YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Working out is important, but without the proper recovery scheduled into a weekly practice, you may not see the desired results.
That's why in this week's FOX43 FitMinute, Megan Anderson, a coordinator and trainer with the Jewish Community Center Fitness Center (JCC), is taking the time to show the benefits of foam rolling as a muscle recovery option.
“You can roll your quads, your hamstrings, your calves, your glutes, [and] your back,” said Anderson.
But how do you get started?
“I am going to move myself up and down the roller along my quads here, and once I find that tender spot, I am going to hold it for 30 seconds,” said Anderson.
This set up works for any muscle group, just be sure to not cause any discomfort while finding and holding the muscle, and do not rock back and forth after finding the sore spot in question.
“Foam rolling is important for muscle recovery, and while you’re foam rolling, either at the beginning or end of your workout, it's going to help with muscle growth,” said Anderson.
Other benefits of foam rolling include warming up the muscles ahead of exercise, as well as the release of any lactic acid build-up after a workout, which will lead to less tightness in the muscle later on.
Just remember to choose the roller weight wisely.
”The soft density [is] a great way for beginners to use a foam roller, so they have a soft pressure [added] to the muscles, and if they feel comfortable with that [and] they can handle more pressure then [go for] medium. And if the medium is too light go for the harder density,” said Anderson.
Feel free to try different densities out, to see which works best for you and your muscle condition.
You just got better!