As is known by every fitness enthusiast, the post-workout recovery is just as important as the workout. That’s why we need stretching after exercise to increase flexibility, improve blood circulation, eliminate lactic acid, and boost our energy. Say there is another way to maximize your workout recovery, even better than stretching in every possible way. Would you like to have a shot?
Go get a roller stick!
What is a roller stick?
A roller stick is a tool that enables you to achieve a deep-tissue massage, also known as “self-administered myofascial release” (SMR). Today, with multiple functions and small size, the hand held roller for muscles has become prevalent among athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Muscle rolling, or SMR, refers to the process of placing the muscle roller stick underneath your body and rolling over the tender or stiff surface. It releases muscle tenderness, painful knots, and stimulates blood flow to improve performance and accelerate the recovery process.
A RitFit roller stick
Why do we need a roller stick?
Muscle soreness is quite normal after strenuous workout activities, particularly when you’re in the beginning stage of a program. But have you ever wondered why our muscles are sore after exercises?
Fascia is a connective tissue surrounding and holding your muscles and organs like a web. As it has nerves, it is as sensitive as skin. It can stiffen and tighten with frequent repetitive motion. When we’re doing exercise, slight damage to the web creates a blockage, which dehydrates the fascia and forms sore spots, or “knots.” Once the fascia is dehydrated, your ability to recover and heal will be limited, and you will be more prone to injury or chronic pain.
That’s why you need a stick massager to help you maximize workout recovery.
A roller stick can help
Alleviate soreness and increase flexibility
A massage roller stick can smooth out the knots, alleviate the soreness and muscle tightness. After muscle rolling, you will increase flexibility and be better prepared for later activities.
a RitFit roller stick for runners
Improve blood circulation
A study in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Hotfiel, et al,, 2017) proves that muscle rolling can improve blood circulation. The study found that the blood flow of the lateral thigh is improved after 30-minutes muscle rolling, compared with the resting conditions.
Prevent injury and accelerate post-workout recovery
Muscle rolling can refuel fluid to the tense muscles and fascia, thus preventing injury and accelerating your recovery.
How to use a roller stick after workout?
- Roll slowly till find the sore or tender spot of your muscle
- Focus on the targeted area and roll slowly back and forth to stimulate the area
- Remember to breathe while you’re rolling
Cooldown with a roller stick
Rolling flushes toxins and boost energy to maximize recovery.
Glutes
Glutes help you stand, lean backward, do a plank, squat, walk, and other important things. After workout, the tight glutes can actually cause pain in your hips, back, and other areas. To alleviate the pain, you need a massage roller stick to stretch your glutes..
- Sit on the roller stick with your knees bent
- Use your hands to lift your hips
- Cross left leg over the right, and roll back and force over the glutes
- Cross right leg over the left (as in the picture below)
- Repeat on the left side
Calves
Your calf muscles are like the gas in a car while you’re running. With strong calf muscles, you will have better running form, more power, and faster speed. Therefore calf stretches are vital in post-workout recovery. It will prime your legs for stronger running and prevent you from injury.
- Sit on the floor, place a roller stick under your both ankles.
- Put your hands on the floor for support
- Roll your body forward until the stick reaches the back of your knees
- Then slowly roll back and forth from below the knee to ankle about 15 times
- When you hit a tender spot, hold there for 20-30 seconds before moving on
- You can also try to roll one ankle a time if it’s not too difficult for you
Outer Thighs
The outer thigh muscles (abductors) are responsible for moving your legs out to the sides, opening up your thighs, and stabilizing your pelvis. Having weak abductors can lead to poor coordination, lack of stability, and even injuries. Stretch your outer thighs with a roller stick to relax the muscles between your hips and your knees!
- Lie down on your side with the stick underneath the side of your quad muscle.
- Place the foot of your other leg on the floor in front of the leg that’s on the stick, knee bent
- Support your upper body with the arm that's closest to the ground and the hand of your other arm.
- Roll back and forth along the outer thigh from above your knee to just below the boniest part of your hip
- Pause as you find a tend spot for 20–30 seconds.
Upper Back
Stretch your upper back to release the pain or recover from injury.
- Lie down on the massage stick with it placed just below your shoulder blades in the middle of your back and perpendicular to your spine.
- Put your hands behind your neck, or cross your arms before the chest.
- Bend your knees, lift your butt off the ground and roll forward and back from your mid-back to a few inches below your neck.
It is worth special noting that you might feel slight discomfort during the process of muscle rolling, but it’s all right as the massage stick breaks up muscular adhesion and reduce muscle tightness.
To wrap up, a quality exercise roller stick can maximize your workout recovery, leading to the optimal workout fruit. If you want to maximize your workout recovery with a muscle roller stick, the RitFit Portable, Collapsible and Adjustable Body Roller may just be the one you are looking for.
This muscle roller stick is adjustable and portable. The interlocking surface smoothly expands from 5.3 inches to 13.8 inches in a snap. It won’t take much space. If you don’t want to use it now, you can store it in a drawer. If you want to take it to the gym, a friend’s house, or anywhere you like, you can simply put it in your bag.
Super portable RitFit roller stick
With four color options, you can choose your favorite color.
Multiple colors RitFit roller stick
Boosting energy, alleviating soreness, improving blood circulation, a muscle roller stick can do so much! Get one you want, and start a brand new workout journey with a massage roller stick!
Want to know more about the RitFit Portable, Collapsible and Adjustable Body Roller, you can click the link below.
