You can target each one of the major muscle groups when using a foam roller for SMR (Self-Myofascial Release) and deep tissue massage. These foam roller techniques offer a quick and easy way to help prevent injuries by stretching and relaxing muscles as well as eliminating tissue adhesions.
- Targeting your hamstrings: Use your hands to steady yourself, place the roller on the floor and under your thighs. Roll the foam roller from the top of the hamstrings down to the crease of your knees.
This should be repeated with the toes pointing forward, towards each other as well as away from each other if you wish to target the entire hamstring area effectively. If a deeper massage is required, trying placing one leg on top of another.
- Targeting your hip flexors: With foam roller placed on the floor, support yourself with your forearms as you lie face down with the top part of your right thigh resting on the roller. With your femur inwardly rotated, roll the roller from the top of your thigh all the way to your right hip. Repeat this with the femur rotated outwardly.
- Targeting the tensor fascia latae and iliotibial band: Keeping yourself balanced with your arms, lie on your right side with the foam roller just under the pelvis. Move so that the roller rolls down the outside of the right thigh until the knee. The intensity can be increased by placing the left leg on top of the right. Repeat this SMR on the left side.
- Targeting the adductors: Lying face down with the roller under the top part of the right inner thigh, roll it down towards the adductor tubercle and repeat on the left side.
- Targeting the quadriceps: Position the roller under your upper thigh while lying face down and supporting yourself on your forearms. Roll it from the upper thigh down to your knee.
- Targeting the glutes: The right gluteus medius and piriforms can be targeted by lying on your right side with roller under your glutes. Using your right elbow to keep you balance, move yourself back and forth over the roller. Repeat with the left side.
The gluteus maximus can be targeted by sitting on the roller and supporting yourself with your arms as you roll over the foam roller.
- Targeting the calves: Sit down with the roller under your knees, your arms behind you for support. Then roll it from your knees over your calves and down to your ankles. This movement should be done with the toes flexed up as well as pointing down. Place one leg on top of the other if you wish to increase the intensity.
- Targeting the tibialis anterior: Position yourself as if you were targeting the quadriceps but place the roller under your shins instead.
- Targeting the peroneals: Position yourself as if you were targeting your tensor fascia latae and iliotibial band but place the roller just under your knee instead. Roll it all the way down your ankle and repeat on the other side.
- Targeting the thoracolumbar fascia: Keeping the arms folded across the chest, lie down with the roller below the middle of your back and your hips slightly elevated. Roll the roller to the bottom of your back and complete this a few more times while leaning slightly to each side.
- Targeting the upper back: With arms placed behind your head and the roller placed under the middle of your back, roll your upper back over the roller and then changing directions when you reach armpit level.
- Targeting the latissimus dorsi and teres major: Lying on your right side with the right arm overhead, place the roller under your torso at the point where the latissimus dorsi joins the scapula and roll it toward the right armpit. Repeat on the left side.
- Targeting the latissimus dorsi and teres major: Lying on your right side with the right arm overhead, place the roller under your torso at the point where the latissimus dorsi joins the scapula and roll it toward the right armpit. Repeat on the left side.
- Targeting the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid: Lying face down with the right arm stretched diagonally overhead, place the roller just right of the sternum and roll it toward the right armpit. Repeat on left side.
