The foam roller is still a fantastic tool to help release tension and soreness from muscles you never knew were tight or sore. It is a must pre and post-workout recovery tool. It comes in all shapes and sizes to improve mobility and movement and reduce muscle soreness, particularly if you are an experienced lifter.
The first time I used a foam roller on my quads, I both smiled and cried. It hurt, sure, but the relief my body felt when it all over was even greater.
At the same time, while it makes an essential tool for pre workout warmup, creative coaches to come up with alternative uses for the foam roller. Some are worth giving a try.
Here are four foam roller strength exercises you may have never performed—or even knew were available to add your workouts. This may change the way you use and think of foam rollers in the future because they’re for so much more than just rolling your quads.
WHY USE IT FOR STRENGTH?
Not everyone has the benefit of a personal trainer hovering over them to ensure they are lifting with good form. With two of the exercises below, the foam roller acts as a great tool to groove good technique before hitting the barbell. If you lose balance or use other parts of your body to get the lift done, the foam roller will tell you so.
4 Foam Roller Strength Exercises
You may get some strange looks for using the foam roller in an unusual way, but they will not be getting better like you, so brush it off and get on with it.