My Foam Roller is Like Spinach

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IMG_1439My name is Becky Monroe, and I’m a student at Rivercity Pilates. There is a foam roller in my living room and I look forward to using it every evening before I go to bed.    I didn’t think twice about this, until earlier this week, when I was in a small Pilates class, and I asked if we could do some foam roller.    The other student groaned!  When I heard her groan, I remembered that I used to hate it when Carey went over and grabbed the foam roller.     The foam roller is pretty hard (my boyfriend compares it to a rock), and initially when I tried to use it to massage a muscle, it hurt!   I truly didn’t understand why Carey seemed to love it.  15 months later, here I am with a foam roller in my living room.  It’s like spinach.   I hated it at first, but I have learned to love it!

At night, I lie with my spine on the roller on the living room floor, and do my knee folds, and I let my shoulder blades hug the foam roller.   I love that feeling.    Then I turn it around, and put it under my shoulder blades, and do those reverse crunch type moves to roll out my shoulders!   I put it under my hips and do some footwork.

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Then I put it vertical again, and just lay there with my spine on the roller.    It doesn’t take a long time, I just do what feels good!    What?   It feels good?  Absolutely, and it’s the only piece of exercise equipment in my home that I use more than twice a week!

In class this week, the same day the other student was groaning, we used it to massage the muscles in our legs after the side leg series.    That felt good too!    I hadn’t been doing that every night, and I don’t honestly know when my foam roller stopped hurting and started feeling like a massage.    Of course, I couldn’t tell you when I stopped hating spinach either!   I searched for foam roller moves on Google, and over 1 million links came up, so I’m guessing there are a lot of people like me who learned, that like spinach, a foam roller is an acquired taste!

Looking forward to meeting you in classes @ Rivercity Pilates!   Maybe we’ll get to do some work on the foam roller!

 

Becky Monroe
@NLBJM

 

Inspiration of the Month

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 Barb Rechkemmer

January 2015

When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?

 I started Pilates a little over a year ago.  A friend of mine who was familiar with my injuries and subsequent surgeries suggested giving Pilates a try.  She had also been practicing Pilates and thought it might help with over all health.

How often do you practice Pilates and what type of sessions or classes have you been doing?

When I began I did 2 private lessons per week for several months.  I then started a group tower class along with the occasional private session.  Now I do one group Pilates class per week as well as attending Barre and Yoga classes.

What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice?  

The benefits of Pilates are numerous.  My spine health and flexibility has increased to a point that I have been able to start other disciplines.  I now attend Barre and Yoga, also taught at Rivercity Pilates.  In doing so I also am enjoying a great deal more over-all strength.

What is your favorite exercise?

I like the Cadillac.  Also I tend to like anything using the leg springs.  It feels wonderful to be able to feel your body lengthening against resistance.

What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates?

I would recommend Pilates to anyone looking for a gain in flexibility, better posture, strength and improvement in general well being.