Everything You Need To Know About Foam Rolling

We're all familiar with the physical and mental benefits of exercise. While there's a huge emphasis on staying active, recovery is often forgotten. Stretching and practices such as gentle yoga offset high-intensity activity beautifully and allow our bodies to recover and reset.

If stretching isn't cutting it, and you need something more thorough, a useful tool to aid in recovery is a foam roller.

Though a full body massage after every workout would be a dream, a more practical - and affordable - option is a rolling session! Foam rollers allow you to target specific muscles and areas of the body, with as much or as little pressure as you like.

The benefits of foam rolling (also known as self-myofascial release):

• Relieves tight, sore muscles post-workout (also known as DOMS, delayed-onset muscle soreness).
• Boosts blood flow to the targeted area.
• Shortens recovery time post-exercise.
• Regular rolling enhances flexibility and range of motion.
• Rolling also massages fascia, the magical stuff that we call our connective tissue.
• Diffuses tension and stiffness.

Enter: the Tribe "Release.Me" Foam Body Roller. Crafted from forgiving EVA foam, the Tribe Foam Body Roller has a textured surface to enhance the massaging effect as you roll.

How to use the Tribe "Release.Me" Foam Body Roller

Position yourself on the roller to target your desired area (see diagram). Roll back and forth gently and slowly, breathing deeply, until you feel the tissue release. It may feel a little uncomfortable - or even painful - depending on how much pressure you use. Breathe through the discomfort and persist. You'll feel amazing once you're done.

Once you're used to the sensation, you can easily adjust your weight and add more pressure as you roll. You can safely use your foam roller every day, before and after exercise, or alone to target specific areas.

Don't roll directly on bones and joints, or the neck. If you have a serious injury, suffer from severe osteoarthritis or deep vein thrombosis, or have a rheumatoid arthritis flare-up, avoid foam rolling.

Injury prevention

Regular rolling keeps muscles, tendons, and fascia flexible. If you have time, a warm-down roller session post-workout will help disperse muscle tension and aid in your workout recovery.

Injury recovery

Use small, gentle movements, and always listen to your body. You can use your roller up to three times a day for an area that needs special attention.

Taking care of our bodies goes beyond what we do in the gym or a yoga session. Foam rolling is an inexpensive, effective, easy way to reduce muscle soreness, increase flexibility, and prevent injuries - all while enjoying a little massage. Grab your Tribe Foam Body Roller today and "Release Yourself"...