What is foam rolling and why you should include it in your rider fitness routine
“reducing muscle soreness keeping you more supple and relaxed in the saddle…”
What is foam rolling?
Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique. It is a tool used to help relieve muscle tightness, soreness, inflammation and your joint range of motion. It can also increase your range of motion, flexibility, and mobility while boosting circulation and lymphatic flow.
While benefits can vary from person to person I highly recommend adding foam rolling into your rider fitness routine both pre and post workout.
“Will help keep us supple and flowing with the horse…”
Benefits of foam rolling:
If you’re suffering with DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), your are likely to be tense and rigid in the saddle. Foam Rolling is a vital tool to include in your mobility work and will keep us supple and flowing with the horse. Benefits of Self-Mysofascial release include:
.Ease muscle pain- Foam rolling can be beneficial for easing sore muscles and reducing inflammation.
.Increase range of motion- Foam rolling may help your range of motion although more research is needed . Range of motion is important for flexibility and performance.
.Relieve back pain- SMR may be effective for easing pain and tension in the back.
.Manage fibromyalgia symptoms- more studies need to be carried out for definitive scientific back up, but SMR has been proven to help with symptoms of fibromyalgia.
.Help you to relax- many people find foam rolling relaxing. Breaking up tightness in your muscles may help you to feel more calm and able to relax - remove the tension- like with a tense horse, they feel like a coiled spring ready to explode and a calm and relaxed horse feels soft and supple.
How to choose a foam roller:
There are many different types of foam rollers and it is probably best to try a few different ones before purchasing your own as it is really down to personal preference to which suits you.
Some of the different types of foam roller you can get include:
.Smooth rollers- These are the best type of foam roller for a beginner as they are less intense than some of the more textured rollers, they are often less expensive also.
.Textured rollers- the ridges on textured rollers help get deeper into the muscles to work out knots amd tension.
.Foam covered massage sticks- ideal for working on knots in the upper back and legs.
.Massage balls- ideal to target specific muscle areas such as the shoulders.
There are different sizes and shapes of rollers so choosing which is most suitable may differ from person to person. I have a longer one at home, and a shorter one I keep in the lorry.
Foam rolling is an effective tool to use before riding to help reduce any muscle tension before tacking up, it is especially effective if you have any left over tension from exercising over previous days. I find it an especially helpful tool to not only remove tension in the body, but also help to relax and clear your mind before getting on. Especially on competition days which in turn will lead to you feeling more supple and relaxed in the saddle.
Remove tension from your body and feel more supple, relaxed and able to flow more with the movement of your horse.
Create a pre ride ritual that makes all the difference to your performance in the saddle.
Contact me about programs to help give you and your horse a more balanced ride!
X Lucy
