By Jennifer Cohen Men’s Fitness
If you’ve only used foam rollers for muscle rehab, you’re missing out. The foam roller can be a really useful device for warm-ups and cool downs, especially for runners. Target your abs, obliques, calves and quads with a few new foam roller exercises.
Foam Roller for Abs: Lay on the floor with the foam roller under your lower abs and your forearms on the floor. Extend your legs and have your feet touch the floor. Using your arms to push, walk backwards to make the roller go over your abs then pull with your arms to reverse the roller’s direction.
Foam Roller for Calves: Sit on the floor with your hands slightly behind you, the foam roller underneath the middle of your calf. Press down with most of your weight on your calf muscle, lifting your hips off of the floor. Roll from the knee to the ankle slowly for 10-30 seconds on each leg.
Foam Roller for Hamstrings: Repeat the calf exercise, but place the roller under your hamstring instead of your calf. Relax your hamstrings and roll from hip to above the back of the knee, 10-30 seconds.
Foam Roller for Adductor (Inner Thighs): in modified push-up position, put one leg on the foam roller. Shift as much weight as you can onto the foam roll, and slowly roll over the foam between your hip and knee for 10-30 seconds.
Foam Roll for Biceps: Lay on your side with your upper arm against the roller, aligned with your body. With the outside of the bicep pressed against the foam roller, rise your hips off the floor while supporting your weight on your arm and feet. 10-30 seconds on each side.
When have you used a foam roller? Was it strictly for muscle rehab, or regular workouts? Tell me in the comments—I want to hear your stories!
Source: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/…-a-foam-roller
