Foam rolling has been having something of a moment. This way to soothe soreness and improve muscular range of motion has garnered plenty of attention and for good reason. It’s a much cheaper self-massage option than a massage gun and that simple foam cylinder can do a lot.
“Foam rolling works through myofascial release, which basically helps break up tight spots and improve blood flow so your muscles can move more freely and recover faster,” said Katie Dunlop, co-founder and CEO of Love Sweat Fitness. “It’s also great for reducing inflammation and preventing injuries, which is key if you want to stay consistent with your workouts.”
As an added benefit, your foam roller can pull double-duty. Certain exercises can help you use that roller to get stronger, too. So if you already have a foam roller — or you’re thinking about buying one — it’s worth exploring a few specific foam roller workouts.
Before we get into targeted foam roller exercises, though, let’s talk about this kind of activity and what it can do for your muscles.
What are the benefits of foam rolling?
Michael Taylor, doctor of physical therapy at Synergy Chiropractic & Physical Therapy, explains, “Foam rolling can be beneficial for many purposes: improving muscle recovery or reducing muscle soreness, improving range of motion or flexibility, enhancing circulation and even — in the right circumstances — reducing pain.”
How, precisely, does that cylinder of foam do all of that?
“When used correctly, a foam roller can help move blood through the venous system back towards the heart, which helps to get that blood reoxygenated faster than our normal muscle pump system,” said Dr. Sean Pastuch, founder and CEO of Active Life. “Foam rolling also works like a gentle massage to relax the nervous system and allow for safe lengthening of muscles without the need to stretch.”
Foam rolling exercises can help to:
- Alleviate pain
- Ease soreness
- Improve circulation
- Improve recovery
- Lengthen muscles
- Relax the nervous system
- Reoxygenate muscles
Taylor says that foam rolling shouldn’t replace stretching, though. “Foam rolling by itself isn’t recommended as an effective therapeutic treatment, unless paired with other treatments or therapies, such as stretching.”
How to perform foam roller exercises
Now, let’s get into some best practices for foam rolling. These tips apply to rolling in general and you can use them to improve your foam roller workouts.
“First,” Dunlop says, “Move slowly — if you roll too fast, you won’t get deep enough to release tension. Second, if you hit a tender spot, pause and breathe into it for 20 to 30 seconds instead of rolling over it aggressively. Third, avoid rolling directly over joints or bones — focus on the muscle.”
The direction you roll also matters, Pastuch said. “Roll distal to proximal. That means further from the heart to closer to the heart. For example, start at your knee and roll towards your hip, not the other way around.”
When you’re doing your foam roller exercises, make sure you have the foam roller on a hard surface. This is true for all foam rolling but it gets particularly important when you’re doing foam roller workouts. A lot of these exercises help you get stronger by requiring you to stabilize yourself. But if you’re not working from a firm foundation, you could overdo it or slip into bad form, resulting in muscle strain.
Once you get started, Dunlop says it’s important to stick with it. “The key is consistency — it’s way more effective to foam roll regularly than to only do it when you’re already feeling super tight,” she explains. “And if you’re new to it, start slowly and build up as your muscles adjust.”
Best foam roller workouts
The “best” foam roller exercises will depend on your body and what it needs. That said, we have a few suggestions you can try out to see what works for you.
Here are a few foam roller workout ideas:
1. Forearm plank + quad rollouts
“If you sit a lot or do lower-body workouts, your quadriceps can get super tight,” Dunlop says. “Rolling out my quads helps with knee pain and mobility.”
Positioning yourself over the foam roller to target this muscle group requires you to stabilize yourself so you might as well make it a workout. Start in a forearm plank with the foam roller positioned horizontally just above your knees. Engage your core so your stomach doesn’t sag toward the earth.
Keeping your core engaged, roll upward the length of your quads. “Roll slow, much slower than you think is appropriate,” Pastuch advises. “A single roll of your quad could take 5–10 seconds if you’re being intentional.”
Repeat at least a few times, making sure to continually keep your core engaged.
2. Thoracic spine (T-spine) foam roller extensions
“My personal favorite [foam roller workouts] are the T-spine foam roll extensions,” Taylor says.
To do this exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Then, position the foam roller horizontally just below your shoulder blades. Put your hands behind your head, then slowly extend backward as far as you can. Dr. Taylor says it’s important to only go back as far as feels comfortable for you. Repeat this backward extension over the foam roller 5 to 10 times. As you do, you’ll be activating muscles along your mid-back.
“These T-spine extensions are best used for mid and low back pain, stiffness or tightness and are often referred to as a mid-back ‘opener,'” Taylor says. He recommends them if you spend a lot of time sitting for work or ever get mid or low back pain.
3. Foam roller tricep dips
As its name suggests, this exercise works your triceps. By using the foam roller instead of a more stable object, it engages more of your muscle groups, too.
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Put the foam roller horizontally behind you. Reach behind you and position your hands shoulder-width on the roller with your fingers facing toward your body.
Press into the roller and straighten your arms in a controlled motion, lifting your hips off the ground. Slowly lower yourself back down, extending your elbows straight back and engaging your triceps. Don’t make contact with the ground — maintain a hover. Repeat these dips 10 times or more until you feel your triceps tire. As you do, keep your core engaged and don’t let your shoulders shrug toward your ears.
4. Bridges
If you want to work your glutes, core, and hamstrings at the same time, add this to your foam roller workouts.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart on the roller. Extend your arms out alongside your body and press your palms into the ground to help stabilize yourself.
Then, press your feet into the roller to lift your hips up until you form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Engaging your core, gently lower back down to the ground. Repeat 10 times.
5. Foam roller planks (with optional arm or leg raises)
Planks are a great full-body exercise. They can even help with back pain. If you’re sick of standard plank, though, you can take it up a level by introducing your foam roller.
Here, you replicate the normal plank pose: hands a bit wider than your shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Tuck your tailbone slightly to engage your entire core and protect your lower back.
Instead of having your hands on the ground, though, position them on the foam roller. That added instability makes your muscles work harder.
If you want to add some more intensity to your foam roller workouts, you can incorporate leg or arm lifts here. Raise one leg or arm at a time, doing your best to keep rocking from side to side as you do so. This helps to engage more of your muscles.
6. Hamstring roll-outs
“[Your hamstrings] get super tight from walking, running or strength training, and rolling them out helps prevent cramps and improve mobility,” Dunlop explains.
Like your quads, your hamstrings are hard to roll out without engaging other parts of your body. That makes them a great candidate for our list of foam roller exercises.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Slide the foam roller horizontally under your knees. Put your hands behind you and straighten your arms to lift yourself off the ground. Engage your core, then slowly roll up the length of your hamstrings. Repeat this a few times, always keeping your core tight as you move to build strength there.
The bottom line
Foam rolling can do a lot for your muscles. And if you implement foam roller workouts, that includes making them stronger. With these targeted exercises, you can use your roller to move toward your fitness and wellness goals. And because foam rollers are lightweight and relatively travel-friendly, they can help you stay consistent no matter what plans you have to hit the road.
As you foam roll, Dunlop reminds you to drink plenty of water. “Hydration is key! Since foam rolling helps release toxins from tight muscles, drinking plenty of water afterward can help flush them out and prevent soreness.”
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