SMR Techniques
If you have specific areas or muscles that are tight, either due to overtraining, reduced activity or weakness, this will generally have a negative effect upon your training programme. If this is not addressed via corrective exercises the problem will become worse having an adverse effect on other muscle groups due to incorrect alignment / posture and / or a reduced range of movement, causing muscle imbalances.
Self-mysofascial release (SMR) is an excellent way to target tight muscles with use of a foam roller.
The benefits of self-myofascial release are:
- Neuro-muscular efficiency
- Improved flexibility for specific joints
- Reduction in muscle soreness
- Correction of muscle imbalances
For further reading and information regarding core stability, I thouroughly recommend 'The Complete Guide to Core Stability' by Matt Lawrence
Latisimus
Starting position and action:
- Place yourself lying on your right side with the foam roller positioned just outside your right armpit.
- Your arm should be outstretched with the thumb pointing upwards.
- Gently roll, remembering that the movement for this exercise is minimal.
- Repeat to the other side.
Rhomboids
Starting position and action:
- Begin with your arms crossed over your chest and with your fingers touching opposite shoulders.
- Lie face up over the foam roller, keeping your head in a neutral position.
- Contract your abdominals and lift your hips off the floor.
- Roll the foam roller across your mid-back.
Quadriceps
Starting position and action:
- Lie face down over the foam roller, with your arms supporting your body weight.
- Maintain correct alignment by bracing your abdominals, pulling your navel in towards your spine.
- Gently roll across the foam roller so that it travels from your pelvic bone down to your knee.
- Remember to keep the roller towards the outside of your thigh.
Hamstrings
Starting position and action:
- Place yourself sitting on the floor with the foam roller under your right knee.
- Cross your left leg over your right to intensify the stretch for your right leg.
- Support your body weight with your arms and gently move yourself forwards so that the foam roller travels up towards your hip.
- Repeat to the other side.
Gastrocnemius (calf)
Starting position and action:
- Start by sitting on the floor with your left ankle resting on the foam roller.
- Cross your right leg onto your left ankle to increase the pressure.
- Lift your hips up by supporting your body weight on your arms and gently 'walk' yourself down towards the foam roller so that it rolls slowly towards your knee.
IT band
Starting position and action
- Position yourself on your side, lying across the foam roller.
- The upper leg is used to assist balance and the lower leg is raised with the heels off the floor.
- Using your arms to assist, roll the foam roller from the hip joint down to the knee.
- Repeat to the other side.
Tensor fascia latea
Starting position and action:
- Begin by lying face down over the foam roller with your body weight supported on your arms.
- The foam roller should be positioned lateral (outside) to your pubic bone on your thigh.
- Slowly roll the foam roller down the outside of your thigh towards your knee.
Piriformis
Starting position and action:
- Begin in a seated position on the foam roller, with your left leg crossed over your right knee.
- Support your body weight using your arms.
- Roll the foam roller across the outside of the hip, just above the gluteal area.
Additional Foam Roller Exercises:
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Sports and Remedial Massage Therapy, Plymouth, Devon. Professional rehabilitation and injury prevention for all types of sports, exercise activities and day to day injuries.
