Foam Rolling For Better Posture, Improved Mobility, and Pain Relief

Working on your posture and mobility isn't always the sexiest topic of conversation but it is critically important to your overall quality of life.  Working on your mobility will allow you to do all the things in life that you love to do without compensations that lead to pain and injury. Our goal at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness is to keep everyone injury free and operating at their peak performance.
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Essentially, foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release, or self-massage, that gets rid of adhesions in your muscles and connective tissues. Foam rolling increases blood flow to your muscles, allowing them to perform more naturally while helping with recovery and improving performance.

It is crucial for anyone who is working out to spend time improving the way their bodies move, not just moving their bodies.  Every sessions starts with some foam rolling, which gets the body ready for the challenging movements soon to be performed during the workout.

Here is a tutorial on how you can easily use a foam roller, and build a foundation to more advanced methods.

Foam Rolling for Pain Relief

​Key Areas to Foam Roll Before Every Workout
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Upper Back - Thoracic Spine
Hip Flexors
Quads (front and sides)
Glutes (your bottom)
Calves
 
The key to a great foam rolling session is to spend 3-5 minutes on each section of the body.  Gentle, continuous pressure can be applied, with minimal movement in most cases.  You should do your best to relax, breath throughout, and allow your muscles to slowly loosen up.
 
Now, if it is your first attempt at using the foam roller, do not be alarmed if it is a TAD bit uncomfortable at first.  Just like with most things, the more often you do them, the better or easier it will get. You will need to be gentle with the amount of pressure you put on your muscles, too much and you could be causing damage.  
 
I hope you enjoyed the tutorial on foam rolling and are on your way to pain relief through better mobility and improved posture.  If you are interested in connecting with us and getting more great information from us, join our free private Facebook Group - Healthy Living with Wilcox Wellness & Fitness. Daily we post all things healthy living - pro tips for healthy living, recipes, and weekly workouts for you to do at home.  We will answer any question you post and we encourage you get involved in the discussion.  
 
Happy Training!
 
Mike Wilcox

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