Today’s recreational endurance athletes know no limits until their own bodies make them humbly aware. As a result, sports medicine professionals everywhere are planning extended ski vacations and all-inclusive getaways at five-star resorts.
I hope that my exaggerations are received in good-humour. I will be the very first person to suggest that sports medicine has an integral role in the lifestyle of an endurance athlete. But I will also be the first one to suggest that it shouldn’t be taking the place of preventative maintenance performed by YOU!
If you don’t already own a “roller” or your current foam roller is “out of shape” (pun intended)… consider an upgrade.
Trigger Point Therapy made its way onto the endurance athletics scene several years ago with some pretty nifty little products that targeted chronic overuse areas all-too-common to the recreational runner. It should come as no surprise then, that they’ve become quite popular.
The “Grid” roller by Trigger Point takes self-induced sports massage to a new level. When it comes to foam rolling, self-myofascial release is the name of the game. While any traditional foam roller is somewhat capable of this… the minimal amount of pressure and downward force required for effective use of the “Grid” roller is alarming.
Another great advantage is that there’s really nothing “foamy” about this roller. The thick PVC centre supports a perfectly round shape that can stand up to all sorts of abuse without losing its form. The grid pattern on the exterior of the roller provides either a “fingertip” or “finger+thumb” feel during use.
Trigger Point has also taken things one more step forward; they’ve created a unique integrated core conditioning program called SMRT-Core which combines use of the “Grid” roller with a series of core strength and conditioning exercises that target specific muscle groups commonly involved in overuse injuries amongst endurance athletes. Now we’re talking… self-myofascial release and core strength work at the same time.
If you’ve ever complained about being a “time crunched” endurance athlete (and I know you have…) this might be something you’ve been looking for!Pick up the “Grid” roller from Running Free.
If you’re still not convinced, check it out online here.
Happy training folks.
Derek
Nice Article!