Top 15 exercises with a foam roller

All of us already know that working out with a foam roller (a form of self-myofascial release or self-massage) brings huge benefits in form of muscle release and pain reduction.

However, round and unstable design of a foamy cylinder makes it a useful tool for improving balance and building strength. ,,Doing a plank on a foam roller or balancing with your legs on the cylinder creates instability of force movements which causes you to engage and stabilize more muscles thus making you stronger in return”, says Joselynne Boschen, the Nike Master trainer.

We prepared for you 15 best strength trainings, you can do with a foam roller. Firstly, warm yourself up by gently massaging your stiff muscles and then you can start exercising. Make sure to keep your middle part of the body stable and engaged during the whole workout. Are you ready to roll?

You can create your own training programme from the following exercises. It is enough to choose two exercises from each section (upper body, lower body and core), then do plank jacks as the 7th exercise which will replace the cardio. Do 10 to 20 reps of each exercise and repeat whole set of exercises 3 or 4 times.

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Upper Body

1. Squat with the Foam Roller Above your Head

Stand with your feet pointing outside, a bit wider than is the width of your hips. Stretch your arms above your head while keeping the foam roller in open palms in the horizontal position. Keep your elbows in line with your ears or closely behind them so you could engage into the exercise also your back and shoulders. Use your hips to do a deep squat. Push your heels to raise to the starting position. Don’t forget that your feet should remain on the ground all the time during the exercise.

2. Push up with a Side Rolling

Start in a modified version of a push up which is also called “female push up” (with your knees on the mat), then place your left arm on the foam roller and your right arm on the floor. Slowly move yourself to the ground, while roll your left arm from wrist to fingers on the foam roller. Change arms after several reps.

If you want to make it harder, lift your knees to a typical push up position.

3. Table Roll

Lay down with your legs stretched in front of you and place the foam roller beneath your ankles. Put your arms beside your body with your fingers pointing forwards. Roll your stretched legs forwards so that you are able to stretch your whole body with your face pointing straight to the ceiling. Then, return back to the starting position, but make sure your hips are not touching the floor. You can make this exercise easier by turning your fingers aside.

4. Plank Jack

Another exercise which is great for building balance, but also for warming up is Plank Jack. Start in the plank position with your arms stretched right beneath your shoulders. Then jump on your fingertips alternatively inwards and outwards.

If you want to increase the intensity, you can try jumping faster with your feet placed wider aside.

5. Airplane

Stand on both feet and hold the foam roller behind your back, pointing upwards with your fingers. Transfer your weight on your right leg and then lift your left leg into the Airplane position (or for those of you practising yoga, into the position Warrior III). Stretch your shoulders behind your back and lift the foam roller towards the ceiling. Keep your hands as straight as possible so you can engage also your triceps and deltoid muscles.

Lower Body 

6. Hamstring Bridge

Lie down with you face pointing towards the ceiling, with your arms stretched next to your body with your palms down. You should keep the foam roller under your feet (it will be better for you to exercise with your trainers on). Lift your hips and butt from the mat and gently roll the foam roller from your heel to the middle of your feet. In order to prevent from the foam roller sliding away, you should engage your hamstrings into this exercise.

If you want to make it harder, turn your palms up.

7. Plank with a Leg Lift

Start with your hands and feet placed on the ground and put your hands on the foam roller. Lift your knees into the Plank position and engage also your core. Lift your right leg and do a quick move with it, first to the right, then to the back and down.

8. One Leg Wall Squat

A very interesting exercise which will improve your balance and surely make you sweat is a wall squat on one leg. Stand near the wall, then place the foam roller to the upper part of your back, stretch one leg in front of you and slowly do squats so that your knee is in a 90-degree angle. Stretch your arms in front of you. Change your legs and continue in the exercise. Be careful not to let the foam roller fall to the area of the small of your back and below!

9. Bridge with the Foam Roller

Lay down on your back and bend your knees, then keep your legs placed on the floor and put your hands beside you with your palms up. Place the foam roller in between your legs and transfer your weight to your heels. Lift your hips from the floor and compress the foam roller hard as if you wanted to break it.

10. Inner Thighs Plank

Start on your fours, and firmly hold the foam roller with the inner sides of your thighs. Keep your arms stretched, focus your weight on your heels, then bend your legs in knees and try to get as low to the floor as possible. Then stretch your legs and return to the starting position.

Core

11. Heel Tap

Lie down on the foam roller which should be vertically placed beneath your back. Put your hands beside you with your fingers downwards. Keep your legs up, bent in the 90-degree angle and touch the floor with one heel and then with the other one.

If you want to make it harder, try touching the floor with your heels quicker.

12 . Sawing Plank

Start with your wrists placed on the foam roller as if you wanted to do a plank on bent hands with your fingers touched. Keep your legs wide apart approximately on the level of your hips. Use your shoulders to move the foam roller forward and backward from wrists to elbows.

13. Side Plank with Reaching Out

Do the same position as in case of the side plank on the right side and keep the foam roller below your crossed feet. Try to keep your balance on the right hand. While you are trying to pull your legs closer to you on the foam roller, try to direct your left arm under your body and lift your hand to the ceiling when moving back.

14. Walking Plank

Place the foam roller vertically on the mat and put your shoulders and legs as in the position of plank on stretched arms. Make sure your shoulders are in position above wrists and keep your legs wider than the level of your hips for a better stability. Put your hands one after another on the foam roller and then put them both back on the floor. Make sure to keep your core tightened during this exercise.

If you want to make it easier, place a towel beneath the foam roller to prevent it from moving.

15. Dead Bug

Lie down on your back on the vertically placed foam roller. Lift your legs bent in knees into a 90-degree angle. Put your arms beside your body bent in elbows so that your knees are in about the level of your ears. Stretch your legs away from you to the shape of letter V and when pulling them closer to your body, try to join them together.

We believe that these exercises will help you enrich your workout with the foam roller. What exercises do you do with the foam roller? Let us know your answer to the comment below and if you liked the article, you can support it with sharing.