Best Foam Roller Workouts For Runners

Exercise 1: Foam roll hamstring release

Area trained: Hamstrings

Why do it?

Tight hamstrings can lead to a variety of injuries like lower back pain or knee pain.

Technique:

  • Sit with straight legs on the foam roll with your hands behind your body on the floor
  • Keep the foam roll where your bottom meets your leg
  • Move your body backwards to roll the foam roll down towards your knee
  • Never roll over the back of your knee
  • Return to the top position

Be safe:

Try to feel where the tightest part of your muscle is and aim to roll forwards and backwards over that point.

MR Roller Exercise_1

 

Exercise 2: Foam roll quadriceps release 

Area trained: Quadriceps

Why do it?

Stretching is often not enough to keep your thighs supple. By adding foam rolling you will release tension in your muscles.

Technique:

  • Lie on your stomach with the foam roll underneath your front thigh with your arms on the floor
  • Ensure that the roll is just above our knee cap
  • Push your body backward and roll the foam roll up to your top thigh
  • Roll back down to your knee

Be safe:

Never roll over your knee cap.

MR Roller Exercise_2

 

Exercise 3: Foam roll ITB release 

Area trained: IT band

Why do it?

Sitting on a bike for a long time can tighten your hamstrings, which can lead to lower back pain

Technique:

  • Lie on your side on the foam roll
  • Keep the foam roll at the top of your thigh
  • Roll the foam roll down towards your knee
  • Feel where the ITB is the tightest part and roll forwards and backwards over that point
  • Return to the top position

Be safe:

Never roll over your knee.

MR Roller Exercise_3

 

Exercise 4: Foam roll glute release

Area trained: Glutes

Why do it?

Tightness through the muscles in your bottoms can lead to lower back pain when you increase your distance or run for long periods of time.

Technique:

  • Sit on the foam roll
  • Place your right foot on your left knee
  • Place your hands behind you on the floor
  • Roll forwards and backwards over the whole muscle

Be safe:

If it is too painful, take more of your body weight on your arms.

MR Roller Exercise_4

 

Exercise 5: Foam roll upper back release 

Area trained: Upper back (erector spinae)

Why do it?

Working at a desk can cause you to slough which will make your running style less effective. This is a good way to improve your posture after a long day.

Technique:

  • Lie on your back and place the foam roll under your upper back just below your neck
  • Keep your hands behind your head
  • Use your legs to roll the foam roll down to the middle of your spine
  • Roll it back up to the top
  • If you find a section which is tighter that the rest of your spine spend more time rolling up and down over this section

Be safe:

Be carefully if you have loose clothing on so that it doesn’t get stuck.

MR Roller Exercise_5

 

Exercise 6: Foam roll lower back release

Area trained: Upper back muscle (erector spinae)

Why do it?

Improving the mobility in your lower back will improve yours running posture and technique.

Technique:

  • Lie on your back and place the foam roll in the small of your back
  • Cross your hands on your chest
  • Use your legs to roll the foam roll up to the middle of your spine
  • Roll it back down
  • If you find a section which is tighter that the rest of your spine spend more time rolling up and down over this section

Be safe:

Do slow controlled movements.

MR Roller Exercise_6