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Roller Exercises for Runners
Regular use of a roller on your muscles can help break down adhesions and scar tissue that forms, massaging the muscles helps to keep them supple and flexible. You need a 36 inch, high density foam roller (no, a pool noodle will not cut it).
Like a massage it is not the most comfortable experience. I recommend doing 10 repetitions on each muscle. Most people find that after 3 days of rolling it becomes easier.
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| Quadriceps |
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| Lateral Quads |
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Resting on your elbows with the roller just above your knee caps, keep your core muscles tight, slowly push your body away from you elbows, keep your back flat. Slowly pull yourself towards your elbows. Do Not roll over your knee caps!
| Lie on your side with the roller just above your knee caps, turn ¼ turn to the front so you are between your quads and your IT Band. Keep your core muscles tight, slowly pull yourself up towards your elbow, keeping your body straight. You can go all the way up to your hip bone. Slowly push your body away from your elbow. Do Not roll over your knee cap! Keep your hips, ankles and shoulders in line.
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| ITB |
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| Gluteals |
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Lie on your side with the roller just above your knee, tighten your core muscles, keep your body straight, pull your body up towards your elbow, rolling right up into the hip region. Slowly push yourself down along the roller towards your knee.
| Sit on the roller with one foot placed on the opposite bent knee and shift your body weight onto the buttock of the bent knee. Roll your body forward and backward over the buttock.
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| Hamstrings |
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| Calf |
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Place edge of roller under the thigh of straight leg, opposite leg is bent and body weight is resting on hands and foot. Roll up and down the full length of the back of the thigh. Rotate the leg to get the inside and then rotate to get the outside of the hamstring muscles. To apply more pressure to the hamstring lift the supporting foot off the ground and support body weight only on the hands.
| Place edge of roller under calf of one leg, opposite leg is bent and body weight is being supported on hands and foot. Roll the entire length of the calf by bending and straightening the knee. Rotate the leg to get the inside and outside of the calf muscles. You may lift the supporting foot off the ground to apply more pressure to the calf.
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