After a good workout, you’ll often experience DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). However, foam rolling can help to prevent or elevate this.
Using a foam roller can pinpoint the areas of your body that you’ve trained to leave you feeling a little less sore the next day. This is one of the many advantages of using a foam roller as part of your workout routine.
However, there are plenty of foam rollers to choose from. From hard, bumpy foam rollers, to softer, spongier ones. It can be hard to know which is best to use.
In this article we will discuss hard vs soft foam rollers to give you a good starting point and knowledge base for when you decide to purchase one.
Hard Foam Rollers Vs Soft Foam Rollers
It’s recommended to start out with a soft foam roller. These are less intense on your body and cause less pain. When you are just starting out foam rolling, you’re likely to have a low tolerance to the pain it causes. However, the more you do it, the more you become used to the pain.
You can then start to work your way up to more firm foam rollers. Firm foam rollers are able to dig deeper into the muscle so can be more effective than soft ones when used properly. However, the pain level increases, as you might imagine.
Therefore, the foam roller you should use depends on your pain tolerance.
How To Progress To A Harder Foam Roller
After a few weeks on a soft foam roller, you should start getting used to the pain a little. You can then start your foam rolling session with the soft roller that you’re used to and finish off the session with a more firm roller. As you become more comfortable with the pain, you can gradually work it longer into your session.
You won’t do damage to your muscles by using a foam roller that is too firm for you. It is merely a matter of preference.
If your current roller isn’t delivering the relief you need and you’re still experiencing discomfort from tight muscles, it might be time to consider stepping up. Remember, your pain threshold matters. If you believe you can manage a firmer roller that offers deeper pressure, it’s worth experimenting. Start cautiously and dial back if it becomes too much to handle.
When Should You Use Your Foam Roller?
Now you know which type of foam roller is best for you, you might be wondering when you should use your foam roller.
A good starting point is after every work out. Just after your workout, muscle soreness may not have kicked in yet. Therefore, it’s likely more comfortable to get your foam roller session in then. Smaller, travel sized foam rollers can be taken to the gym with you as they’ll easily fit in your gym bag.
You can also fit sessions in on rest days. Be sure to choose days where your muscle soreness is at a minimum so you’re not in too much pain during your foam rolling session.
Conclusion
When looking at hard foam rollers vs soft foam rollers, its important to take into consideration your pain threshold. The more pain threshold you have, the harder foam roller you can use. Start off with a soft foam roller, and work your way up with more firm foam rollers as you become more experiences and more tolerant to the pain.