Foam Roller

dancing in the gray started this discussion · 2/6/2012

Hey ladies, With my tax return money I'm investing in a lot of things to help me pole; crash mat, dumbbells for strength training, and a foam roller. My question is does anyone have recommendations on the size or type of foam roller to get? Are there different ones for different parts of the body? I don't know if any of this is covered under Veena's lessons. I don't have them yet because I'm still waiting for my pole to be resized. It will likely be another 2 weeks.

11 replies

Dancing Paws · 2/6/2012
I got the same one Veena did. It's really firm. Works really well. I use it as part of my physical therapy. OH THE PAIN! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MVHOQA/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=giggecom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000MVHOQA
Danielle Tillie · 2/6/2012
Foam rollers are very similar to each other, very firm. The lengths vary. A longer length is good for stability and if the body mass requires more surface area. I have the shorter one and it works just fine for me. Foam rollers don't have to be complicated, any of them will serve the purpose. Grats on all your new pole stuff! :)
dancing in the gray · 2/6/2012
Thanks for the input! I'm really excited to start foam rolling. I have a TON of really sensitive points that I want to work out. I end up getting monthly or bimonthly massages because my arms and fingers have periods of numbness from pinched nerves and such. I think this will really benefit me.
luvlee · 2/6/2012
I got one from Target and love it!
poledanceromance · 2/6/2012
I made one by taking a spare length of PVC pipe my dad had and wrapping a section of floor mat around it. It's firm, but has give, and different textures to roll over. I'm really happy with it.
Veena · 2/6/2012
Polefairy21, I would go with longer, then you can roll 2 legs at once if you want, ect.....and medium firmness is good. The soft rollers break down fast and the really firm ones can be too much to handle when starting. Also, if your planning on getting the lessons, you don't have to wait until your pole is up, there are tons of things to work on that do not require a pole at all. 🌸
Dwiizie · 2/6/2012
I also have the one recommended by sensualscimitar. LOVE it. I saw one that was a travel size, and I decided longer was better (hehe, isn't that usually the case ;-) ) I roll every day before bed, and sometimes just for a nice massage mmmmm
Dancing Paws · 2/6/2012
Veena is right in that the firm one can be pretty intense, but if you use the firm one everyday on those tender areas it stops hurting after a few days. My PT told me to use the firm one on my IT band and up by my armpit everyday (10 swipes each.) At first it was super intense and painful, but within a few days it stopped hurting. Now it just feels good.
dancing in the gray · 2/6/2012
I already know that foam rolling is going to hurt me very badly until everything loosens up. I'm not looking forward to that, but I am looking forward to increased movement and flexibility.
Dancing Paws · 2/6/2012
Just tell yourself it's a good pain. :)
Masked Loopy II · 2/6/2012
This cheap one hasn't let me down yet and I've had it close to a year. I don't think I would go any more expensive unless I was getting one with a texture on it (e.g. rumble roller): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015V355U/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details I have the 36 inch, which is a good length. It's long enough to use both legs at once or lay on vertically.