The Best Foam Roller Stretches for Each Area of Your Body

When it comes to having a busy lifestyle and working out regularly, knots (unfortunately) become part of the equation. And, if you’ve ever struggled with chronic knots or tightness, you know that it’s SO uncomfortable—and in some cases, downright painful. Fortunately, there are foam roller stretches that you can do at home following any of Jacob’s crazy workouts. Foam rolling helps release muscle tension by making the top layers of tissues more flexible. It's a very inexpensive way to help alleviate pain as well as break down some of those trigger spots that develop in the fascia.

Foam rolling has many benefits, but it's important you know how to properly roll each area of your body for the best results.

Neck, Chest, and Upper Back

Knowing how to roll out this area of the body is nothing short of a godsend. If you have a desk job, these foam roll stretches may improve your posture and help prevent neck pain. Look for a high density foam roller that has crevices or curves to avoid putting direct pressure on your spine, such as the Rad Helix High Density Foam Roller.

Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent, feet, and butt on the floor, and a foam roller directly under your shoulder blades. Support the back of your head with hands and extend your spine backward and continue rotating backward and forward. As you work up your spine, pause every now and again to really dig into the muscle.

Triceps

Pushups? Jacob’s Upper Body class? If you said yes to any of that, this is going to be a necessity for you! Use a semi-firm, medium density foam roller, like the Gaiam roller, it’s a great beginner option for your arms. If you want a deeper trigger point release, look for a textured foam roller.

Lie on your side with your foam roller in your armpit. Start at the insertion point of your triceps in the armpit (think under your shoulder) and gently rock from side-to-side as you roll along the muscle to the elbow. It’s important to remember that the triceps connect in two spots on either side of the elbow, so spend 30 seconds to a minute rolling out each.

Hip Flexors and Lower Back

When you perform core exercises (hello Strength + Abs class) there is a good chance that your body will take tension out of your core muscles and displace it in your hip flexors to help lift the weight. Once hip flexors are tight, it’s often only a matter of time before the lower back is too. A tight hip flexor (the muscle where your legs meet your hips) often tugs on your lower back and results in aches in that area.

As such, it’s important to know how to cater to this area of the body. A high density foam roller will provide enough pressure to loosen up those knots. You can also look for foam rollers with notches or ridges, such as the TriggerPoint Foam Roller to help release trigger points.

One of the best ways to target and alleviate tension in this area of the body is to sit on a foam roller in a figure four stretch. While this works the back of the leg, it actually helps to release tension in the back of the hip which subsequently releases tension in the hip flexors. To further target the area, flip over and place the foam roller at the top of your thigh at the insertion point of your hip bone. Gently shift your weight back and forth—pausing to increase pressure on any sensitive areas (spend up to five minutes per side).

You can use a lax ball for this too! A small ball is better for targeting lower-back pain than a foam roller because it can get deeper into the tense tissues. To do so, lie face down with a lacrosse ball under your hip flexor, easing your weight into it. Roll in small circles until you hit a tight spot, then stop and let the muscle sink into it. Bending your knee behind you and letting your lower leg fan in and out can also help.

Quads & Knees

Knee pain often comes from tightness in the iliotibial (aka your IT band) running up the outside of your thigh or from tight quads as a whole. A semi-firm, medium density foam roller, like the Gaiam roller that was used on the triceps, is a good choice for your thigh. Because your IT band may be more sensitive, a high-density roller can be too firm for some people and cause too much discomfort.

Lie with a foam roller just above your knee on the outside of your leg. Make sure it's perpendicular to your body. Move your body back and forth, so the roller moves along the IT band from your knee up to your hip. Then roll your quads, pausing when you hit a tight spot. For an even deeper release, bend and straightening your knee will help get deeper into the muscle.

Hamstrings

Tight hammies are the WORST—to help release them, sit with a foam roller beneath your thighs. Supporting your upper body with your hands, slowly roll from your hip all the way down to your knee—leaning toward your right or left leg specifically to increase the intensity if needed. Roll your way to relief, spending up to a few minutes per hamstring.

A high-density foam roller is your best bet for your hamstrings. The TriggerPoint foam roller that was recommended for your hip flexors is a great option. If you want to take it up a notch, the Nextrino Vibrating Foam Roller is supposed to increase circulation and release muscle soreness. This would be a great choice after a workout!

Calves

Tight calves! UGH! A foam roller might help increase circulation and improve flexibility to this area. If you are prone to calf cramps at night, foam rolling this area before bed may help. A semi-firm, medium density foam roller, like the Gaiam roller you used on triceps and thighs, is a good option. Look for the smaller 18-inch foam rolls for your smaller muscle groups like the calves, versus the larger 36-inch foam rolls.

To roll them out, sit up with a foam roller beneath your calf and your hands on the floor to assist in distributing your weight on your calf muscle. Start from your ankles and work to the back of the knee one leg at a time.

Start by applying gentle pressure on the muscle that you're rolling out. You can increase the pressure gradually as you are rolling out the area. Avoid excessively intense pressure that causes pain by easing back on the amount of pressure you're applying to the muscle. And remember to relax the muscle that you are rolling out and breathe steadily and calmly as you go.

You should also consider whether or not you should be rolling (or doing something else) in the first place, especially if you find that foam rolling isn't adequately alleviating your muscle aches. Foam rolling is for acute pain that consists of tight muscles, which should feel achy and comes and goes with the workouts you perform. Foam rolling should give you signs of relief. For any sharp chronic pain or tingling you should see a doctor.