How to Foam Roll

When it comes to foam rolling, you've likely seen and heard a lot of conflicting information. If you've hung around at the gym or spied on a runner post-workout, you've probably found that the way people use foam rollers runs the gamut; from those who vigorously roll back and forth at warp speeds, to those yelling out in pain, and to those who eye the roller skeptically and opt for a cold, tall, post-workout glass of chocolate milk instead.

If you're interested in speeding up your recovery time and preventing injury (who wouldn't be?), then the foam roller can be an effective tool to incorporate into your routine — you just need to know how to do it correctly.

In order to get the most out of your time spent with the beloved foam roller, there are a few rules to keep in mind:

Despite the name, foam rolling is not so much about the rolling itself as it is using the roller specifically on key, target areas. For any muscle that you address, you will want to roll deliberately along the muscle and stop when you find a tender spot. These spots are called trigger points, and it is more effective to intentionally target a few of them than to roll up and down willy-nilly along the entire muscle.

To read more about why targeting trigger points is helpful, check out our article about how foam rolling works.

It takes time to build muscles, and also to work out their quirks and imbalances. While foam rolling, you will want to pause on a trigger point and hold the position for at least 30 seconds, which will probably feel like an eternity, but this is how long it takes for the muscle to release and start making real change.

Be patient. It is better to only address a few spots each time you foam roll and to address them properly than to try fixing everything at once and do a poor job of it.

Because changes take time, you'll need to roll out your muscles regularly instead of just rolling whenever you feel like it. Those who get the most benefit from foam rolling are those who treat it as a short but crucial part of their routine.

To keep things interesting, consider mixing up your foam rolling routine with stretches that will also help promote recovery.

• Begin lying face down with the foam roller placed just below the hip.
  Place the leg that you're not rolling out to the side (it can also be used to provide some support).
• Your arms should be in front of your body for support, with your elbows directly below your shoulders.
• Try to keep a neutral, flat back and engage your core.
  Slowly begin to roll so that the foam roller moves down toward the knee.
• Roll slowly until you reach a tender spot where there is some pain or discomfort, and pause there.
• Hold the position for about 30 seconds, or until the discomfort begins to ease.

• Focus on one side of your body at a time.
• Begin with the glutes on one side of your body sitting on the roller.
  You can set the ankle of the side you are rolling on the opposite knee to further open your hip if desired.
• Slowly begin to roll so that the foam roller moves down toward the knee.
• Roll slowly until you reach a tender spot where there is some pain or discomfort, and pause there.
• Hold the position for about 30 seconds, or until the discomfort begins to ease.

• Sit on the floor with your legs straight and the foam roller under your thigh, just below the glutes.
• Focus on one leg at a time so that you can isolate tender spots specific to each leg.
• Place your hands on the floor on either side of your hips.
• Lift your hips and slowly begin to roll so that the foam roller moves down toward the knee.
• Roll slowly until you reach a tender spot where there is some pain or discomfort, and pause here.
• Hold the position for about 30 seconds or until the discomfort begins to ease.

• Sit on the floor with the foam roller just above the ankle.
• You can cross the nonworking leg over the leg to be rolled in order to increase compression.
• Place your hands near your hips with the fingertips pointing away from the body.
• Raise your hips and slowly begin to roll so that the foam roller moves down toward the knee.
• Roll slowly until you reach a tender spot where there is some pain or discomfort, and pause here.
• Hold the position for about 30 seconds or until the discomfort begins to ease.

• Lay face down with the foam roller just below the hip.
• Angle your body at about 45 degrees in order to isolate the hip flexor on one side.
• Keep the spine straight and engage your core. Use your arms to support your body weight.
• Slowly begin to roll so that the foam roller moves down toward the knee. The hip flexor is a small area, so you may need to roll back and forth a bit.
• Roll slowly until you reach a tender spot where there is some pain or discomfort, and pause here.
• Hold the position for about 30 seconds or until the discomfort begins to ease.

Many articles and videos about foam rolling contain a section about how to roll the IT band, however we do not recommend this. Why? The short answer is that the IT band is not a muscle, does not behave like one, and therefore should not be treated like one. The best thing you can do to help alleviate IT band issues with the foam roller is to address the surrounding muscles, such as the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Check out our article about how foam rolling works to learn more.