Add this to your personal fitness regimen to feel and function better …

If you’ve ever had a gym membership, or even just visited a gym somewhere, chances are you saw several round rolls of foam lying around.

Have you ever wondered what they were for?

The answer is something I recommend you add to your personal fitness regimen to both feel and function better, and you don’t have to go to a gym to do it. These rolls of foam are used for what is known as self myofascial release (SMR), often referred to as “foam rolling.”

When I started teaching my fitness clients the SMR technique, I was actually surprised at how positively and immediately they took to it. Most because they said it made them feel better; others because of noticeable improvement of function.

So what is self myofascial release?

It’s a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle pressure into the myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. By performing SMR techniques on a simple piece of foam, you can improve flexibility, function, performance, and reduce injuries. Simply put, you use your own body weight to roll on a round foam roll, massaging away restrictions to normal soft-tissue extensibility.

The National Academy of Sports Medicine cites multiple benefits of SMR, including the following:

CORRECTS MUSCLE IMBALANCES. SMR helps relax muscles while at the same time providing optimal length-tension relationship, which helps avoid muscle restrictions when we perform an exercise.

IMPROVES JOINT RANGE OF MOTION. SMR can break the knots which restrict our range of motion in our muscles, which can help us use our full range of motion.

RELIEVES MUSCLE SORENESS AND JOINT STRESS. SMR speeds up recovery because of better blood circulation in the body.

IMPROVES NEUROMUSCULAR EFFICIENCY. SMR is good for blood circulation hence, it also provides better oxygenation in our muscles.

RELAXES OUR MUSCLES. Foam rolling helps our muscles relax by activation of sensory receptors connecting our muscle fibers to our tendons.

PROVIDES OPTIMAL LENGTH-TENSION RELATIONSHIPS. Foam rolling lengthens your muscles and breaks up adhesion and scar tissues.

Okay, if your head is spinning or you’re feeling confused, don’t fret! I’m providing you with four videos below to help you better understand what SMR is and how to do it.

What exactly is foam rolling and why should I roll?

Foam rolling or self myofascial release (SMR) techniques:

20 minute foam rolling workout – HASfit foam roller exercises:

Finally, if you want to go deeper with your knowledge, here’s an animated video explaining trigger points:

You can find a variety of videos about self myofascial release on YouTube and fitness websites, but these are a good start. Now, all you need to do is purchase a foam roller (or use one at your gym – you can purchase a foam roller at sporting goods stores, Walmart, Amazon, etc.) and practice these techniques. You’ll learn them quickly and experience benefits quickly as well.

Scotty