The cylinder-shaped foam roller is one of the most versatile pieces of exercise equipment. Foam rollers function as strength, balance and flexibility training devices, and can even offer a massage at the end of a hard workout. Rollers come in different lengths. For supine exercises, you need a roller that is long enough to extend from the top of the head to the base of your spine.
Self Myofascial Release
Self myofascial release is a form of self-massage that uses foam rollers to release muscular tension. There are two foam roller massage methods. One involves lying on the roller and letting your body weight sink into the surface until the tension is released. The other involves rolling back and forth over the tense area. Some people use the roller to relax the hip flexors and the quadriceps before exercise or athletic participation because these areas tend to overcompensate for other muscle groups. Hip flexors connect the thighs with the pelvis, and the quadriceps are the fronts of the thighs.
Lie prone on your stomach, with the roller under the hip flexors. Allow your body weight to sink into the roller. Hold the position for about one minute, and then roll down so that the roller is under your quads. When you reach a tight point, roll back and forth until the tension releases.
The roller also effectively releases tension from the IT band, which runs down the side of your leg from the hip to the knee. Lie on one side and place the roller under your bottom outer thigh. Bend your top knee and place the foot on the floor in front of your bottom leg. Lift the bottom foot from the floor, and roll back and forth between the area above your knee and your hipbone. Repeat for the other leg.
Foam Roller Plank and Leg Lift
The plank is a core strength and upper body stability exercise. Adding leg lifts activates the hamstring and gluteal muscles and increases the balance challenge. Assume a prone push-up position, with both hands on the roller. Engage core muscles for spinal stability. Squeeze your glutes and lift one leg to hip height. Return the leg to the floor and repeat with the opposite leg. Perform 12 repetitions, or six lifts on each leg. If you feel strong, add a push-up in between each leg lift.
Foam Roller Squats
Foam roller squats work your quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscles. This is a challenging balance exercise, so you might want to have a spotter nearby or perform the exercise while holding on to a stable object. Stand on top of the roller with your feet separated at hip width apart. Slowly bend your knees and lower your hips as if you were about to sit on a chair. Extend your legs with control. Perform eight to 12 repetitions.
Foam Roller Oblique Curl
Performing oblique exercises while lying on a foam roller provides a balance challenge, which requires you to engage your core muscles. Place the roller on an exercise mat in a vertical position. Sit on the edge of the roller and roll back, easing your spine into a supine position. Make sure that the roller supports the top of your head and the base of your spine, and that your spine is centered on the roller.
Bend your left knee bent and place your left foot flat on the floor. Extend your right leg and lift it so that it is in line with your left knee. Place your right hand behind your head to support your neck, and extend your left arm to the side at shoulder height. Inhale to prepare. Exhale, lift and rotate your upper torso toward your right leg. Simultaneously reach your left hand toward your leg, and move your right leg closer to your body. Perform eight repetitions on each side.
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