National Foam Rolling Day

Studies have found that foam rolling may improve the body’s ability to recover, decrease the risk of injuries and increase performance. Foam rolling after heavy weightlifting can speed up recovery, decrease soreness, and help improve performance on many tests according to studies.

The best results in studies were found among participants who foam rolled followed by dynamic stretching.

Here is why:

If one area of the body moves OPTIMALLY, then the surrounding muscles may fire better. When one muscle contracts, the muscle on the opposite side of the joint relaxes. When the body is functioning optimally, you can EFFICIENTLY move from point A to point B. However, if a muscle is tight and stuck in a shortened position, the muscle on the opposite side of the joint cannot contract when needed. So for example, think about when you are walking, running, or performing any number of activities that require the hips to move. During OPTIMAL function, you should be able to use the glutes to propel forward. But, if you shorten your hip flexor (the muscle opposite to the glutes) by being too TIGHT, then the glutes cannot fully contract. They are locked and inhibited and the chance of INJURY is likely to increase. If a foam roller is used to decrease tension and tightness in the hip flexor, it would increase the ability of the glutes to contract and increase your performance while decreasing your chance of a hamstring injury.

So why are you not foam rolling daily?!?! Want to learn more? Contact us to sign up for City Fit Foam Rolling Seminars in Baltimore,MD or via YouTube today!