Rumble Roller

My newest BFF, my Rumble Roller. This thing is not for the faint of heart, it's not for wimps or sissies, it's for hard core lifters who get tight and can take the pain of the roller.

I actually bought two, this regular sized one and a small 12" travel one. It's so easy to come up with excuses in life, excuses for anything  Take your food- "well I was in meetings all day and had to have the Chinese they brought in" , baloney!  If you ALWAYS bring food with you everywhere you go, you do not have an opportunity to make up an excuse. Then you just look like a fool who has no will power if you choose the Chinese over your own healthy lunch you brought!

So that was my reasoning for two Rumble Rollers  I have absolutely no excuse not to roll every single day, no matter where I am. The large one I keep in my living room, here where I am rolling now.

The small one I keep in my car. I can bring it into the gym with me (Gold's has only one foam roller, one!!!), bring it to a hotel when I go visit Cooper in Chico, take it on vacation, even to Mexico. 

No Excuses.

But seriously, this has helped me tremendously. Foam rolling (or in my case rumbling) has been proven to be one of the most effective self-myofascial release techniques known. Basically you find a tight or painful spot, and the roll on it, not stopping, pushing through the pain, and keep rolling 30 times more after the pain has ceased, really. 

Rolling only a couple times and then stopping when it is still uncomfortable has not relaxed the muscle as it should.

Foam rolling has been hailed as "magical" and the one recovery technique that all athletes should perform without fail.

Mike Boyle talks about it here. Or check out The Greatist and learn to Foam Roll Like  Pro. And for those of you who need video, check out Bodybuilding .com  where they show you haw to roll just about every body part!

I chose the  Extra Firm Rumble Roller and it is like a foam roller with treads on it, they are not foam in any sense and the treads are hard. When I first started using it, all I could do was lay on it in some areas, such as my poor hip flexors. No rolling was taking place, the pain was too much to bear. Soon I became used to it, the muscles started to relax and I was rolling like a champ! I did find that I had small bruises all over my hips after my first few intense rolling sessions though. 

I encourage you to get a roller, and if you are a tough cookie, and tend to have tight muscles, go for the Rumble Roller, you will be glad you did!

Foam Rolling

Do you have a foam roller? If not, I urge you to get one. I have owned one for several years, and there are times when it gets little use, and times it gets a great deal of use. Lately it has been one busy little beaver!


I bought mine from Perform Better but I am sure they are available in many different locations. It is important to keep in mind that you get what you pay for though. You can get some very inexpensive rollers, but the foam has cells that can compress and the roller will not maintain it's hardness or shape, it will end up flattening or squishing.


I chose the Elite Molded Foam and have been happy with it.




Last week I went to see Roy on Wednesday for quad training, I knew I had been sore and tight but it didn't seem too bad to me. With my first squat he started shaking his head and said "oh no, no, you are really tight." 


OK...so what the heck am I supposed to do about it now?

Roll

I stretched, I rolled, I rolled more. I found spots that really hurt, and then made sure I didn't move from the spot until the pain subsided. Sometimes it hurts so much I want to cry, or I have to stop rolling. But when I am done, it feels oh so good.


I stretched and rolled for 30 minutes, I guess he had a lot of time for me that night. he even had me use a small dowel on my left quad, and I found a spot there, I pushed and rolled it.


The following day, that spot was tender, like I had released an adhesion, it hurt, and rolling was not really an option, that would bring tears to my eyes, so I used a wooden dowel that I keep at my desk.


For the next few days I rolled twice a day, my quad is fine now, everything is fine now, but it took lots of rolling




Perform Better has this instructional manual online so you know what to do with your roller! Or you can watch a video if you are more visual. 





I am not promoting Perform better, it happens to be a site that I like and have ordered several items from.

Self-Myofascial Release

I stole one of Cooper's lacrosse balls! He has a bag full, and I probably bought them anyway.

Feels so good....

Roy says "stretch and roll". I do, I do. I have my own lacrosse ball in my gym bag and I tote it with me so I can use it. I go to one of the carpeted walls, put the lacrosse ball on one pec and press against it, rolling, moving my body to keep it pressed against the wall.

Then move over to the shoulder, to the rotator cuff, keep rolling and pressing. I have my iPod on, I suppose it  looks a bit odd to see me from behind wriggling against the wall, but I don't care. They expect this type of stuff from Kristy when she is at Courtside!

Not a day goes by when some wise ass male doesn't make a very original remark. I just smile and get back to my rolling.

Give it a try, it really does target the areas that the foam roller cannot reach.

What is Your Fitness Lacking (Fitness Blog World Post)

I am a member of Fitness Blog World. 21 talented, motivated, energetic and amazing women who write about fitness. Today we are all writing about what our fitness may be lacking. 

This was very easy for me to write, I know exactly what I am lacking and I have been working on it.   I have no problems with goal setting. I know how to eat properly. I have a great trainer. I have a manageable schedule. I have the knowledge. There is just one thing that I don't do enough (although I know I should).

Stretching

And it feels so good, so why do I struggle with this?

I have a great foam roller in my living room, but I would only use it when I was really sore. I have read quite a bit about how it is important to stretch and roll on a regular basis, not only to feel better, but to prevent injury and promote muscle growth.

Still, I wouldn't. There always seemed something better to do, something more exciting or challenging. I am also on a fairly tight schedule, so if I have to cut something out, it won't be any lifting at all, it will be stretching. 

I think in the back of my mind, it's similar to the same school of thought that many people who train with weights have. They only train what they can see. So, since I cannot "see" any progress or change from stretching, I can easily justify the fact that I eliminate it.

Well, I am wrong!


I always feel better when I stretch, and several years ago I was Yoga devotee. Three nights a week I would go  to my 90 minute Yoga class led by Venus. She was the reason I went, she made the studio so calm and warm, and as I would lay on the floor, she would bring essential oils over and hold them under my nostrils, or rub them on my temples. I always felt like I was floating on a cloud when I was done. But she moved away. I have never found an atmosphere like the one she created in that studio.


Oh I digress. I was trying to tell you that I LOVE to stretch, it feels great, it is necessary for a well cared for body. So....I am making a point of stretching more, to get that "cloud" feeling back!


Actually, Roy makes me stretch before we train, and that is really what has pushed me to incorporate stretching more. I am really enjoying my new schedule. I could probably do more, but for now it's a great start.


Monday 5:00 am Cardio 20 minutes/ abs 15 minutes/ stretching 15 minutes
Monday 11:30 am Stairs and jump rope
Monday 5:30 pm Weights with Roy
Tuesday 5:00 am Weights at Courtside
Tuesday 11:30 am Stairs and jump rope
Wednesday 5:00 am Cardio 20 minutes/ abs 15 minutes/ stretching 15 minutes
No stairs- standing meeting :(
Wednesday 5:30 pm Weights with Roy
Thursday 5:00 am Weights at Courtside
Thursday 11:30 am Stairs and jump rope
Friday 5:00 am Cardio 20 minutes/ abs 15 minutes/ stretching 15 minutes
Friday 12:00 noon Weights with Roy
Saturday and Sunday 6:00 am Stretching, Weights, Cardio, stretching (again)


I shall now try to roll on my foam roller a bit at night, just before bed. As the boys watch TV I could easily do that!


Advise I would give to others would be to schedule the time in. I have found that since I have it written on my sheet, and have worked it into my routine, I don't skip it. I even find that some days I am stretching and rolling a lot longer than I allotted, and that's great!


Be sure to visit the Fitness Blog World site and check in with all of the other writers.  

Me and F.R.

I have recently become obsessed with F.R. I know that any obsession is not good, but this one just seems so healthy, so right! I think about him mornings, noon and night. We meet at the gym too, usually in the "meditation room".

I start to ache when I haven't seen him in a while, and when my body touches him, sometimes the pain is unbearable, but it soon subsides and turns to pleasure.

We even watch T.V. together on occasion, since sometimes we don't have much to do, except roll with it. 

I trust you, I think you should meet F.R.

Do you have a Foam Roller? If you don't, it's something everyone needs in their life! Ah, you were thinking F.R. was a man huh? Well, he is, he's my main man!

Seriously, foam rollers are effective in alleviating muscle pain and soreness and actually will help promote muscle growth. They should be used regularly, even when you are not feeling sore.

It's called Self Myofascial Release.

A bit on an explanation according to Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS:

Self-myofascial release (SMR) using a foam roller or other implement is possible thanks to the principle known as autogenic inhibition. While you’ve probably never heard of your golgi tendon organ (GTO) before, it’s the key ingredient that makes foam rolling effective. The GTO is a mechanoreceptor found at the muscle-tendon junction; for lack of a better description, it tells us the level of tension within the muscle/tendon group.

When tension increases to the point of high risk of injury (e.g., tendon rupture), the GTO stimulates muscle spindles to relax the muscle in question. This reflex relaxation is autogenic inhibition. The muscle contraction that precedes the passive stretch stimulates the GTO, which in turn causes relaxation that facilitates this passive stretch and allows for greater range of motion. With foam rolling, you can simulate this muscle tension, thus causing the GTO to relax the muscle.

Essentially, you get many of the benefits of stretching and then some. It's also fairly well accepted that muscles need to not only be strong, but pliable as well. Regardless of whether you're a bodybuilder, strength athlete, or ordinary weekend warrior, it's important to have strength and optimal function through a full range of motion. While stretching will improve the length of the muscle, SMR and massage work to adjust the tone of the muscle.

I suggest you start a love affair of your own!

7 Weeks

I love the arms!

I guess I need to slow down on the size here, last night David looked at me more than once and said "Your arms are huge!" It was back and biceps day Friday and they were still pumped and rather tight on Saturday, which is odd for me, I just don't get sore much any longer!

Things continue to be smooth and easy, although I have been craving a few things that I cannot have. That's to be expected, I will try my best not to whine about it where anyone can hear me though.

I am losing the fat slowly and my skin seems to be remaining fairly tight, I did go out to dinner on Saturday evening though, which is fairly unheard of this close but I was visiting my father in law and it was dinner with the family or be a pain in the butt. As it was, as soon as we arrived at his house I whipped out my food and gobbled it down, then we all went to another restaurant and I had water while they had lunch, I didn't mind. Two restaurants in one day!

At dinner I was good, we were at a Thai restaurant and I ate grilled top sirloin, steamed broccoli and a few bites of David's meat and mushroom dish. I am sure there was sodium in it that caused me to retain a bit of water, but that will leave me soon.

 

The back is looking good, and this pose it much better than last week- see how the shoulders are straight across at the top, not sloped down as much? I still need to practice though as this is the most important pose. It's all about the back, and I have the back, there is no question about it.

I only need to drop some more fat to lose the "smiley's " on my butt, some people never have those, but then some have saddlebags and I would much rather have a smiley...

Anne stooped by and gave a thumbs up, I have felt rather fatigued all weekend, probably stress as my father has his surgery scheduled for Friday at Stanford, so it will be a long week for us.

It's Sunday afternoon as I write, my quads are also sore, again very unusual for me. I will get the ol' foam roller out and try to work out the tightness.

And just what have I been craving? A Greek salad, can you believe it? It's been two weeks and the urge hasn't gone away. I almost salivate as I imagine the tangyness of the feta and the tartness of the tomato combined with the salty brine of the olives and the fruity olive oil...mmmm

The funny thing is most people think it's a diet dish! Ha, they are sure fooling themselves. But, it will be off to Opa Restaurant in Los Gatos for one in May, the week after my competition, the family will go out to dinner, I will have the flaming cheese (ouzo is poured on top and set fire), Greek salad and prawn skewers. Washed down with a glass of red wine. Opa!