Foam rollers are a great training aid, but they are often not used to their full potential.  A foam roller can help you stretch, balance, and strengthen your tendons and muscles. Typically, people only use a foam roller to roll out particular tight spots in their body. This form of “self massage” has many benefits, and the foam roller can indeed be used to suit this purpose, and with some creativity, other uses for the roller can be put into practice.

Balance and coordination
A long foam roll can be used as a balance and coordination aid for those recovering from an injury or for those who simply need to improve these areas of fitness. The foam roll can be used as an obstacle to be stepped over in many directions including forward, back, and sideways. Standing on a foam roll provides additional challenges. Standing on the roll that is placed parallel to the chest will be easier than standing on a roller that is placed perpendicular to the chest (going from front to back). After this skill has been mastered, the next challenge is to perform two legged squats, followed by single leg squats on the roll. The full-length foam roll also serves as a good portable platform for people needing to hold onto something while performing certain exercises.

The roll can also create a stable surface by simply standing it on its end and having the person hold on to it. This will serve the needs of those needing a progression of balance work. The progression may take the form of holding on and raising one leg, then doing the movement with eyes closed, then performing the movement with a single leg squat. Again, during the progression, the foam roll serves as the stable surface or support structure.

Stretch  
Two of the biggest body dysfunction culprits affecting our society are tight pecs and improper shoulder blade rhythm. Do the following stretch to alleviate tight chest muscles: Lay the foam roller on the ground and lay on top of the roller so that it runs along (not across) your spine. Your head should be supported and resting on the foam roll, and the bottom of the roll should be near your waist line. Bring your arms out as if you were making the letter "T" and let your arms fall towards the ground. You should feel the stretch along the front of your chest.

Next, let's address some upper back muscles. Stay laying face up and keep your arms out in the T position at about shoulder height. Bend your elbows so that they are in line with your ears and pointed toward your head (not toward the ceiling). Now, raise your arms overhead and return them to the starting position. You should feel your shoulder blades rubbing against the foam roller as your arms move from overhead to shoulder level.  

Strength
The foam roll can be used like an ab wheel to work the abdominals and lower back. Kneel and put your forearms on the roller (it should be parallel to your chest). Keep your knees in place and roll the roller away from your body and towards the top of your head. You should feel some tension in your abs/back. Using these same muscles, roll the roller back towards your knees.  

The roller is great for push ups, and chest press/fly exercises. Push ups with the roll parallel to the body provide a slightly greater core challenge. Pushing up with the roll beside the body (perpendicular to the chest) allows the pecs to go into a greater stretch, and therefore makes the activity more difficult. Laying on the roller with it running down the spine creates an elevated platform to better perform chest press and chest fly movements. The roller creates distance between the body and the ground so that more range of motion can be attained for the exercise. This is an ideal situation for those who exercise in a place where no traditional bench is available.  

Other rolls
Short foam rolls are also available and can be used to provide self massage. They may be placed on a chair to provide back support and may also be used to step over, stand on, and to challenge the squat movement. Half foam rolls are great for stretching and strengthening calves. The flat side is put on the ground and then the balls of the feet can be placed on the dome side of the roll. Next, the heels are dropped toward the ground until the user feels a stretch on the calves. From this position, it is easy to transition into calf raises to help strengthen these muscles. A half foam roll also makes an ideal tool for working on balance and coordination. Having the flat part on the ground and stepping on the dome side makes the exercise easier than putting the dome side down and standing on the flat part.  

Developed and authored by Manny Escalante, Jr. MA, ATC, CPT