These aren't your mother's hair curlers!
Written: Nov 17 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Challenging, great abdominal workout as well as other body parts.
Cons: Can hurt some joints so modify.
The Bottom Line: These Foam Rollers are a nice change and a good challenge for balance as well as working your core muscles. Be careful and have fun.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Spri Foam Rollers |
Although I have taken Pilates classes for quite some time my previous instructors never used accessories or “props.” We now belong to Power House Gym. One of the Pilates instructors uses props for almost every exercise she does. This is when I was first introduced to Foam Rollers by Spri.
What is Pilates?
I am not reviewing Pilates however it will be helpful to have some information in order to understand the Foam
Rollers.
Pilates (pronounced puh-LAH-teez) is something like a cross between yoga, stretching and calisthenics. Pilates enhances body alignment, strengthens the abdominal muscles (AKA abs) back and stabilizer muscles, stretches, strengthens and relaxes your body, when modified it is gentle enough for pregnant women, yet challenging enough for advanced exercisers. It incorporates exercises that target your abs, back and legs, making your body strong and flexible. Please talk with your doctor if you have any medical issues, have never exercised and are over the age of 50...thank you!
Pilates is a body mind exercise system developed by Joseph Hubertus Pilates approximately 80 years ago. Born to a Greek father and German mother, Joseph was a sickly child. He suffered from Rheumatic Heart Disease and other afflictions. In order to strengthen himself, he became physically active.
What makes Pilates different from Yoga is that it's more dynamic. In many moves, you hold your torso in place while moving your limbs in different directions, which challenges your balance, core strength, stability and flexibility. You will hear instructors talk about transverse muscles. Working on these muscles is the “core” of Pilates. Transversus abdominals run across the abdomen in an east – west direction. We also work the rectus abdominus which run north - south and the oblique abdominals which are two layers run diagonally across the abdomen.
About the Foam Rollers:
Foam Rollers come in a variety of lengths and widths. They are really an effective (Though I disagree about the simpleness of their use as stated by the website.) tool for developing those core stabilization muscles (transverse), body balance and awareness and strength. People ask me if Pilates gets easier. I tell them no, but you will get stronger.
The foam rollers come in half widths and full widths. If you are just beginning you definitely want to start with the half width. Using the full widths are difficult and you must build up to the point of being comfortable on them in whatever exercise you are doing.
The half round come in 12" lengths with widths of 4" and 6" (but these are 1/2 of a round so the 4" and 6" are across not the diameter). These will cost you $7.50 and $7.95. They also come in lengths of 36” with widths of 4” and 6.” These cost $10.50 and $11.50 each.
The length you choose depends on your height. I use a 4” long round roller because most of what I do doesn’t require me to be lying on it entirely. If that were true, since I am 5ָ” I would want the 6” roller.
Most challenging is the round roller; less challenging is the half round roller with the flat side up and the least challenging is the half round with the half width flat side down. Since using the half width (or flat as they are also called) with the flat side down is the easier way to use these rollers this is how you will start. You then progress to the half round roller but with the flat side up.
For the full round foam rollers you will pay $7.50 for a 12” long, 4” wide round roller; the 12” long and 6” wide will cost you $7.95. The 36” long 4” wide round roller will cost you $15.95 and the 36” long and 6” wide will cost you $16.95.
You can also buy kits. A Foam Roller kit with full rollers includes four rollers and costs $43.35. The half round rollers cost $33.35 for a set of 4. You get one free instruction sheet with each order. They can be ordered at www.spri.com
How you will use these::
When in class I do whatever the instructor tells us to do. Be aware that everything can be modified. There are some exercises that hurt my wrists. Pain is normal after some of these exercises but if the pain lasts for more than a few hours and certainly more than a day you want to modify the exercise You can do this in a couple of ways. One you can make a fist if the exercise calls for putting weight on your wrist. Another technique is to use dumbbells to hold onto if you are using the rollers under your feet. The dumbbells take some of the pressure of your wrists. If the pain continues, do not do any exercise that involves the joint that is hurting.
There are both lengthening and strengthening exercises in Pilates. You would be surprised how much longer you can make your body when you have your mind working! In general and at home you will do 1 set of 3-5 repetitions of each lengthening exercise selected. When doing a strengthening exercise you want to hold the end point for 1-2 seconds. Remember you will get an instruction kit but feel free to e-mail me if you want to pick my brain.
These rollers are obviously made of foam. Keep them away from small children or pets. My dog loves foam. I really have to keep an eye on her when I am using my foam roller. I bought myself one just to practice some of the exercises at home or if I don’t get to class as often as I would like. They should be kept dry. They are not a safety flotation device - though they look somewhat like a Noodle in white.
Some exercises from Jo Your Personal Trainer:
I am going to start with a more difficult one because we recently did it. I have been practicing at home and am getting better. Remember if you have a flat roller this will be much easier. Lie down on it. I know that sounds impossible but it isn’t. Your head should be on the roller so scoot up until it is at the end. The bottom half of you doesn’t have to be on it. Laying with your legs straight out and your hands on the floor you will be fine. You will steady your body on the Foam Roller with your hands. What you want to do is find your balance and lift your arms off the floor. Try this even if it is only for a second or less. You will gradually build up. You will find that you will automatically be using your transverse muscles which is why this exercise is so good plus enhancing balance. However as will everything in Pilates your transverse muscles should be pulled in the entire time you are working. You will get much better results if you work Pilates correctly.
Another exercise that you may know if you do Yoga is called the Plank. This requires two rollers in Pilates. One roller will be near your chest going horizontally; the other by your feet also going horizontally. Put your hands on the roller (This is a good time for a modification!) and your ankles on the roller. Push your body off the floor in a pushup position. Contract your abs and keep your body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat. This is a strengthening exercise and can also be down with your back facing the floor, your hands clasped behind your head with your elbows facing out. Tighten the low back muscles, lift your hips and buttocks upward off the floor, abdominal muscles will be tight, hold and slowly lower to the start position.
You can lie. on it to do crunches – hands behind the head and lift up off the floor slightly. If your abs are tight you will feel these- guaranteed.
Jo’s final thoughts:
Though not portable like some of my favorite equipment the foam rollers are inexpensive and easy to learn how to use. They are really versatile – although much of the work is on your abdominal muscles you will feel this workout all over the next day. If nothing else they are a change from a routine that might be getting boring.
Now pull in your transverse muscle and keep them pulled in until you read another review of mine. Read it then pull in your abs again!
Feel free to leave me a question or comment. I'd love to know if you start using the Foam Rollers. What do you think of them and do you feel they are an effective tool?
Other fitness reviews I’ve written include:
Other reviews in which you may be interested:
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How to Choose a Health Club
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Recommended:
Yes
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