foam rolling / is it worth it

[digitaldeath]

foam rolling is so tedious and dumb

but will it get me even more jacked?


i must know

[My Pet Powder Goat]

Better for de-jacking

[DJSapp]

Better for de-jacking

Yup. Great for post workout back, shoulders, IT band, glutes and hamstrings to get mobility back. A lacrosse ball and a hard surface is magic for knots. Protip - drill a small hole through it and put it on a shoelace, string, paracord, whatever for easy positioning. Also can double as a ball gag.

Mobility is key for full range of motion reps. But DD strikes me as a high squatter.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Yup. Great for post workout back, shoulders, IT band, glutes and hamstrings to get mobility back. A lacrosse ball and a hard surface is magic for knots. Protip - drill a small hole through it and put it on a shoelace, string, paracord, whatever for easy positioning. Also can double as a ball gag.

Mobility is key for full range of motion reps. But DD strikes me as a high squatter.

Is that last sentence for reference with or without the ball gag?

[RShea]

You can think what you want about foam roller- but IT band and some other issues it is effective short of going to a Physical Therapist or Massage Therapy possibly. Those both though cost money where the foam roller once you own it just takes the time set aside to use it.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I haven't seen a ton of difference personally between when I do and don't roll after a workout, but either way I will keep doing it because it has that massage-that-hurts-so-good kinda feeling that really can't be replicated any other way, besides of course with an actual human massage.

[::: :::]

I'm a big fan of the foam roller for leg recovery

[digitaldeath]

Doesn't hurt that good

[BmillsSkier]

Doesn't hurt that good

Don't listen to us, listen to the Coug.

[DJSapp]

I haven't seen a ton of difference personally between when I do and don't roll after a workout, but either way I will keep doing it because it has that massage-that-hurts-so-good kinda feeling that really can't be replicated any other way, besides of course with an actual human massage.

I started rolling after my chiropractor recommended that I do it. Then I realized I could replace the chiro with a really firm roller and get everything unstuck with it except for my neck and stopped going. For post workout, it doesn't really make you more flexible, it makes you less tight the next day, aiding recovery. If you really want to increase flexibility you need to stretch, do yoga, whatever.

For replacing a hurts-so-good deep tissue massage, get a lacrosse ball. They're like $3. Put it between the floor and your knot and lay into it with as much body weight as you can stand. Then move it around a bit. Way better than a roller for specific points. Fucking amazing actually. You'll find knots you didn't know existed, and then cry like a little girl as you hammer away at them.

[BS720]

I prefer to use a vibrator...
(https://hyperice.com/hypersphere) It's not as cheap as foam, but at $150, it's on par with a two hour massage, and you can use it as much as you want.

[mcsquared]

Fun fact- Foam rolling doesn't produce any measureable changes to your tissues. It feels good, yes. But if you were to study blood flow, lactic acid, whatever else you want to measure or observe. Nothing changes. So there is argument that any benefit is largely placebo. But placebos can work too. If you bump your head, you rub it and it starts to hurt less. Did the rubbing actually do anything? Only if you believe it did.

That said, I still foam roll regularly. It feels good when I am sore and gives me something to do while watching tv.

[digitaldeath]

hmmmmm

sounds like cold water immersion way more beneficial

[DJSapp]

Fun fact- Foam rolling doesn't produce any measureable changes to your tissues. It feels good, yes. But if you were to study blood flow, lactic acid, whatever else you want to measure or observe. Nothing changes. So there is argument that any benefit is largely placebo. But placebos can work too. If you bump your head, you rub it and it starts to hurt less. Did the rubbing actually do anything? Only if you believe it did.

That said, I still foam roll regularly. It feels good when I am sore and gives me something to do while watching tv.

Got a source for your fun fact?

There is a fact that stretching produces measurable results. Foam rolling is a kind of stretching. Think rolling pin on dough. That is what you're doing to your muscles. Maybe your roller is too soft to see results. That is a common problem.

[Timberridge]

This sounds like something 50 yr old ladies in leotards do after prancercising.

What the hell is going on up in MN?

[mcsquared]

Got a source for your fun fact?

There is a fact that stretching produces measurable results. Foam rolling is a kind of stretching. Think rolling pin on dough. That is what you're doing to your muscles. Maybe your roller is too soft to see results. That is a common problem.

I use the hard knobby one. Too soft is not an issue for me.

You are asking me to provide a source which proves a negative, i.e. foam rolling doesn't do anything. As you probably know, that is problematic. But if you search I will think that evidence of their efficacy is hard to find.
4th result on google "do foam rollers do anything"-http://dougkelsey.com/foam-rolling/

Nutshell at the end:
"The science and research on whether foam rolling reduces pain and improves performance is scant. There are only a few studies published and the majority of those suggest that foam rolling has little to no effect on performance.1

And one study showed that foam rolling prior to plyometric training – like jumping – was detrimental to performance.2

So, while some people seem to respond well to foam rolling, we have little to no evidence to suggest why that is the case or why it seems to help."

[digitaldeath]

i was just wondering if there is any benefit

my body doesnt hurt and foam rolling seems like a chore


sounds like it doesnt get you stronger

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Fun fact- Foam rolling doesn't produce any measureable changes to your tissues. It feels good, yes. But if you were to study blood flow, lactic acid, whatever else you want to measure or observe. Nothing changes. So there is argument that any benefit is largely placebo. But placebos can work too. If you bump your head, you rub it and it starts to hurt less. Did the rubbing actually do anything? Only if you believe it did.

That said, I still foam roll regularly. It feels good when I am sore and gives me something to do while watching tv.

Will it work better if I cover my foam roller in tin foil?

I wonder if the Illuminati uses foam rollers....

[mcsquared]

Will it work better if I cover my foam roller in tin foil?

I wonder if the Illuminati uses foam rollers....

Climate change is real.
Vaccines don't cause autism.
Earth is round, or rather ellipsoidal.
Foam Rolling feels good but doesn't really do anything significant or permanent.
Evidence, not anecdotes. Evidence.

[DJSapp]

i was just wondering if there is any benefit

my body doesnt hurt and foam rolling seems like a chore

sounds like it doesnt get you stronger

The benefit is massage and light stretching to aid post workout recovery and get you back into the gym sooner. Getting back into the gym sooner makes you stronger.

[irul&ublo]

hmmmmm

sounds like cold water immersion way more beneficial

Please go head first

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I use the hard knobby one. Too soft is not an issue for me.

You are asking me to provide a source which proves a negative, i.e. foam rolling doesn't do anything. As you probably know, that is problematic. But if you search I will think that evidence of their efficacy is hard to find.
4th result on google "do foam rollers do anything"-http://dougkelsey.com/foam-rolling/

Nutshell at the end:
"The science and research on whether foam rolling reduces pain and improves performance is scant. There are only a few studies published and the majority of those suggest that foam rolling has little to no effect on performance.1

And one study showed that foam rolling prior to plyometric training – like jumping – was detrimental to performance.2

So, while some people seem to respond well to foam rolling, we have little to no evidence to suggest why that is the case or why it seems to help."

Sounds like it's the same as stretching. Studies show no performance benefit and nothing is really accomplished. It feels good. I guess you could say it's like masturbating, feels good nothing is accomplished. If it feels good do it?

[Timberridge]

I guess you could say it's like masturbating, feels good nothing is accomplished.

Wait, wut?

[senior researcher]

FKNA! You Tube chiropractic bliss. Get the 36"