Foam roll where to buy

As PT and founder of The Workshop Gymnasium, Lee Mullins puts it, 'this simple tube can also improve mobility , prevent injuries and decrease fascia adhesions', further adding that foam rolling regularly is 'as close as you can get to daily physio or massage appointments'. The second closest thing? A massage gun. Here's WH 's top picks. Foam rollers are an affordable and accessible way to gift yourself some pre-workout mobility and flexibility or post-workout myofascial release, increase blood flow to repair muscles and reduce soreness.

While there are varying sizes, shapes and areas to roll, one thing's for sure — anything that can mimic a deep-tissue massage, promote better recovery from workouts and can be bought at a number of price points is a winner.

The best type for you will depend on what you're looking for, so think about what you need. Keep scrolling for answers to your foam rolling FAQs: from how long to do it, to where and how you should use it, foam roller exercises and whether it's best to do it before or after your workout. These foam rollers are ordered by price and are still in stock.

What with the big home gym equipment shortage scare of last year cheers, coronavirus , we'd suggest snapping these up while they're still in stock. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Exactly How J.

Lo Gets Her Skin to Glow. What is a foam roller? Barachi says. Once you get some experience rolling, you may find different densities are better for different body parts, says Miranda. For example, your glutes may be more tender and painful than your quads or calves. Nobs, ridges, notches, and spikes. You can find foam rollers with these and more surface textures. They add more pressure points and can help you get at muscles from different angles, says Miranda.

A smooth roller provides a large, flat surface on which to roll, and the pressure from the roller will be distributed among a few different neighboring muscles. But a ridgy or spiky roller will target more specific spots with greater intensity. Think about trying to massage a spot with your whole palm, explains Miranda.

But if you dig into that same spot with just your thumb, you can really apply intense, direct pressure. If you travel a lot, it might be worth having a compact roller that you can take with you, says Reavy. One note on length, though: A shorter roller requires more stability and body awareness to use. The idea behind vibrating foam rollers and other electronic massage devices is that the vibrations may help alter our perception of pain, says Reavy.

It can be easier to go overboard. Lacrosse balls, like these ones from Champion Sports , make really great targeted self-massage devices for hard-to-reach areas by the shoulder blades and hips.

The Pro-Tec Roller Massager is similar to the Tiger Tail, but its foam covering is segmented, with the ability to slide the segments together or keep them apart. The Brazyn Life Morph Collapsible Foam Roller has a smart design: The roller collapses flat so it can be tucked into its mesh bag for travel or storage; loops on either end of the roller are pulled firmly to bring the roller back to its cylindrical shape.

The mechanism held up over repeated pulls and deflates. Compared with our favorites, though, the roller felt hard and rolled clunkily. We took it on the road on a few occasions, and it was nice to have something to roll with, but it never won us over. Cleverly designed, it slides apart into two portable, packable sections. We dismissed the HoMedics Gladiator Vibration Foam Roller without testing because while most vibrating foam rollers are rechargeable, this one runs on four C batteries, which—with frequent use and replacement—would quickly add to its otherwise lower cost.

By far the strongest—and priciest—vibrating foam roller, the inch Hyperice Vyper 2. But in our testing, we found it to be too powerful, even on its lower settings. It was also the loudest foam roller we tested. With its nubbed texture, the NextRoller looks intense even before you turn on the vibration. The inch Therabody Wave Roller is sleek and smooth with an upscale feel, all the way down to its cloth storage bag. Its five vibration settings range from soothing and gentle levels one through three to serious vibration levels four and five.

That said, it feels nice to use for short periods of time. Unlike the other powered rollers we tested, this one has an undulating setting, which we found soothing for sore muscles, especially along the calves. Ingrid Skjong is a senior staff writer covering fitness at Wirecutter, testing everything from running watches to stationary bikes.

Previously an editor at various lifestyle magazines, she has written about fitness and endurance sports throughout her career. She also served as a staff writer for the Good Housekeeping Institute for nearly five years, working closely with the engineers and other scientists to interpret product test results. Our pick. Also great. TriggerPoint Rush Roller For deeper SMR More expensive than our other picks and available only in a inch length, the Rush Roller nevertheless delivers thanks to a diamond-shaped pattern of ridges that allows you to address knots in specific muscle groups calves, glutes, and so on with precision.

Everything we recommend. Foam rolling Care and maintenance How long should a foam roller last? Other good foam rollers we like The competition. Why you should trust us. Who this is for. How we picked and tested.

The final field of nine for our initial testing:. Flaws but not dealbreakers. Also great: TriggerPoint Rush Roller. What about vibrating foam rollers? Foam rolling Here are just a few of the ways you can use a foam roller to work on sore hamstrings after a long hike, or to release tension after a long day of sitting at the office. Photo: Michael Hession. Care and maintenance. How long should a foam roller last? Other good foam rollers we like. The competition. Smooth rollers.

About your guides. Ingrid Skjong. Amy Roberts.