Rumble Roller's GATOR

(No Live Animals Inside the box)

In celebration of National Foam Rolling Day, I wanted to share this with everyone. The best way to relax and recover is with a foam roller.  The Rumble Roller line of myofascial release products is the answer.  Recently Rumble Roller released their GATOR.   Its small “teeth” grip the skin for a very soothing cross-friction massage. The Rumble Roller Gator is a heavy duty deep tissue roller unlike your typical foam roller.  I use it to help in recovery after training or racing. It’s versatile in the areas of the body. I tend to use it mainly on my lower body targeting my hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and glutes.  After riding my glutes tend to tighten up and using the roller to help those muscles recover.  After a long run and on recovery days, rolling my calves.  Adding a little more pressure at times, I cross legs, at the calf, with only one of them on the roller to treat tight muscles.  There is a difference in the regular Rumble Roller and the GATOR and swap them from time to time.  A great way to release tight back and shoulders, I slowly and deliberately lay down on the roller, rolling on it from my neck down to my mid back.  Then switch up things and roll is still on my back, going sideways, from my left shoulder blade to my right shoulder blade.  If gravity or too much pressure is being applied, you can always roll it up way, like a cat on a post. 

RockTape Roller

 I was sent the RockTape Foam Roller to review. First off, the roller is what it is, a foam roller. However the 18 inch long, foam roller is not very thick it sits outside a hard plastic inner tube. The roller has knobs on it, in which one might think would help dig down deep into muscle tissue and help roll out knots and lactic acid.  The knobs are pretty much just decoration on the foam roller and compress to nothing when any type of pressure of weight is put on them. The roller does have a convenient strap that attaches to both ends.  I myself, am not one to tote around a roller.  It pretty much stays in the home gym. I guess if one wanted to, they could store a towel or other small workout equipment inside.

Podium Cycling's Foam Rollers

 Podium Cycling makes foam rollers to help stretch tight muscles from the legs to the back.
I have used both the Level 1 Roller,  18 inches long, spiral shaped, as well as the Level 2 Roller,  13 inches long, with more ridges to roll deeper into muscle tissue.  The Level 2 roller is better suited for traveling due to its size while both rollers are 5 inches in diameter.  Both rollers help with stretching and recovery while massaging your muscles. I recommend for first time users to gradually ease into a recovery or any program using them.  I look forward after a hard workout using the rollers to aid in my recovery.  The foam roller works on removing trigger points, or small knots in your muscles along with flushing away lactic acid.  I use the roller on my lower body (hamstrings, calves and quads) then move onto working it on my upper and lower back. All this is done while laying on the ground either on the carpet or a matt.  Those with sensitive backs may find it uncomfortable and should take caution, as the devices are made to help you, not hurt you. The rollers help increase your flexibility while also improving your core strength. The Podium Cycling foam roller can also help with the redevelopment of muscles and restore the motion to joints in the body.  The foam rollers are designed to not break down which will give you many sessions of muscle recovery.

Check them out at www.podiumcycling.com