Foam rolling for endurance athletes? What the heck is that?

Hands up if you foam roll regularly? Nothing to do with DIY, foam rolling is technically known as "self-myofascial release" and is the secret weapon of endurance athletes.

What exactly is foam rolling? Self-myofascial release might sound like some kind of dodgy activity but I promise you it's got nothing to do with 50 Shades of Grey and everything to do with recovery, performance and longevity for endurance athletes.

Put simply, self-myofascial release means a form of massage you can do on yourself, gently easing the fascia of the muscles so you can avoid the build-up of knots and lumps, stretch more deeply, and ultimately avoid injury.

Foam rolling is perhaps the easiest, cheapest and practical way of giving yourself a deep and effective sports massage at home.

You don't need me to tell you about the aches and pains of an endurance athlete. Long hours on the bike, long miles on the run, and regular swim sessions can create tight muscles, stiff limbs, achy backs and niggles from head to toe. Foam rolling will really help ease existing aches and offset the likelihood of picking up future injury.

Foam rollers can be as basic as a smooth cylindrical shaped bit of firm foam (purpose made for sport), or can be nobbly and bobbly, designed to really get into the muscles like a sports massage. For me, both versions have their place.

I foam roll (not as often as I should!), and recommend it to all my clients. It's something you can do at home, or even in hotel rooms if you're travelling with work. Even 5 minutes foam rolling will benefit you, but if you can set aside 20 minutes or more you'll feel amazing.

Why should you be foam rolling at home? Triathletes, runners and endurances athletes should all include a simple foam roller in their home fitness kit. They are cheap, last for ages, and barely take up any space (I keep mine down the side of the sofa and even took it to Lanzarote with me last week). Foam rolling can be done by yourself, in any spare time you have - whilst watching TV, whilst dinner is cooking, or just after you get back from a run or ride and can't quite face climbing the stairs to the shower.

If you want any advice on the best foam rollers in the UK, just get in touch, I'm happy to help.

Coach's tips for foam rolling at home:

• Don't foam roll joints, just muscles.
• Never foam roll injured muscle tissue - let it heal first.
• Work in long, sweeping motions (like a sports massage) or on specific trigger points.
• Find a trigger point of tight muscle and lay on the foam roller, applying pressure on the trigger point. Roll slowly and gently back and forth and the trigger point will start to release.
• Concentrate on foam rolling glutes and piriformis, quads, IT band (ouch!) and calves, but try rolling out your upper back and rhomboids too.
• Foam roll regularly - 10 minutes 4 times a week is better than 30 minutes once a week.

Do you foam roll? If you'd like any advice on the best foam roller for endurance athletes, or my recommended foam rolling exercises, let me know.