Foam Rollers for Cyclists and Runners

Using foam rollers to help muscle recovery and stretching.

If done properly, foam rolling can also be an effective way to promote circulation, which encourages the muscles to release the byproducts of exercise and bring fresh blood to the area. While it feels good to roll over tight muscles, the lasting effects aren’t necessarily the same as a massage. But a foam roller can aid in increasing flexibility, easing tightness and promoting recovery. Lying statically on a foam roller that’s placed vertically is also an excellent tool for breath and back work.

How to roll

Foam rollers come in various shapes and sizes. Some are grooved to provide deeper pressure, while others are made of a squishier foam, which is recommended for beginners. While they can become softer over time, unlike rollers made with a plastic shell, they’re still less painful on tight muscles.

Getting started

With a little creativity, you can hit most muscles with a foam roller. You can roll on the major leg muscles and hip flexors and roll up the back along the sides of the spine and to the traps or even on tight arms. 

A word on pain

One of the major concerns with foam rollers is that it’s difficult to control the pressure. In foam rolling, as in all massage, it’s important to start with a light pressure and gradually work deeper as the muscle allows. Many people start out too deep and find themselves in more pain, which usually leads to their foam roller collecting dust. Fascia's goal is to protect your muscles from damage. Come at it too hard or too fast and it will quickly tense up. If you persist, gritting your teeth, you’ll likely cause more pain and inflammation than you started with. Instead, try to roll when your muscles are warm, either right after exercise or a hot shower and start with light, slow strokes, working one muscle group at a time and easing off before you hit a joint. As the fascia warms and melts, it will invite deeper pressure, but you must be patient (and yes, it’s difficult to feel this release through a hunk of foam). Remember to breathe deeply, never holding your breath. If you feel your body resisting at any time, you’ve gone too deep and need to back off.

The bottom line

If a foam roller aids in your recovery or just feels good after a long ride, then by all means continue to do it. But try to see it as just one tool in an arsenal that includes stretching, hydration, and functional strength training. Use the foam roller to help provide feedback to identify what’s tight, sore or may be the beginning of an injury, but pay close attention to the pressure you’re applying to ensure you’re not doing more harm than good.

Do you use rollers? and are they helpful to you?

with help from Mud & Manolos