Embrace The Pain
My public service announcement if you haven't experienced the joys of using a foam roller.
You need to get out and get one now....your tight, knotty muscles will thank you. Granted, you will experience some serious pain working out the knots but it is well worth it.
Did I mention SERIOUS pain?!
I had plenty of knots in my calves and have tried using "the stick" but it only served to point out the exact location of the knots without really helping relieve them. The foam roller actually uses your own body weight to work them out. Unless you can afford weekly deep tissue massages, this is the way to go.
Here is a link to the benefits of using a foam roller and some pics of the different stretches possible with the roller.
http://www.thesealquest.com/myorelease.htm
The calf and IT band stretches are seriously painful but I can already feel the benefits after doing them for the last 3-4 days. It's a "good hurt" and as I work the knots out, the pain isn't as bad in subsequent sessions. In the link above, it is noted that you should stop and rest on any tender spots *this is key to working out the knots*
Embrace the pain!! Seriously, every athlete should have one of these in their arsenal...and in the immortal words of Bill Bowerman...."If you have a body, you're an athlete" Go get one now- it is definitely one of the better 20-30 dollar investments out there.
The running is going pretty well.....I've been running every day and my HR has been averaging around 157 bpm....this is 20 beats lower then my average marathon HR (and about 30 beats below my Anaerobic Threshold HR of 185) so pretty darn aerobic. I'm starting to see pace improvements in the last week so will carry on....slow but steady. Maybe, I'll break that 8 min/mile barrier soon! ;-)
Hope your training is going well!
*Peace*
You need to get out and get one now....your tight, knotty muscles will thank you. Granted, you will experience some serious pain working out the knots but it is well worth it.
Did I mention SERIOUS pain?!
I had plenty of knots in my calves and have tried using "the stick" but it only served to point out the exact location of the knots without really helping relieve them. The foam roller actually uses your own body weight to work them out. Unless you can afford weekly deep tissue massages, this is the way to go.
Here is a link to the benefits of using a foam roller and some pics of the different stretches possible with the roller.
http://www.thesealquest.com/myorelease.htm
The calf and IT band stretches are seriously painful but I can already feel the benefits after doing them for the last 3-4 days. It's a "good hurt" and as I work the knots out, the pain isn't as bad in subsequent sessions. In the link above, it is noted that you should stop and rest on any tender spots *this is key to working out the knots*
Embrace the pain!! Seriously, every athlete should have one of these in their arsenal...and in the immortal words of Bill Bowerman...."If you have a body, you're an athlete" Go get one now- it is definitely one of the better 20-30 dollar investments out there.
The running is going pretty well.....I've been running every day and my HR has been averaging around 157 bpm....this is 20 beats lower then my average marathon HR (and about 30 beats below my Anaerobic Threshold HR of 185) so pretty darn aerobic. I'm starting to see pace improvements in the last week so will carry on....slow but steady. Maybe, I'll break that 8 min/mile barrier soon! ;-)
Hope your training is going well!
*Peace*
posted by Mike at 9:01 PM
9 Comments:
Glad to see things are coming along, Mike. I'll look at the roller...anything to help out these old bones and the stuff holding 'em together.
Mike,
A newbie questions...i don't notice any knots. Where are the knots and how they should feel? I assume they are where your calves are right?
But I do notice my calves are tight.
Mike,
Thanks for the great tip. I will be checking the roller out. My hamstrings could definitely use a bit of help.
I am not sure if I have knots worth rolling out or not and I am not sure that I want to embrace the pain either. Keep plugging away and I am sure you'll be back in the low 7's before you know it.
Hey Cliff...re: the knots, not sure if you've had a deep tissue massage? If so, same deal, they find knots / tightness you didn't even realize you had...with me, I've noticed because everytime I get a massage it hurts like hell! Hopefully can work them all out with the roller...the calves seem to be my major problem area- whenever I cramp up late in a marathon, it's always the calves!
I got it last year and even use it...very ocasionally. usually at the gym I can make myself spend a few minutes, but never find a desire at home. Stupid. That's me:) I should get back to it if I want to get rid of injuries!
I LOVE the foam roller! You're right - happy IT Band pain! :)
I've seen and heard that they do great things. But haven't shelled out the $20 bucks to buy one yet b/c it looks suspiciously like a baseball bat I have at home.
Hi Mike! I'm checking in again after what feels like an eternity. So glad I did, as I love blog entries that encourage me to go shopping! Thanks for the tip, and I hope you are well.
Post a Comment
<< Home