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To get the most out of your session, work out any tension. Work Smarter, not harder.
Being too painful and stiff is possibly the only guilt-free justification for skipping gym sessions. However, if you're consistently skipping workouts due to painful muscles, it's time to think about doing some direct work to fix the problem. Muscle tension can wreak havoc on your joints. To alleviate muscular tension, enhance range of motion, and improve tissue quality, use a foam roller to simulate the action of a competent sports massage (without the cost). All of this adds up to a more efficient workout.
THE BASICS
To begin, roll any tension away. After that, stretch the muscle. Once it's warmed up, isolate the weak muscles and engage them with an activity. After that, perform your typical workout motions to integrate your entire body. The idea is to retrain your body to sit in the proper position for your muscles, preventing poor posture and associated joint problems. Depending on how tight you feel, you can roll every day if necessary.
FOR A TIGHT UPPER-BACK
Lie down on a foam roller around the height of your shoulder blades. Keep your feet and bum on the ground at all times, and your hands behind your head. As you carefully slide the roller up and down your upper back, tense your abdomen. It should only take thirty seconds.
FOR TIGHT THIGHS
Take a plank position with your thighs resting on the foam roller. Lift your toes until your entire body weight is supported by your elbows, then stack one leg on top of the other so that a single thigh bears the entire load. Slowly roll the thigh up and down, rubbing any tight spots. Switch legs and try to massage for 60 seconds at a leisurely pace.
FOR A TIGHT CHEST
Instead of using a foam roller, try rolling out your pectorals using a medicine ball. Position yourself in a plank position with your right pec on the ball. Keep your right arm off the ground and out to the side. The majority of your weight should now be on the right side of your chest. If this is too uncomfortable, try dropping to your knees from a regular plank. Massage the entire pec for 60 seconds with the ball, then switch sides.
FOR TIGHT HIPS
Sitting for long periods of time can cause serious damage to your hip flexors. While stretching is beneficial, foam rolling is even better because it loosens the muscle tissue as well as the connective tissue (fascia) that surrounds it.
Begin by lying down on the foam roller, facing the floor, in a forearm plank position. Make sure your right leg is comfortably bent to the side and the foam roller is underneath your left hip flexor. Begin rolling slowly up and down and side to side on the foam roller while resting on your forearms to target the hip flexor, paying special attention to trigger points. Repeat for 30 seconds. Switch to the right hip flexor and repeat.
FOR THE HAMMIES
Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs extended once more. Place the foam roller beneath your hamstrings this time. Raise your body so that your weight is supported by the foam roller, and steadily roll up and down between your back knees and glutes. Roll for at least 30 seconds total, lingering on vulnerable regions. Another option is to cross your legs again and concentrate on one hamstring at a time.
FOR THE LATS
Begin by lying down at a 45-degree angle on your back, with the foam roller underneath your right lat. Maintain a comfortable bend on your left leg while keeping your right leg straight. Begin rolling slowly from your right armpit to your mid-back area, concentrating on tender spots. Repeat for another 30 seconds. Change to your left lat and roll it out.
