Exercising is something that many of you may hate to do when you’re doing it but love the feeling afterwards. Or maybe you are one of those people that loves feeling the burn and pushing your body to its physical limits. Either way- there is a reward from working those muscles- but what about the- punishment as we can call it- those muscles feel in the following days?
Let’s face it, sore muscles are sometimes something to strive for. Something that reminds you days even after your workout just how hard you worked. But sometimes that soreness is almost debilitating during your next workout- so what can you do?

Foam Rolling is the key! If you want to walk around with your muscles all tight and bundled and in an abnormal state after your workout, then you should stop reading now. But if you want healthy, ready to go muscles- let’s keep going!

First things first- I LOVE my foam roller! Yes, it might hurt when its doing its job of loosening my muscles but the difference I feel in my muscles and limbs after it is amazing.

Foam rolling is a form of myofascial release that massage therapists and those of that sort have been using for years (for more info on this see the link: https://www.myofascialrelease.com/about/definition.aspx ) Think of why you iron a shirt. You want it to look fresh, even feel fresh, because it is smooth and wrinkle free. Now think of your muscles the same way. If you know you are going to be using your muscles again (which unless you are a vegetable, you will be whether you realize it or not) you want your muscles to be just as fresh, smooth, and wrinkle free as that ironed shirt.

Muscles are like ironed shirts? WHAT?!

Yes- that is what foam rolling does! When you exercise you are working your muscles into a tight, bundled up state. You are physically ripping your muscles apart, causing swelling in the tissue and not allowing them to recover completely. Not exactly what you want right? Well foam rolling is an excellent mechanism to relieve this bundled state of being that those muscles are in after a workout. Some experts even swear by foam rolling every day just to keep your muscles as fresh as that ironed shirt. If you’re not sold- let me lay out some benefits of foam rolling

• Allows blood to flow properly back into the muscles/tissues
• Relieves soreness- it does not eliminate soreness but it can reduce the severity
• Improves range of motion of the joints
• Decreases the chance of injury
• Allows more comfort in daily living
• Overall relaxed, loose, ready to go feeling!