Rolling the Hot Spots

Using the Kinetic Foam Rolling Loop

Method

By Michael Lovegren (published in 2002)

Every athlete should train addressing the five components of fitness in order to achieve peak performance. The five components are as follows: Aerobic endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. As the average or elite endurance athlete trains, he or she continually observes both their aerobic and muscular endurance because of its effect on body composition. Usually, improving muscular strength is done in the off season when one builds a stronger fitness foundation as well as increasing the athlete's strength to weight ratio. Muscle flexibility is the component of fitness often downplayed or neglected by many athletes.

Most people wonder why flexibility is important to peak performance. The normal range of motion becomes altered as we get older and creates postural distortion patterns. A cumulative injury cycle is caused by postural distortion patterns. If we lose muscle elasticity, a component of the muscular makeup, athletic injuries may increase. Professionals usually treat this with practical stretching which, if properly done, improves flexibility and increases elasticity. There are two important factors that influence or inhibit flexibility: the golgi-tendon organ (GTO) and the muscle spindle. The Golgi Tendon Organs are receptors for stimuli and are sensitive to changes in tension and rate of tension change on the muscle. GTO are usually located at both ends of the muscle for the lengthening reaction. The problem is that it is difficult to stretch or activate the golgi-tendon and the muscle spindle. The golgi tendon takes a stretch that is active static stretch (applied constant force) resistance to the muscle which last longer than 15 seconds, which then causes the GTO receptor to release and increase muscle length. The muscle spindle, on the other hand, is usually activated when tension or pressure is activated from a stretch with pressure to the muscle. Scholars recently discovered that 80-90 pounds of pressure can increase elasticity.

As a cyclist or tri-athlete you may be wondering why this is important to you. Your muscle is like a rubber band and the further you stretch it the further the rubber band will launch when you let it go. Your muscle is just like that rubber band; if you can increase your elasticity in the muscle by improving your flexibility, the result will be increased power and improved performance. Foam rolling, also known as self myofascia release, is like getting a massage without the expense of a massage therapist.

In this article, I will give you the most effective instruction for foam rolling all muscle groups, increasing muscle flexibility, promoting body mobility, and releasing pain and tension in all major chronic pain areas, our muscles and joints. These exercises will release and reorganize your musculature (also known as self myofascia release) , as well as your skeletal system, aligning it more positively with gravity. In addition, foam rolling addresses and reduces the "Hot Spots" where pain and tension has gathered in the body.

Plus, foam rolling improves balance, body awareness, and dynamic strength. For sports, dancers, and rehabilitation coaches, massage therapists, Pilate instructors, and athlete’s, the foam roller is rapidly becoming the tool of necessity for achieving peak athletic performance and as a tool warding off physical injury. Muscle pulls, strains, tears, and breaking of bones can be avoided by increasing flexibility and improving skeletal alignment. They are the perfect compliment to the Kinetic Loop movement because they speed up the process of loosening the body.

Foam rollers are a great investment too. They usually cost under $40 which is less than the price of a single massage. It's like having your own physical therapist, chiropractor, and masseuse available and ready. Most importantly, they can break the pain cycle that hinders and stops athletes from training, increases muscular flexibility, and opens the door for athletes to achieve their peak performance. One session with a foam roller is all an athlete needs in order to be convinced that this tool is a miracle breakthrough in improving fitness. Once you begin using foam rolling techniques you will wonder how you ever got along without them.

1.) Right & Left Calf (Gastroc/Soleus)
- Balance on both hands, shoulder blades down, and tighten core
- Roll from knee to ankle, if possible, toes pointed up and out
- Corkscrew hips and move foot, if possible, as you roll
- Exhale as you push hips away; inhale as you pull hips toward

2. Left and Right Side Calf (Peronius Group)
- Balance on left elbow and right hand, keep hips up, and maintain a tight core
- Roll from knee to ankle, stack legs
- Same breathing pattern as calf roll, yet move foot, if possible, as you roll

3.) Left front side of Calf & Right front side of Calf(Tibialis Anterior)
- Balance on two hands and pressure left shin
- Shift body to apply pressure to the muscular part of shin (do not put pressure on bone), to do this angle the body to the left at 45 degrees
- Roll from knee to ankle with same breathing pattern as calf roll, but replace knee instead of hips

4.) Left & Right back of Knee (acl, pcl, various attachments)
- Set up just like calf roll
- Roll an inch above the knee to an inch below
- Add in corkscrew motion if possible, slow down for "hotspots"
- Same breathing pattern as calf

5.) Left & Right Hip flexors (TFL)
- This is done by rolling back and forth on the hip flexor pause on hot spots for 15 seconds
- This exercise increases hip mobility
Excellent exercise to improve full squat technique

6.) Left & Right side of Quad (Iliotibial Tract)
- Set up like side of calf roll but start on the hip
- Roll from knee to hip, slowly roll to find "hot spots"
- Corkscrew motion, if possible, stack legs or drop right foot to ground

7.)Quads (Quadriceps Group)
- Balance on elbows or hands, face down, with quads on foam roller.
- Work your way up the roller, tighten core
- To place greater emphasis on one leg(left), cross right leg over the back of left, or shift body weight to the left
- Breathing pattern same as calf roll

8.) Left & Right inside of Quad (Adductor Group)
- Balance on elbows inside roller, left hip and knee flexed on top of roller
- Roll from hip to knee, slowing for "hot spots"
- Shift weight toward roller for more pressure “stretch
- Same breathing pattern as calf roll
- Keep knee at a 90 degree angle with foot off foam roller to keep pressure on the adductors.

9.) Left & Right Hamstring muscle group (works better with softball)
- Sit with the roller under your left thigh.
- Place the palms of your hands on the ground (fingers pointing toward your body).
- Keep your right foot off the ground by stacking your feet on top of each other (heel of right foot on toe of left foot).
- Supporting your body weight with your hands
- roll up and down from the bottom of your hip bone to the top of your knees.
- When rolling back and forth try to simulate a figure 8 to roll the hamstring group muscles in left hamstring

10.) Left & Right Glute (Piriformis/Gluteus Medius)
- Sit on side of left glute with left ankle across right quad, balance on right hand, left hand is on left knee (for advanced put left hand on floor and right hand on knee)
- Roll from top to bottom of glute, straighten leg or make leg circles to advance in stretch
- Continue down left hamstring if you want, use right foot for balance
- Same breathing as calf roll
While applying pressure to left knee this will help cause the IT band to stretch. This exercises can be performed on a softball which sometimes works better than the foam roller.

11.) Back (Thoracic Spine Mobility)
- Begin with roller around mid balance with back flat, glutes raised, feet flat and close to glutes, shoulder blades down and depressed
- Roll from mid to upper back, side to side to emphasize a stretch in the spine and lumbar/thoracic region.
- Arms raised straight up or behind head
- Same breathing pattern as calf roll

12.) Left & Right Armpit (Lat, Teres Group, Rotator Cuff)
- Balance on left side; start with roller 1 inch below pit
- Lay for 15 sec. then roll into pit and go side to side if possible.
- Find "hotspot", stay on it and extend arm and make 5 arm circles in each direction (remember to bring it back as far as possible.)

13.) Right & Left Chest (Pectoral Group)
- Balance on front part of body, place roller on chest
- Roll as much of the chest as possible
- Slow for "hotspots"

14.) Neck (Cervical Spine Mobility)
- Place roller in lower part of neck, like a log, put hands up and over the roller, elbows are in.
- Tighten core and deeply breathe
- Lightly press down on roller but do not let it come off the ground. Use pleasure as pressure meter.
- Hold for 20 seconds

15.) Neck cont. (Trapezius, Levator Scapula)
- Place arms to side and draw shoulder blades in.
- Breathe with every turn of the head and turn only as comfortable, from right to left.
- Place roller a half inch higher and repeat.
- Tighten core and glutes for added pleasure.

16.) Feet (Plantar fascia)
- Balance standing on foam roller with bent knees and shoulder blades set. Use doorway or wall for support
- Roll feet back and forth spreading toes and making toe circles
- Shift weight back and forth for added pleasure
- Use hands to hold on to wall or pole while applying pressure on sole of feet
- If balance is an issue you can use a round dumbbell to roll the bottom of the foot while other foot on ground surface.
- This works better with PVC pipe or a golf ball to stretch out the plantar fascia in the foot.

Home made foam rollers cost about $20.00 dollars and hold their density much longer than the blue foam rollers. Plus, you can either make a 3inch diameter or a 4 inch diameter. The 3 inch is a progression from the 4 inch and the roller penetrates deeper into the muscle. These can easily be made using a camping mat from Wal-mart and PCV from your local hardware store.

Click here to learn how to build your own foam roller

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