TRIAX 180 #5: Is Foam Rolling Beneficial or a Waste of Time?

2021-04-27

The introduction of foam rolling took the fitness and gym industry by storm. The ability to foam roll as a form of self massage allowed athletes to take greater control of their athletic preparation. Foam rolling for runners, weightlifters, footballers and basically any other physical endeavour seems to be appropriate. But does foam rolling actually help performance and recovery? Firstly, foam rolling is a form of self-manual therapy where the athlete uses their own body-weight to apply pressure to...

The introduction of foam rolling took the fitness and gym industry by storm. The ability to foam roll as a form of self massage allowed athletes to take greater control of their athletic preparation.

Foam rolling for runners, weightlifters, footballers and basically any other physical endeavour seems to be appropriate. But does foam rolling actually help performance and recovery?

Firstly, foam rolling is a form of self-manual therapy where the athlete uses their own body-weight to apply pressure to soft tissues structures. The suggested physiological benefits of foam rolling surround the idea of “self-myofascial release” (SMR). SMR attempts to reduce “tightness” in the myofascial complex (myo = muscle, fascia = soft tissue). Tightness restricts range of motion which is then believed to reduce blood flow.

Foam rolling is suggested to improve range of motion by softening the tissue and enabling greater blood flow. There's many different questions associated with foam rolling but there's not much concrete evidence out there to guide our decision making.

That's why in the latest TRIAX180 debate, the boys discuss foam rolling as a tool to help with our performance.

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