(swooshing sounds)
- Using a foam roller is a cheap
and easy way to do self-massage.
Keeping your legs fresh and ready
for your next training session.
And the best part about it,
you can take it with you anywhere you go.
But, if you are worried that you haven't quite
got room in your bag to fit this,
then you could also use something
like a spiky ball, or similar.
And it will do the same job.
But before we get started, just a little warning.
If you do these exercises properly,
they can be a bit uncomfortable on the foam roller.
But on the plus side, you will
get a benefit in the long term.
(hip-hop music)
We're gonna work from the bottom to the top.
So that means we're gonna start with our calf muscles.
And you probably notice I've swapped
for a different foam roller.
Now this one is slightly softer and more forgiving.
And that's 'cause for me, my calves
are quite tight and quite sensitive.
So, go with what you need.
And from this position, take the weights
into you hands, so you can lift up.
And then you can roll just nice and slowly.
Your calf muscles moving over the top of the foam roller.
And you want to try and get the full
length of the muscle right up 'til just beneath your knees.
And then very gradually, roll back again.
And then, if you find this isn't quite enough pressure,
you can always put one leg on top of the other,
and then you're just working the muscle of the bottom leg.
And then roll over that way.
But for me, my calves are so tight,
that's actually a little bit too much.
So I'm just gonna stick with doing both legs at once.
(upbeat hip-hop music)
Moving on up the body, and staying in a supine position.
So on your back.
We're gonna go to hamstrings next.
So basically, from just above your knee, up to your bottom.
And this time, I'm opting to do one leg at a time.
So it's not quite as much pressure.
I'm gonna start just behind my knee.
And then take the weight onto the foam roller.
Rolling all the way up.
And then slowly back down.
Now again, if you wanted to add the pressure,
you could do, as I showed you in the past,
I put one leg on top of the other.
Or, you could do it with both legs at once
if you've got a wider foam roller.
(upbeat hip-hop music)
But now it's time to move on to your front,
into the prone position.
'Cause we're going to working on your quadricep muscles.
Basically the front of your thighs.
So from just above your knee, into your hip.
And I personally find this exercise easier
to do with both legs at once.
It's just a slightly easier position to find.
So, from here, you're just going
to lie over the top of the foam roller.
Again, taking the weight in your hands.
And you're gonna roll your body
from your hips, down to your knees.
And then back again.
Nice and gently.
And you might need a slightly wider foam roller for this.
(mumbling quietly)
(upbeat hip-hop music)
And now we're gonna flip over
and we're gonna work our bottom muscles.
Our glute.
For this, it's a smaller muscle,
so you're not gonna be moving as far.
And it does mean you can find your trigger points.
If you've got an area that's a little bit tighter,
or sorer than others, you can spend a bit more time
working specifically on that.
So basically, you just need to lie
your bottom onto the foam roller.
And now, I personally do one buttock at a time.
'Cause it's a little bit easier to find
the right area and pinpoint it exactly.
So just start off by rolling over and back.
Maybe once you've found a tight area
you can add in a stretch to this exercise.
By popping your leg, or your heel,
over on top of your knee.
Just add the stretching to your glute.
You can get into even tighter areas.
(upbeat dance music)
Well, we're gonna stay on your front.
Just moving up from the quads onto the hip flexes.
Now, any triathlete will know,
from lots of cycling, your hips actually
are pretty prone to getting tight.
So this foam roller exercise is great.
So you can see I've opted for the softer foam roller again.
Mainly 'cause my hip flexes are really tight.
And I do find it a bit uncomfortable.
You're gonna do one leg at a time.
So I can just make it more specific
and find the right area where I really need to work.
So I'll have the weight on my other leg.
And I pop the foam roller just at the top of my quads.
And then from here, you're gonna roll over it.
And over and back.
'Til I find the area.
I'm just gonna twist my hips,
until I find the bit that's really tight.
There's a tight bit.
Just there.
And then work on those sections.
When you found'em.
(swooshing music)
Finally, we're gonna move down to our feet.
So you need to take your shoes off.
I'm gonna be working on the plantar fascia.
So basically, the bit in the arch of your foot.
And you can either use a spiky ball,
or golf ball, or something similar.
For this exercise, I personally like to use the golf ball.
Just the size works well for my feet.
And what you're gonna do, pop it on the ground.
And then put your foot on top.
And roll it around until you find the area
that just feel a little bit tight.
You can do it in sitting, so you've got a bit more control.
But if you want more weight over your foot,
then try standing up.
This is a great exercise.
Especially if you're doing a lot of running.
If you're new to using a foam roller,
it might feel a little bit uncomfortable at first.
But the key is finding the areas that are tight for you.
And working on those.
That way, you'll feel the most benefit.
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And if you want to watch a video on how to deal
with being injured as a triathlete, just click down here.
And if you want some ideas on how to exercise
with a Thera-Band or a fiz-ee-oh band.