I have a love/hate relationship with things (but who doesn’t?!). I gave up the majority of my belongings to move into our 10-foot home. Spenser did too, but let’s be honest- he had way less crap to begin with! Not that it made it made it any easier. Back on topic-
Even though we’ve purged most of the extra weight, there are still material objects we can’t live without. They just have to fit in a 10×7 box!
THE FOAM ROLLER
Mine is plain black, but you can color-coordinate if you’re into that sorta thing.
I hope most of you know what this is. If you don’t, you will likely benefit from making it’s acquaintance. This is my single favorite piece of physical therapy equipment out there. I’ll need it because of what climbing does to my body. That sounded too dramatic. Let’s try again. The foam roller is the best at getting out my post-climbing kinks and tightness. A consistent foam roller and yoga/stretching routine were my main shoulder saviors when getting back into climbing this summer (post finger pulley popping), so I guess I’m in a bind of sorts. If I want to continue to climb (and I do)- I gotta keep it up.
This is me in Chautauqua Park in Boulder, CO last year. My shoulder was feeling much worse back then- thank you, foam roller! If you want to read more about my physical therapy routine that helped rid me of shoulder pain (including foam roller stretches), here’s the link to the old post.
If you try it (smart), you have to stay with it for a while. And you have to do it consistently. Even if you just do short sessions, you’ll start to learn how to reach the kinks and then you’ll never want to stop foam rolling. Seriously.
For climbers, it’s the perfect tool for stretching out our tight chests and backs. Including battling the notorious climbers’ hunch (y’all know what I’m talking about and you don’t want it!). We all want to climb like apes, but not look like them. Not to mention, muscle tightness is a top reason climbers pull or tear ligaments and tendons. Don’t wait until you’re injured to start!
I’ve been trying to get Katie from The Morning Fresh to foam roll since I met her. I finally got her on it a few weeks ago! She had a raucous good time. There’s really no right or wrong way of doing it…but I’m happy to answer any questions about it, just ask below! :)
My foam roller is made by J-fit, you can get it on Amazon for less than $30. You can also find similar ones at sports/outdoor shops and discount stores like Marshall’s or Ross. I prefer a full-length foam roller (36-inch) so that I can fit my the entire length of my spine on it. I also like the J-fit one specifically because its high-density foam makes it a sturdy work horse. Mine has lasted me over a year in all-terrain conditions and is still going strong!
Me getting my roll on. This is a good way to reach the behind-the-knee/upper calf area. If crossing your legs hurts too much, try doing them side by side and adding pressure as your body releases the tension. You won’t believe how sore/tight this area is!
