3 Ways to Increase Your Rolling Effectiveness!

1. Lengthen the tissue you are rolling.

When you are rolling your muscles, it is easy to get caught up just trying to get good pressure on the muscles.

Try this: Next time you roll try stretching the muscle AFTER you apply pressure. For example, while rolling through the hamstring muscles, find the tight area that needs to be released, and while applying pressure begin to lengthen your hamstring muscles by extending at the knee. You should feel a good tension created under the applied pressure.

 2. Feel the tissue pull.

One of the main effects of rolling is caused by the mechanical stress applied to the tissue- the breaking-up of the adhesions and scar tissue within the layers beneath the skin and within the muscles.

Try this: Instead of just applying direct pressure to the muscle or trigger point, apply pressure and then pull or twist the tissue to increase the tension underneath the applied pressure.

3. Use oscillating pressure.

Most people know to find the “tender” or “tight” trigger point within the muscle being rolled, and to then apply pressure to that point. This pressure stimulates the nervous system to “release” the trigger point.

Try this: As a warm-up, roll the target muscles and tissue BEFORE you workout using small oscillations back and forth on the trigger points, or tight areas, within the muscles. These small oscillations stimulate different mechanoreceptors within the muscles, which can help activate the nervous system during pre-exercise warm-up.