4 Effective Foam Rolling Drills That Increase Mobility
- Fitness by Eddy
- Sep 15, 2017
- 2 min read
Foam rolling isn't breaking up scar tissue but you can use it to improve your mobility. Dr. John Rusin shows you how with these 4 simple drills.
THORACIC SPINE
One of the most common movement dysfunctions a majority of lifters experience is an inability to achieve thoracic spine extension, especially in a braced position under load. While this positioning deficit may seem minor, the real problem behind the inability to achieve and maintain a neutral thoracic spine position is the undue stress this spinal position places on the shoulders and neck.
ANTERIOR-LATERAL HIP GROUP
The large superficial gluteus maximus gets all the glory when it comes to traditionalist SMR and foam rolling techniques. That’s fine as the glute is a great place to roll soft tissue. However, it should be mentioned that much of the benefit for addressing the gluteal group is actually achieved through targeting the deeper structures responsible for stabilization of the hip and pelvis.
LATSISSIMUS & RIB CAGE
Ah, the lats! This muscle gets commonly tight and tonic due to its insertion point on the inside of the humerus, making it a secret internal rotator of the shoulder. Everyone who’s been on a foam roller has hit the lats once or twice. Sure, directly rolling this muscle and the structures surrounding it can do some good. But I’ve got a way to make this move even better.
PECTORALIS GROUP
Yes, you’ve all been waiting on the chest and shoulder mobility drill, so here it is. The pectoralis group is not only comprised of one big and superficial muscle we target on bench press, but rather two synergistic muscles working together in unison; the pectoralis major and minor.
