This week I am sharing 5 VERY humbling exercises that use little more than a foam roller (several also use a band). While these exercises require minimal equipment, they are challenging and effective. Whether you are at the gym, home, or in a hotel, these exercises will give you a huge bang for your buck.
#1) Roller Knee Tucks + Band Resistance
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Attach a band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your ankles. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Put your shins on a foam roller.
- Get into a plank position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Your shoulders should be above your hands. Spread your fingers and pretend you are suctioning or screwing them to the floor.
- Brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), close the space on your front side (wrinkle your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now perform a knee tuck and bring your knees in towards your body.
- Gain a moment of control, then slowly extend your knees and roll the roller backwards.
- Do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart and move them away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- Do a proper ‘’reset’’ every time you return to the starting position. Many people skip this key step.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, round, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine) and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Roller Bird Dog Bear Crawl Combo
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching tips:
- Place your shin on a foam roller.
- Get into a bear crawl position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Your shoulders should be above your hands. Spread your fingers and pretend you are suctioning them to the floor.
- Brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), close the space on your front side (wrinkle your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now simultaneously extend your arm, and extend the opposite leg/roll the roller backwards.
- Gain a moment of control, then return to the starting position.
- On the planted side, do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- On the moving side, generate tension in your upper body (notice my fist).
- Do a proper ‘’reset’’ every time you return to the starting position. Many people skip this key step.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, round, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine) and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#3) Roller Walks
This exercise, which is SO much tougher than it looks, strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- As this exercise is incredibly difficult (particularly in terms of anti-rotation), you may keep your upper arms on the floor. Aim to use as little support from your upper body as possible.
- Lie on the floor, and place your feet on a roller. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- In the starting position, your knees should be bent to roughly 90 degrees.
- Extend your hips by squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight(ish) line from your shoulders to knees. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your torso and hips as still as possible, walk the roller forward with your feet. Use small and controlled ‘’walks.’’
- Once you reach your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and walk your feet back to the starting position.
- Do a proper ‘’reset’’ every time you return to the starting position. Many people skip this key step.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to excessively drop.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#4) Plank + Single Arm Scapula Protractions/Retractions
This exercise improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, lumbo-pelvic stability, and wrist stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet.
- Place one hand so it is on top of a foam roller. Your shoulder, elbow and wrist should be in a stacked position.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hand and fingers. Spread your fingers and pretend you are suctioning them to the roller.
- In the starting/top position, press your body away from the roller and towards the ceiling, and protract your shoulder blade. Think about moving your shoulder blade away from your spine and around your ribcage.
- Now, without bending your elbow or reaching down with the non-working arm, think about moving your shoulder blade in towards your spine (retract), lower your body towards the floor, and touch your hand on the non-working side to the floor. Do not just drop down.
- Once you reach the bottom position, press your body away from the roller, protract your shoulder blade and return to the top position.
- You may either lightly touch your fingertips on the non-working side to the floor and use minimal assistance, or you may touch your full hand to the floor and use more assistance.
- Do a proper ‘’reset’’ every time you return to the starting position. Many people skip this key step.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a plank position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Band Resisted Roller Hamstring Curls
This exercise, which is SO much tougher than it looks, strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Attach a band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your ankles. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Lie on the floor, and place your feet on a roller. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- You may keep your arms on the floor. Aim to use as little support from your arms as possible.
- In the starting position, your knees should be bent to roughly 90 degrees.
- Extend your hips by pressing through the back of your feeet and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight(ish) line from your shoulders to knees. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your torso and hips as still as possible, extend your knees and roll the roller forward.
- Once you reach your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and ‘’curl’’ the roller back to the starting position.
- Do a proper ‘’reset’’ every time you return to the starting position. Many people skip this key step.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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