Triggerpoint Tools for Self Myofascial Release

Do you ever see those people rolling around on the ground at the gym, wondering what is this big cylinder thing they are laying on? It’s is called a foam roller, a tool used by fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and populations young and old to practice self-massage from anywhere.

Foam rolling has become all the rage over the past few years. Self rolling helps a physical therapist or trainer, and even reaching the uses of massage therapists to get a more in depth release of muscle tissue.

In case you are curious about what exactly “fascia” is, it is build up of connective “plaque like” tissue around the surrounding muscles. Take the quadriceps for example, there are four parts to the quad each and each are connected by fascia. This type of connective tissue can cause tightness, knots, and cause the muscle to be unable to stretch and not have the fullest amount of mobility.

Personally, I am a supporter of Triggerpoint Performance Therapy. These products have become very popular over the past few years and have become the “it” product amongst tools for self myofascial release.

Triggerpoint carries a variety of products including:

The Grid Foam Roller

The GRID foam roller is designed with proprietary Distrodensity zones. This three dimensional type of surface has a variety of widths to replicate the feeling of a massage therapist’s hands.  This foam roller has numerous benefits:

• Three-dimensional surface allows tissue to aerate while you roll which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen—the nutrients needed to repair muscles
• A hollow core hand-wrapped in hard EVA foam makes it firmer than traditional foam rollers
• Environmental design uses less foam than traditional foam rollers

Through using this product myself and with personal training clients I have noticed a vast difference in the mobility of the muscles in both the legs and back. Clients are able to see a difference almost instantly in the range of motion in their hips and shoulders.

Triggerpoint Cold Roller

The Cold Roller is the most advanced recovery tool on the market. Myofascial release and cold compression combine to provide the most effective recovery and the greatest rate of return.

The Cold Roller is a game changer in that in contains the following properties:

•      Stainless steel for deeper compression
•      Filled with cooling gel to create cold compression
•      Stays cold for up to three hours for continued relief

This is a remarkable product that the team of Triggerpoint has developed. By keeping the roller cold in the freezer you are able to use it for hours on end. Using extreme cold on a recovering muscle allows you to break up any old facia, the plaque-like material mentioned earlier, and any existing scar tissue that could be lingering.

As a personal trainer I highly recommend that all of my clients, no matter the goal or body type, do what they can to keep those muscles and joints in check at all times. By setting aside just a few minutes a day to break up any junk around the muscles you will then be able to use them to their upmost potential through any workout and Triggerpoint products are a simple and effective way to achieve this.