Foam rolling

[Lord Vutulaki]

Fuck that shit use a wooden rolling pin. Best with an independently spinning center pin.

Dont have lacrosse balls here but might try a 6 stitcher.

Any other ideas out there?

 

[SC MMA MD]

If normal foam rolling is not intense enough for you, look into the rumble roller. 6 inch PVC pipe with a layer or two of duct tape (to give it enough friction to roll instead of sliding) is a good and cheap firm roller as well. I have issues with the small neck/strap muscles in my upper back, and a lacrosse ball is perfect for hitting those.

 

[Pitbull9]

I will say this. Foam rolling is incredibly underrated and its very good to stretch out that fascia tissue. Makes me feel like a new man when i do it to my hams and glutes.

 

[SC MMA MD]

Just realized that you said you don't have access to a lacrosse ball, a baseball or cricket ball works pretty well also.

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

Just realized that you said you don't have access to a lacrosse ball, a baseball or cricket ball works pretty well also.

I dont know what lacrosse is tbh. I know it's played with a ball? Don't sound like a game played by urban youths.

Roger that on the baseball or cricket ball.

 

[Leigh]

I bought a plastic hockey ball for a couple of quid and its super solid.

That said, I never foam roll and only use the ball if I have an issue (once in the last year or two).

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

"Abstract
PURPOSE:
The objective of this study is to understand the effectiveness of foam rolling (FR) as a recovery tool after exercise-induced muscle damage, analyzing thigh girth, muscle soreness, range of motion (ROM), evoked and voluntary contractile properties, vertical jump, perceived pain while FR, and force placed on the foam roller.

METHODS:
Twenty male subjects (≥3 yr of strength training experience) were randomly assigned into the control (n = 10) or FR (n = 10) group. All the subjects followed the same testing protocol. The subjects participated in five testing sessions: 1) orientation and one-repetition maximum back squat, 2) pretest measurements, 10 × 10 squat protocol, and POST-0 (posttest 0) measurements, along with measurements at 3) POST-24, 4) POST-48, and 5) POST-72. The only between-group difference was that the FR group performed a 20-min FR exercise protocol at the end of each testing session (POST-0, POST-24, and POST-48).

RESULTS:
FR substantially reduced muscle soreness at all time points while substantially improving ROM. FR negatively affected evoked contractile properties with the exception of half relaxation time and electromechanical delay (EMD), with FR substantially improving EMD. Voluntary contractile properties showed no substantial between-group differences for all measurements besides voluntary muscle activation and vertical jump, with FR substantially improving muscle activation at all time points and vertical jump at POST-48. When performing the five FR exercises, measurements of the subjects' force placed on the foam roller and perceived pain while FR ranged between 26 and 46 kg (32%-55% body weight) and 2.5 and 7.5 points, respectively.

CONCLUSION:
The most important findings of the present study were that FR was beneficial in attenuating muscle soreness while improving vertical jump height, muscle activation, and passive and dynamic ROM in comparison with control. FR negatively affected several evoked contractile properties of the muscle, except for half relaxation time and EMD, indicating that FR benefits are primarily accrued through neural responses and connective tissue."

Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical activity. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

For later

http://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/article/S1360-8592(02)00067-0/abstract

 

[Leigh]

"Abstract
PURPOSE:
The objective of this study is to understand the effectiveness of foam rolling (FR) as a recovery tool after exercise-induced muscle damage, analyzing thigh girth, muscle soreness, range of motion (ROM), evoked and voluntary contractile properties, vertical jump, perceived pain while FR, and force placed on the foam roller.

METHODS:
Twenty male subjects (≥3 yr of strength training experience) were randomly assigned into the control (n = 10) or FR (n = 10) group. All the subjects followed the same testing protocol. The subjects participated in five testing sessions: 1) orientation and one-repetition maximum back squat, 2) pretest measurements, 10 × 10 squat protocol, and POST-0 (posttest 0) measurements, along with measurements at 3) POST-24, 4) POST-48, and 5) POST-72. The only between-group difference was that the FR group performed a 20-min FR exercise protocol at the end of each testing session (POST-0, POST-24, and POST-48).

RESULTS:
FR substantially reduced muscle soreness at all time points while substantially improving ROM. FR negatively affected evoked contractile properties with the exception of half relaxation time and electromechanical delay (EMD), with FR substantially improving EMD. Voluntary contractile properties showed no substantial between-group differences for all measurements besides voluntary muscle activation and vertical jump, with FR substantially improving muscle activation at all time points and vertical jump at POST-48. When performing the five FR exercises, measurements of the subjects' force placed on the foam roller and perceived pain while FR ranged between 26 and 46 kg (32%-55% body weight) and 2.5 and 7.5 points, respectively.

CONCLUSION:
The most important findings of the present study were that FR was beneficial in attenuating muscle soreness while improving vertical jump height, muscle activation, and passive and dynamic ROM in comparison with control. FR negatively affected several evoked contractile properties of the muscle, except for half relaxation time and EMD, indicating that FR benefits are primarily accrued through neural responses and connective tissue."

Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical activity. - PubMed - NCBI

That's an interesting study

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

That's an interesting study

I was actually looking for another which explains the physiological benefits of foam rolling, apparently there is a mechanism in your tendons which triggers the relaxation of the attached muscles as a defense mechanism to prevent injury when it senses an external overload, so foam rolling is basically tricking your body into recovery. Then there is the whole fascia breakdown and "new blood" pushing nutrients into the area etc

That probably made no sense, Ill try and find it again.

 

[Sweets]

Plastic bottles with straight sides like this.

Makes a great roller if you fill it right to the brim with water, chilled water seems to make it firmer when it warms to room temperature but that could be confirmation bias. Yes I'm a cheap bastard.

edit- you need a pressurised bottle, the plastic is too weak in water bottles. I just grabbed that photo because it illustrated my point.

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

Plastic bottles with straight sides like this.

Makes a great roller if you fill it right to the brim with water, chilled water seems to make it firmer when it warms to room temperature but that could be confirmation bias. Yes I'm a cheap bastard.

edit- you need a pressurised bottle, the plastic is too weak in water bottles. I just grabbed that photo because it illustrated my point.

You freeze it right? Also doesn’t it slip on the floor?

 

[Sweets]

You freeze it right? Also doesn’t it slip on the floor?

No just water, yep it slides a bit but I'm going to wrap it in tape like mentioned above.

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

No just water, yep it slides a bit but I'm going to wrap it in tape like mentioned above.

You know its funny how gym rats are just coming up with these things now yet certain cultures have had these forever just not scientifically proven.

EG I was training at Lana Muay Thai years and years ago and would get massages in this shack out the front, the old Thai lady would insist on deep tissue massages to my legs after our morning sessions when id hobble in and when I resisted she would insist further (ignore me and continue torturing me), id always be ready for the afternoon session after that.

I think that relied on the same process as foam rolling but cant be sure...

 

[Hulc]

"FR negatively affected several evoked contractile properties of the muscle, except for half relaxation time and EMD"

Does anybody know what this means in English?

 

[SC MMA MD]

"FR negatively affected several evoked contractile properties of the muscle, except for half relaxation time and EMD"

Does anybody know what this means in English?

Foam rolling improved half relaxation time (the time between peak tension during contraction and when tension reaches half that level), and decreased the electromechanical delay (the time between electrical activity and mechanical production of tension). So foam rolling resulted in muscle contracting faster and relaxing faster. The evoked (caused by an external stimulation) contractile properties that were negatively affected were less well described.

 

[Hulc]

Foam rolling improved half relaxation time (the time between peak tension during contraction and when tension reaches half that level), and decreased the electromechanical delay (the time between electrical activity and mechanical production of tension). So foam rolling resulted in muscle contracting faster and relaxing faster. The evoked (caused by an external stimulation) contractile properties that were negatively affected were less well described.

Which were the bits i was curious about. I've never seen a paper set up to measure the effects of something claim that it has negative effects, but then refuse to describe or list those effects. What a strange paper.

 

[otaku1]

You know its funny how gym rats are just coming up with these things now yet certain cultures have had these forever just not scientifically proven.

EG I was training at Lana Muay Thai years and years ago and would get massages in this shack out the front, the old Thai lady would insist on deep tissue massages to my legs after our morning sessions when id hobble in and when I resisted she would insist further (ignore me and continue torturing me), id always be ready for the afternoon session after that.

I think that relied on the same process as foam rolling but cant be sure...

Actually massages have been known, in European track and field circles, to be very efficient in accelerating recovery. Charlie Francis said that it was present in the 70s if not the 60s already if I recall correctly. He would give his athletes a massage between each race ( the qualifiers, quarter finals semi and the final race etc). Said it was great for injury prevention and the CNS would recuperate better.

When I was running pretty intensively I used to get a massage once every 2 weeks. I would also get one before a run like half-marathon just so that I avoid cramps and feel no tension in my body. I would feel great.

Now I'm back at oly lifting. Whenever I feel a tension in a muscle or discomfort somewhere my coach insists I roll where the knot/pain is. You know what? It works. It relieves the pain and the next set I feel nothing. My coach even uses a wooden dough roller (yes the one for cooking) to massage specific areas. I use it all the time and it works.

So yes, foam roll dudes. It works and heals your muscles faster and better than just rest.

 

[Lord Vutulaki]

Actually massages have been known, in European track and field circles, to be very efficient in accelerating recovery. Charlie Francis said that it was present in the 70s if not the 60s already if I recall correctly. He would give his athletes a massage between each race ( the qualifiers, quarter finals semi and the final race etc). Said it was great for injury prevention and the CNS would recuperate better.

When I was running pretty intensively I used to get a massage once every 2 weeks. I would also get one before a run like half-marathon just so that I avoid cramps and feel no tension in my body. I would feel great.

Now I'm back at oly lifting. Whenever I feel a tension in a muscle or discomfort somewhere my coach insists I roll where the knot/pain is. You know what? It works. It relieves the pain and the next set I feel nothing. My coach even uses a wooden dough roller (yes the one for cooking) to massage specific areas. I use it all the time and it works.

So yes, foam roll dudes. It works and heals your muscles faster and better than just rest.

I use a dough roller aka rolling pin too, I also bought a cheap chinese knock off of the $80 FR they have at our gym, mine cost $15.

My parent's culture also does massaging for babies (toddlers) with coconut oil, its pretty deep/hard and they also do lots of stretching the legs and arms. My kids didnt get it and I notice that they arent as dexterous as their similar aged cousins who did but thats neither here nor there I guess