By Michelle Heneise, CPT, NASM, NESTA

Foam rolls?  Is it a new nutritional weight loss snack? No, it’s not a fad new diet of genetically engineered foam rolls promising to help you lose weight. It is a highly proactive approach to maintaining healthy muscles. Using a biofoam roller to perform “self myofascial release” is key to the health of muscles.

Muscles suffer from underuse, overuse and new use. Foam rolling techniques are extremely important to maximizing stretching. Learn what “self myofascial release” is and just how it can increase your stretching power keeping your muscles healthy and relaxed.

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Stretching is a lengthening technique used on our muscles to achieve maximum use of muscle function. It is vital to first perform myofascial release before stretching.   “Self myofascial release” can easily be defined:  “self” refers simply to “you,” “myofascial” refers to the body tissue and “release” refers to the action of our muscles releasing the tension, tightness and toxins of biproducts from overuse and underuse of the muscle.

Myofascial release techniques are performed with bio foam rollers, densely packed foam in a cylindrical shape. Using the biofoam roller, plus the body weight of an individual, pressure is applied to a muscle in a rolling action to release the tension and to break up any adhesions (knots) in the muscle.

Various foam rolling techniques are used on the muscles of the body.  Roll over your muscles until an adhesion or tight area is found.  Once found, the pressure of the roll remains on the tight muscle for a minimum of 30 seconds. During those seconds, the nervous system receptors send a message to the brain telling the body to relax the muscle.  The relaxed muscle is now ready for the proper lengthening of stretching. The relaxed muscle will perform a greater stretch distance than that of a tight muscle.

Foam rolling your muscles will undoubtedly enhance muscle function and relaxation.  Add a foam roll instead of a dinner roll to your diet today and see the amazing benefits of self myofascial release.

For more information contact Michelle or Brett Heneise at SantaClaritaBootCamp.com.

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