A spare 10 minutes might be hard to find in your busy day, but you’ll never regret making time to care for your body. Recovery is an essential part of your fitness journey, and your body will thank you when you prioritize this kind of care. Even if it’s just a moment, every little bit counts—so let’s get some movement in your day with this full-body foam rolling session!
Whether it’s a rest day or you just want to move without working up a huge sweat, 10 minutes of recovery work—like stretching or foam rolling—does wonders. This full-body foam rolling session is perfect for any day of the week, whether it follows a workout or not. Let’s show your body’s soft tissues some love!
Why Foam Rolling?
Foam rolling is the perfect way to self-administer some massage therapy, bringing new life and movement back into your muscles. This technique helps relieve tension in muscular knots (also known as adhesions or trigger points) that can be caused by stress due to sitting too long, exercising, or even just general body tension.
Imagine using a rolling pin on dough with lumps in it —that’s pretty much how foam rollings works! We love this form of accessible relief that you can utilize at our own pace, on your own time.
Try This: 10-Minute Foam Rolling Routine
For this routine, you’ll be performing each movement for one minute. For movements that require you to switch sides, do 30 seconds of foam rolling on each side. Factoring in the transition between movements, this foam rolling routine clocks in at just 10 minutes. Your muscles will feel great afterward, but don’t just take our word for it—try it and find out!
1. Lower Back
- Lie with a foam roller across your mid-back with hands on the floor behind you and your feet flat and knees bent.
- Push away, rolling down from your mid-back to your buttocks, straightening your legs.
- Pull back, rolling up from your buttocks to your mid-back.
2. Upper Back
- Lie with a roller across your upper back with hands on the floor by your sides, your feet flat and knees bent.
- Push away, rolling down from your upper back to your mid-back, straightening your legs.
- Then pull back, rolling up from your mid to upper back.
3. Glutes
- Sit upright on a roller with your legs straight out in front of you and your hands on the mat behind your back
- Roll back and forth over your buttocks from the top of your hamstrings to your lower back.
- Bend and straighten your legs as you roll back and forth.
4. Piriformis
- Sit upright on a roller leaning to one side with one leg bent and the ankle on your other knee.
- Support your bodyweight by placing one hand on the mat behind you, with your arm straight.
- Push your body away, bending your elbow and rolling over the side of your buttocks.
- Pull back, straightening your arm and rolling back over the buttocks.
- Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side.
5. Hamstrings
- Sit with a roller under the top of your hamstring with one leg straight, and the other leg bent with your foot on the floor and your hands about two feet behind your buttocks.
- Pull your body towards your hands, rolling down along the hamstring to the back of your knee.
- Push your body back away from your hands, rolling up from your knee to your buttocks.
- Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side.
6. Quadriceps
- Lie face down with a roller under your lower thighs, just above your knees, supporting your weight on your hands and toes with your arms straight.
- Push away, lower your body down, raise your feet and roll up along the front of your thighs from your knee to mid thigh.
- Pull back, returning to a straight arm position, rolling down to the top of your knee again.
7. Triceps
- Lie on your side with a roller in your armpit with your arm straight out and your other hand on the mat in front.
- Raise your upper body, rolling down the back of your upper arm from your armpit to your elbow.
- Lower your body back down, rolling back up your arm to your armpit.
- Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side.
8. Lats
- Sit, leaning to one side with a roller under the side of your rib cage resting on your forearm with your elbow bent.
- Roll upward toward your armpit, straightening your arm.
- Roll back down from your armpit to your rib cage, bending your elbow.
- Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side.
This 10-minute foam rolling session is perfect for post-workout care—but what about before you hit the gym? Try some of our favorite warm-up stretches here.
