Foam Rolling

I had to post this after seeing it. This actually made me shout outloud and cringe.


And this picture of Youk is touching.





Why Use a Foam Roller
You can improve your function in less than 10 minutes a day. Doesn‘t that sound nice? Perform self-myofascial release techniques on a foam roller, and you’ll improve body composition, flexibility, function, performance, and reduce injuries. You’ll be massaging away restrictions to normal soft-tissue extensibility. The best part is you can do all this in the convenience of your own home, or use one of the foam rollers provided at the gym.
Self-myofascial release (SMR) on a foam roller works thanks to the principle known as autogenic inhibition. If you haven’t heard of the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) it is a mechanoreceptor found at the muscle-tendon junction. It is very sensitive to changes in tension in the muscle. When tension increases to the point of high risk of injury (i.e. tendon rupture), the Golgi Tendon Organ intelligently stimulates muscle spindles to relax the muscle. This auto-response is autogenic inhibition. The GTO doesn’t just protect us from injuries, but it also plays a role in making proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching techniques highly effective. It's also well accepted that muscles need to not only be strong, but pliable as well. It's important to have strength and optimal function through a full range of motion. While stretching will improve the length of the muscle, SMR and massage work to adjust the tone of the muscle.
Traditional stretching techniques simply cause increases in muscle length. SMR on a foam roller, offers the same benefits plus the breakdown of soft tissue adhesions and scar tissue. SMR on the foam roller offers an effective, inexpensive, and convenient way to both reduce adhesion and scar tissue accumulation and eliminate what's already present each day. Understand that just like stretching, foam rolling won’t show dramatic improvements overnight; you'll need to be consistent with it.
If you’re not sure how to use a foam roller, just ask one of the coaches at the gym and we will be happy to show you. Also feel free to ask a fellow member as many of them have had experience with foam rolling.

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE HELPS
Correct muscle imbalances
Joint range of motion
Muscle soreness & relieves joint stress
Neuromuscular hypertonicity
Extensibility of musculotendinous junction
Neuromuscular efficiency
Maintain normal functional muscular length


Training Log
5/13/08

5x3 Front Squat 245# on 5/6/08, 5x5 225#
3x3 Press 120# on 4/25/08 115#
3x3 Push Press 160# on 4/25/08 155#