Equipment
Our 10 favorite foam rollers for golfers to use for workouts and recovery
Foam rollers are a simple and affordable way to enhance your workouts. Though most just use them as a tool for post-workout recovery, foam rollers can also be extremely useful during warm-ups. Rolling promotes blood flow, can increase range of motion, reduce soreness and aid in muscle recovery.
Here are some keys to know about foam rollers before purchasing: They come in many different densities, shapes and sizes to cater to all kinds of lifestyles and workout regimens. It's great to loosen muscles up before a round or soothe sore spots at the end of the day. To add to the benefits, you can also incorporate some rollers into core workouts for increased mobility and strength challenges. These foam rollers below are great for all sorts of muscle work and will have you feeling the benefits almost instantly.
There are three different zones on this foam roller to target a variety of muscle needs. It's extra firm to help relieve sore and tight muscles while promoting oxygen flow to assist the repairing process. This roller comes in a variety of colors, if you like to coordinate your workout gear.
This roller lies flat for extra stability and is great for beginners. The half-rounded, non-slip design makes sitting, standing and lying down positions easier and less wobbly. The extra length will also make you feel more secure during exercises, eliminating the risk of rolling off the end. Trust us, that can be a useful feature.
The unique wave-like texture on this roller will simulate the feeling of a deep massage to ease those hard-to-tackle muscle pains. When you are using a firmer roller to target bigger pains, be sure to roll slowly and in long strokes. Don't try to hit one area quickly, you'll benefit the most from gradual releases from the key muscles and surrounding areas. Also, be sure to roll symmetrically and work on the same muscles on the opposite sides of the body.
If you've never tried a stick foam roller, you're missing out. This handy tool makes recovery a breeze because you don't necessarily have to lie down on the ground to use it. Roll out your hamstrings while laying in bed, or target the shoulders while walking around the kitchen. The wave-like texture on this roller will massage deep layers of tissue to get blood flowing to key areas and kickstart the muscle recovery process.
For muscle aches on the road, opt for a travel-sized roller. This 12-inch barrel is flat, which is great for working on big muscles and covering larger surface areas evenly. Throw it in your suitcase to roll out your calves and hamstrings in the hotel after a long flight or relieve arm stiffness between road trips—you won't be sorry you did.
This portable foam roller is also great for travel, but you can also use it at home, at the gym or even at the office. It's designed to stretch the plantar fascia and toes to maintain flexibility and manage pain. It can be chilled to help reduce inflammation or soreness, which your feet will appreciate between rounds or after a tough workout.
This gadget doubles as an ab roller because, as you may know, many muscle pains originate from having a weak core. Relieve muscle tension with the durable textured surface after working on that six-pack and you'll start feeling stronger and more mobile before you know it.
Enhance your workouts and recoveries with this two-in-one barrel that can be used as a full 24-inch roller or as two separate 12-inch rollers. Having versatility with the size will ensure you can target almost any muscle with increased stability. Firm spikes help release tension at trigger points for deep tissue relief.
These rollers bend at two resistance levels to help strengthen wrists, forearms and shoulders. You can also use them as targeted rollers for relaxing bigger muscles in the body. The softer spikes are designed to feel like a massage to tired muscles.
Before you dismiss the idea of a vibrating foam roller, hear us out on the benefits. The light buzz will work harder to reduce pain, relax tight muscles and deliver targeted relief faster. The textured exterior is designed to replicate a massage therapists hands to both prepare muscles for exercise and help them recover post-workout.