When thinking about how to foam roll different parts of your body it’s useful to think about where your muscles are running - in your legs they run fairly simply; up and down. So up and down movements are really useful for your legs. Here are more detailed tips;
Hamstrings (back of your thighs)
Sit on the foam roller, hands and one foot on the ground, roll yourself so your weight is on the roller on the back of your thigh and roll up and down between your sit bones and just above your knee. You can balance one leg on top of the other for more pressure. You can rotate slightly from side to side to work all aspects of the muscle.
Quads (front of your thighs)
Lie on the foam roller, hands and one leg on the ground, roll yourself so your weight is on the roller on the front of your thigh and roll up and down between your hip and just above your knee. You can lift the other leg off the floor for more pressure. You can rotate slightly from side to side to work all aspects of the muscle.
Glutes (muscles in your bum)
Sit on the foam roller, hands and feet on the ground, roll yourself slightly up and down so the roller move in the space between your sit bones and the top of the pelvis. You can rotate from side to side to work all aspects of the muscle, you can go right round to the side of the pelvis so you are side on to the floor.
Calves (muscles in your lower)
Sit on the foam roller, hands and one foot on the ground, roll yourself so your weight is on the roller on the back of your lower leg and roll up and down. You can balance one leg on top of the other for more pressure. You can rotate slightly from side to side to work all aspects of the muscle.
However! With calves I find that sitting on a chair and working into the muscles with a tennis ball in your hand is a much better way of getting into the deeper muscles.
IT Band (the band down the outside of your thighs)
I see many people rolling straight up and down the outside of your thigh, all this really does is squashes the IT band into the muscles below. It hurts but isn’t really doing anything beneficial. Instead roll just infront of the band and just to the back - like you are rolling the outer edges of your hamstrings and quads. For more information on how to do this see the video link at the end of this post.
Upper back
Lie on the foam roller with it going across your shoulders in a T shape. Arms are behind your neck to support your head and use your legs to move you gently up and down. It’s a small movement as the foam roller should stay between the base of the rib cage and the top of the shoulders. You can also do the same movement with your arms crossed over your chest to access some different muscles. Do not roll it onto your lower back or neck!
Back and chest
Lie on the form roller with it going down your spine, your head and pelvis should both be on the roller so make sure it’s long enough. Arms are outstretched on the floor for balance and a great chest stretch. Roll yourself a few cm side to side for a lovely self back massage. It’s also great for balance as staying on the roller can be a challenge!
I cover more about what to do with a foam roller and how to use it in this video;