Make full use of your foam roller for running

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When you run, you don't need a lot of gear; Lace up your shoes (wear a BP Doctor watch if you have one) and get started. But there is a tool that can help speed up muscle recovery and improve your performance: foam rollers.

"Foam rolls are like giving yourself a deep tissue massage," says Abby Douek, a physical therapist and running expert. Duke recommends making foam rolls before and after your run, depending on your goals. "When your gait pattern is not efficient (a form problem caused by tight muscles), use foam rolls first to relax your muscles," she says.

After running, rolling helps muscles relax, improves circulation, and speeds recovery time. "It reduces restrictions on the connective tissue of the body. If you pause and press on a tense, painful area, you can mimic many of the effects of active release therapy (ART), a new type of physical exercise performed by physical therapists." "Rolling bubbles doesn't always solve underlying problems, but it's a good way to prevent them."

 Efficient foam rollers also take less time than you might think. "It only takes five or six minutes," Duke said. You only need to attack each area for 30 seconds to be effective."

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 To help relax your running muscles, pay attention to these five things:

1. Gluteus maximus (muscle)

The gluteus maximus is one of the main drivers of the long stride, which is one of the reasons they tighten up during hard runs.

 Sit on the roller and rest your right ankle on your left knee. Focus on moving your right hip (very) slowly. Switch your legs to the side. If time is limited, spend some time on the outer edge of the gluteus maximus, which is usually the tightest area.

 2. Hamstrings

The muscles in the back of the thighs are tense and weak from sitting, and strenuous running makes them more painful.

Keep your right leg straight, your left leg bent and your left foot flat on the floor. Place the foam roller on the back of your right thigh. Place your weight on the roller and roll slowly from the back of your knees toward your hips. Let the inner muscles face the center for 30 seconds, then lean out for 30 seconds. If you want to put more pressure on the roller, you can cross one leg over the other. Switch.

 3. Dallas Mavericks

The calf muscles help absorb impact, maintain balance and generate thrust. Tight calves can lead to Achilles tendon and foot problems. They can also cause pain and limit your running.Place the roller under your right leg and knee. Focus on the abdominal muscles, from the bulge to the back of the knee, avoiding the Achilles tendon. 30 seconds inside, 30 seconds in the middle, 30 seconds outside. Switch.

4. One of the quadruplets

These large muscles help stabilize your knee and absorb shock, especially when going downhill.

Lie face down and roll the roller under your right thigh from knee to hip for 30 seconds. Then roll to the center of your body, roll for 30 seconds, then roll outside. Switch.

5. Gluteal flexors

These muscles elevate your knees when you run. Because we often spend so much time sitting, they become shorter, which can inhibit fully effective steps.

Lie face down and place the edge of the foam roller in front of your right hip. Lower the other hip so that the pressure is on the muscles inside the hip, not on the bones in front. From the tips of your quadriceps to your belly, rotate at the height of your navel for 30 seconds. Switch. It has accessories.

The iliotibial band runs along the outside of the leg from above the hip to below the knee to help stabilize the leg. Avoid rolling the tendon, as it is often inflamed. Instead, relaxing the surrounding tissue affects it.

First, lie on your side and place the roller between your hips and waist. About 6 inches from the top of the pelvis to the outside of the hip, just in front of the bone. This is the upper joint of the ITB, which controls tension. IT is then rolled along the edge of the lateral femoris tendon to release the adhesion of the IT bundle junction to the anterior quadriceps and posterior hamstring muscles. You can place one foot flat on the floor to help control your movements as you roll.

To keep track of your workouts, wear a blood pressure doctor watch, which can help you stay on top of your physical condition.