6 reasons to roll

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Among a number of helpful solutions for athletes stands out the so-called rolling. This mysterious-sounding term refers to fascial self-massage, used both before and after training.

What is rolling and how to do it?

Muscle rolling involves massaging the muscles with a special roller. Putting the body weight on the roller and then moving it up and down results in a movement similar to rolling dough. The roller is made of special plastic, usually covered with additional pips. This activity is very simple and all you need to do is follow the right rules:

  1. We should allocate maximum 3 minutes for rolling each body part, which usually gives us about 8 “passes” up and down.
  2. Avoid rolling joints such as the knees.
  3. Rolling is a slow process that incorporates every part of the muscle.
  4. If you encounter a sore spot, stay with it for several seconds. If the pain starts to get stronger, you need to change your focus and go to a physiotherapist. If the pain begins to stop, a visit to a specialist will not be necessary.

Each part of the body requires an approach to rolling to ensure that it is properly exercised. However, it is worth knowing why you should roll. Here are 6 such reasons.

Relax your muscles

Both active people and those who lead sedentary lifestyles should take care to effectively relax tight muscles. Tension in different parts of the body is a natural result of staying in one position, being exposed to chronic stress, and also maintaining an incorrect posture. Automassage applied with a roller allows to reduce tension in muscles and fascia.

See also: Roller, or roller for massage – which one to choose?

Reduce cellulite

Although cellulite primarily affects women, sometimes it is also problematic for men. However, it is the former group that will be particularly pleased with this function of the roller. Regardless of whether cellulite is due to an increase in fat tissue or is the result of malfunctioning blood vessels, body rolling helps to effectively break up cellulite deposits. The result will be a firmer body as rolling will significantly improve blood circulation.

Improve mobility

Along with muscle tension, there may be a noticeable reduction in the range of movement of the body. This is because we lose the mobility to perform full joint movement. This primarily affects people who lift weights, although they are not the only ones who are prone to the onset of this annoyance. The solution is rolling, which makes the fascia, or connective tissue, more flexible. Thanks to muscle relaxation and improvement of flexibility we can enjoy relaxed muscles and definitely greater mobility.

Protect yourself against injuries

Rolling is great for fascia, which surrounds muscles, bones, nerves and joints. It is what supports the human skeleton and its function depends on many factors including hydration and flexibility. Rolling sets in motion the collagen fibers responsible for releasing more fluid. This in turn makes the fascia better hydrated. Rolling also effectively makes our body more flexible.

Improve your posture

Correct posture is, contrary to appearances, extremely important for the proper functioning of the human body. Maintaining the wrong position can lead to a number of unpleasant consequences. Rolling allows you to relax tense muscles, for example around the spine, which helps in adopting a better posture.

Focus on muscle regeneration

Also worth mentioning is the effect of rolling on muscle recovery after a workout. Just as you need to remember to stretch after every exercise, forgetful people can use a roller for this purpose. Rolling has been proven to relieve a variety of ailments that arise as a result of training. Rolling improves collagen production and aids muscle recovery after training.

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