Foam Roller Workout

Foam Roller
Exercises
Don’t be fooled by its minimalist,
no-frills appearance: A foam
roller is one of the most valuable,
inexpensive, and versatile pieces
of gym equipment out there, says
Lauren Borden, a certified structural
integration practitioner and
founder of Mind Body Manhattan in
Manhattan Beach, California.
It can help release tension in your
connective tissues and work out
kinks and knots in overused muscles
(a good stand-in when a hands-on
massage doesn’t fit your schedule
or budget). Plus, it can be used as
a strength-training tool, helping
to engage key muscles you want to
tone, like your arms, abs, thighs,
and butt. Because the foam roller
is a curved, unstable surface, it can
replace a BOSU trainer or stability
ball in many exercises to improve
your balance and fire up your core
muscles. And the roller can even
be used to mimic some of the same
moves done on the Pilates Reformer
to tone and stretch muscles and
improve posture, giving you that
long, lean look.
Try this total-body foam roller
workout, created by Borden, three
to five times a week. Need a roller?
Check out some top picks (far right).
Loosen Up
Hit a tight spot?
Roll directly onto it and
hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
This activates your muscle’s
proprioceptors (which monitor
upticks in muscle tension)
and prompts the muscle to
reflexively relax, easing
the pressure.
If you’ve only used a foam roller to loosen tight
muscles after exercising, you’re missing out. It can
also be used as a tool to get a more toned physique.
By Jen Ator
Roll Call
Reverse
Push-Through
Sit on the floor with a foam roller
behind you, your legs extended
in front of you, and place both
hands on the roller, arms straight
and palms facing you (a). Engage
your core, then slowly lower
your back toward the ground,
letting the foam roller move up
your arms (b). Hold for five
seconds, exhale, then slowly
roll back up to start. That’s one
rep. Do three to five. Perks: This
move works your core and upper
back while opening your
chest—all major posture
improvers.
a
On the Go
b
Butterfly Lift
Lie faceup on the floor, arms at your
sides, and place the outer edges of
your feet on a foam roller, with your
soles pressed together and knees out
in a butterfly position (a). Press your
feet into the roller and squeeze your
glutes to lift your hips toward the
ceiling (b). Pause, then slowly lower
back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10 to
15. Perks: Your glutes, hamstrings,
and outer thighs get a workout as
you try to keep the roller in place.
A massage stick (for hard-toreach spots) nestled
inside a low-density foam
roller (for less-intense
pressure), stashed inside a
traditional high-density roller.
Genius. Gold’s Gym 3-in-1
Foam Roller, $30, walmart.com
For This Workout
This 36-inch, high-density
foam roller is long enough
for your entire back and
durable enough to last for
years. (The firmness may be
uncomfortable for newbies at
first.) Axis Roller Black Series,
$20, optp.com
Stand on your right foot, knee
slightly bent, and put the top of
your left foot on a foam roller
behind you, leg straight. Raise
your arms directly overhead (a).
Bend your right knee lower and
extend the left leg back, pressing
it into the foam roller as it moves
up your shin, until your right
thigh is nearly parallel to the floor
(b). Pause, then return to start.
That’s one rep. Do four to six,
then switch sides and repeat.
Perks: You’ll engage more
muscle fibers than in a regular
reverse lunge.
a
At the Office
WomensHealthMag.com/FoamRoller
Roll this over tense or tender
muscles to target everything
from neck pain to tight
calves—without leaving
your desk. TP
Massage
Ball, $25,
tptherapy
.com
b
Shell curl
Position your hands shoulder-width
apart on the floor, arms straight, chest
lifted, legs extended behind you with
a roller just below your knees (a).
Keeping your back flat and core tight,
raise your hips to pull your knees
toward your chest (b). Pause, then
Keep It Safe
slowly return to start. That’s one
You
may
feel discomfort—
rep. Do six to eight. Perks: Nixes
as in the hurt-so-good feeling
tightness in your shins after a
of a deep-tissue massage. But
run or a long day in heels.
you should never feel sharp pain
(if you do, stop!), and the pain
shouldn’t linger into the following
day (if it does, take a break
from rolling for a few days).
Start with light, quick
motions and progress to
slow, deep rolls.
b
Scissors Balance
/
All in One
Rolling Lunge
Lie faceup on a roller, with your forearms on the floor, elbows bent.
Keeping your legs straight and body balanced on the roller, raise one
leg straight up and the other a few inches off the floor (a). Slowly
switch legs (b). That’s one rep. Do six to eight. Perks: Your deep core
muscles (especially your obliques) have to work hard to stabilize
your body as you balance on the roller.
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
Throw this adjustable-density
foam roller into your carry-on,
putting spare workout clothes
in its hollow center. Travel Roller,
$45, travelroller.com
b
a
1
Four great picks
for home or away
a
a
b