Cathe mini step mat, they were given in a goodie bag at a Cathe Road Trip 10 years ago. I still have it, still use it, still love it! I'll probably buy another during the sale.
 
lisa_la_machina said:
Kim, definitely get yourself a foam roller. I don't have Cathe's foam roller but I use mine daily. DAILY! It is amazing for recovery, mobility, muscle relief. There are tons of free YouTube foam rolling videos. I highly recommend the CDornerfitness channel on YouTube. She has quite a few of foam rolling routines.

Also I have a Cathe mini step mat, they were given in a goodie bag at a Cathe Road Trip 10 years ago. I still have it, still use it, still love it! I'll probably buy another during the sale.
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Thanks, Cathe's is 36 inches. Is that too long? I seen on Amazon that they come in different lengths. What do you think the best length is?
 
firemedic said:
Thanks, Cathe's is 36 inches. Is that too long? I seen on Amazon that they come in different lengths. What do you think the best length is?
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I don't know that there is a "best" length. Mine is 36 inches long and high density. It has worked well for my needs. I have used it for foam rolling routines on video, and also my chiropractor has given me specific foam rolling exercises to use that require the 36 inch.

I have toyed with getting a half size (18 inch), soft or medium density. Maybe I will, but I have so much workout stuff as it is. From what I understand, the smaller size makes it easier to get into hard to reach areas like pecs, but if I could only choose 1 foam roller, I would choose the 36 inch high density. That's just me.
 
I have both half size and full length foam rollers. The full length roller is good for chest expansion work where I lie on my back along the length of the roller and do snow angel type moves and circles with my arms. It is also good for rolling out quads, hamstrings and calves if you want to roll both legs at the same time but this requires a bit of upper body strength to hold yourself up so I prefer to roll one leg at a time. You can do this with the full length roller but I find this easier using the half sized roller. I also recently purchased a Rollga foam roller which is a half-sized, contoured roller and I really like it for rolling out my arms and upper back.

Upside-Down Pilates has some YouTube foam roller routines and Jess P Fit has a 30 minute mobility and recovery flow routine on YouTube. These all use the full length roller.
 
I have a 23 inch foam roller that I never use. I wish I had a 36" one. Mine is too short for doing the chest expansion work that Hazlady mentions above.

I was also turned off to foam rolling because it always hurt no matter how much pressure I tried. I probably was doing it wrong so I'll look at the suggested sites for tips.

I bought a Rollga a few years ago and it's great.

My Rollga has been a game changer for rolling my muscles/tendons and back. It doesn't hurt! Mine is medium firm. I almost wish I had gotten the soft one. I was being "tough" getting the middle firmness.

I just saw that Rollga now has a new smaller size that's just for the neck and upper traps area. I've been having neck stiffness for awhile and the bigger Rollga is too large to relax into the groves.

Anyway .... IMO .... Don't get a short regular foam roller. I'd say get Cathe's full size one while it's on sale. I'd get one or the mini step mat but I just spent my budget on a new step!

A Cathelete mentioned in another thread that the price will be going up due to rising costs for materials and shipping costs so I ordered a new one yesterday before I read about Cathe's Sale.

My step is at least 20 years old if not more. I can't remember when I bought it. The ridges on mine are all worn down. The new model has a redesigned top that is user friendly for push ups and using it as a weight bench.

Coco
 
Foam rolling can hurt at first especially if you have a harder roller which is another reason I like to roll my legs one at a time. I can support my weight better on my upper body and free leg and apply less pressure on the roller. Another tip if it is really painful is to roll standing up against a wall rather than lying on the roller so you have more control on how much pressure you apply.

Another tip for massage is to put 2 tennis balls into a sock and tie the end off. I used to use this for my upper back before I got my Rollga. I still use it for my neck.
 
You ladies are great enablers :) - I have a 36" roller but find it too painful to use for anything other than my back. I have the Rollga in my Amazon cart ... (BTW ... the standard one is on a lightening deal for $25). I'm going to try rolling with my current one on the wall for less pressure first.
 
I highly recommend foam rolling even though it can be painful which is usually a sign that something is very tight. I have a shorter softer roller which is great for my IT bands, especially when they are super tight. I also have a 36" harder roller which is a must have so you can lay on it full length from tailbone to head. I really don't roll enough but when I do I often just do what feels good to me (being gentle on the tighter, more painful areas).
Please don't let the thought of pain stop you from using a roller. Just "baby" the area for a while before adding more weight or pressure and you will find, with some work, the tension will release.
I have an area that is often tight that a roller works really well on. It is the back of the arm socket (or top of the triceps) to the back, if that makes sense. I lay on my mat an put my arm over the roller an rock back and forth. It is amazing! And now that I talk of it I will have to go home a do it.
 
I agree with snowlover ... I started rolling painful tight areas on the wall ... feels good ... eventually I'll be able to move to the floor. I've always been tight/inflexible so stretching (& now foam rolling) are important to me. I hope Cathe puts out more extended stretch bonuses & maybe a foam roller bonus too!
 
I don't know about you guys but just hanging out in the sensitive area is a better technique for me. .. (instead of rolling it back and forth)
I roll to where it is sensitive..wait there a few breaths...and then slowly inchworm that roller, pause, then a wee bit more. This seems to help calm it down for me.

Afterwards, rolling is possible and doesn't cause me quite so much discomfort.
 
Lady Vol Fan said:
I don't know about you guys but just hanging out in the sensitive area is a better technique for me. .. (instead of rolling it back and forth)
I roll to where it is sensitive..wait there a few breaths...and then slowly inchworm that roller, pause, then a wee bit more. This seems to help calm it down for me.

Afterwards, rolling is possible and doesn't cause me quite so much discomfort.
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Thanks Linda ... everything I've read and watched on YouTube recommends this approach too. I'm creating a stretch & roll routine for warm-ups/cool-downs that'll hopefully encourage me to use the foam roller more. The wall rolling is helpful for an initial start for me.
 
I'm still on the fence about getting a foam roller. I do a lot of stretching and yoga already. I've watched a lot of videos on youtube and don't like the fact that I have to be on my hands most of the time holding myself up. I've been having issues with my right thumb so for right now, I think I'll just wait. I purchased an extra kneeling pad to use under the palms of my hands and that seems to really help with some of the discomfort in my thumb. Thanks for all the advise and tips. Maybe when she gets them on her Amazon store, I might reconsider, but I know it's going to be a while for that.
 
Firemedic, I too have problems with a hand/thumb, and have not had it bother me as much while foam rolling as it does when doing push-ups, downward dogs & planks from hands (maybe due to the discomfort & distraction from rolling on my hard roller ;))

I am in the market for a SOFTER foam roller if anyone has any recommendations ...
 
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