This Beginner-Friendly Foam-Rolling Routine Is All About Rest and Recovery

This beginner-friendly foam-rolling tutorial is a welcome reminder that your body needs rest. Whether you’re new to foam rolling or just trying to figure out how to soothe sore muscles, these 15 minutes can make a world of difference. Get started with a total-body session led by celebrity trainer and Train Like a Gymnast founder Danielle Gray. Gray walks you through a series of stretches and twists, activating the back and shoulders, gently engaging the core, and massaging the back, triceps, biceps, calves, and quad muscles (among others). All you need is a foam roller of any size and a few minutes to unwind.

Throughout her quick but calming rundown, Gray teaches you how to readjust the foam roller, identify the areas you need to release, and experiment with what feels best for your body. It’s all about taking time for yourself and allowing for recovery so that you can stay active in the long term. “There’s nothing wrong with rest days. There’s nothing wrong with taking a day to roll if you’re super sore,” Gray says. “That’s your body telling you it needs to rest.”

If you’ve had your foam roller for a while but you never really knew what to do with it, Gray has you covered. She also demonstrates how to control the desired pressure and intensity so you get exactly what you need out of every movement without experiencing unnecessary discomfort.

Follow along to make the most out of your rest days, and don’t miss new episodes every week on the POPSUGAR Fitness YouTube channel. You can also kick-start your workout routine with POPSUGAR’s new line of affordable fitness equipment available at Walmart. Here’s to working toward a happy, healthy you.

Danielle Gray
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