In the series we will go through a variety of mostly budget friendly equipment that you can use to set up a home gym, or even options to keep in your office.
The foam roller is actually a versatile piece of equipment. It can actually be used to help increase instability for some exercises such as single leg deadlifts, by creating an unstable exercise, while still providing you some support. It can help you keep proper alignment and form, before you work up to the exercise with no support. The biggest use of a foam roller however, is for SMR, or self myofascial release. This is something you want to do after a workout, to help roll out the adhesions and knots in various muscles. It will involve a bit of discomfort and maybe pain, but you can control the amount of pressure and choose the firmness level best for you. They come in a variety of sizes which are useful for various muscle groups and retail for about $15 – $25.
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