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.

Roller Rides are Coming Along Great

@SportCrafters roller workout with the @SUUNTOUSA Ambit2S and @TrainingMask hanging out in Zone 3. The TrainingMask I have set a simulating 9,000 ft in elevation.  A new playlist on the iPod the sessions on the rollers are great.  I know I should be out on the road with the weather being so nice. 

January has been great, February your up next

I have been able to continue my "at least a mile a day" and have started my indoor roller workouts.  Light weight workouts will also be added in Feb. My Suunto Ambit 2S is what I am using to capture my data including my heart rate,  while off and on using the MIO Alpha wrist watch with ANT+ instead of the chest strap.  

Training starts off 2014

For the past month I have been keeping my training to the set of rollers I use and a few road rides.  I have planned out my marathon training which will begin this weekend.  I have not signed up for the race yet, but will in the next few weeks.  I am not looking at setting any record time, just looking to put another under my belt.

The RumbleRoller Beastie

Over the past year I have been using the RumbleRoller foam roller to get me back on the road after an IT band injury.  After using and seeing how it worked, I started using the RumbleRoller for self-myofascial release or SMR on different muscle groups and areas to increase my flexibility, relieve stiffness and decrease my recovery time from workouts and/or training sessions. 

I started using the RumbleRoller Beastie just recently and am benefiting from the numerous ways they can be used and set up. To begin with, you may ask what is a Beastie. The Beastie is like a spiked dog toy, yet made specially for SMR. It's a deep tissue massage ball. Some people have used tennis balls or golf balls to do similar types of SMR but what these items lack is flexible bumps that are needed to reach into tough areas. Beasties come in two varieties. The clear one, what is called the Original Beastie, has 30 bumps that will dig deep into your muscle tissue and target those trigger points or problem areas. The green one, called the X-Firm Beastie, has the same amount of bumps yet like its name says, is more firm. Caution needs to be used when starting any kind of session with any of these items. If used the wrong way or too aggressive they can cause bruising or lingering pain and you should stop.

The Beasties can be used freely or a base is also available.  The base holds the 

Beastie for more controlled use.  With the Beastie in the base, it now can be attached to the Beastie Wall System.  The ball can be adjusted to any height allowing now for you to now lean into the Beastie from the side depending on where on the body you are focusing on treating. 

As if the Beasties on their own were not good enough, there is also a Beastie Bar available. This is a rolling stick type of massage tool with two X-Firm Beasties permanently attached to the center of the bar. It comes with stands allowing for hands free use by setting on the ground or attaching to the Beastie Wall System.  With the bar attached to the wall you can now focus on areas of the back, legs or arms.       

                   RumbleRoller® and RR Beastie®

RumbleRoller to the Rescue

I'll start this post with a riddle. 

 What has 200 thumbs and should never be passed by?  You give up?

 Well its the RumbleRoller and it has seriously changed my recovery routine.  I'm a real believer in "the stick" as it too has helped in my warm-ups and recovery. After giving the RumbleRoller a spin I was able to dig deep into the muscle tissue into my nagging IT - Band with my body weight. I have been pain free from an injury from last winter.....finally.  I must say, my masseuse does not know I have been cheating on her.  And if she found out she wouldn't want to see me anymore.  All I can say is, Dang, she is going to miss me. I have found something much better than any massage therapist could do.  I have started using the RumbleRoller, and holy cow, it is AWESOME.  Sure, I still use "The Stick", but for treating my IT Band troubles, the RumbleRoller is just what the doctor ordered.  I have used it on my lower body (hamstrings, calves and quads). Working it on my upper and lower back feels great, although those with back issues may find it uncomfortable.  So what is the RumbleRoller? It a type of foam roller with little knobs, which act like thumbs of a massage therapist, but better.  The roller comes in two types of densities which is indicated by the color, blue or black.  It's also is made in two different sizes for those wanting to possibly use it to travel with. 

Hot workouts in the heat.

Last week I pretty much moved my workouts indoors on the rollers.  With night time low temperatures not really dipping below 90 degrees, any kind of outdoor activity has been rough.  Set of the rollers and a small fan in front of them to keep some kind of airflow going around me.  I was able to beat the sun rising and start a morning ride Saturday at 5:30 am.  I only got in about 40 miles before running low on fluids.  I felt very strong on the bike and before heading out made a small comfort adjustment on my saddle height.  My training has me keeping my heart rate right near 80% of my maximum heart rate, using the Miowatch Quest, the readout and alarm on the watch keep me in check.
I started doing some rehab work on my IT band on my right leg, and look to attend a free clinic at a local bike shop to help me speed up the rehab and get my right hip feeling better after long rides and runs.  Just the exercises I have started doing are starting to help and I am looking forward to what will learn at the clinic.  

Bouncing back from a brief vacation

I took a few weeks off for the yearly summer family vacation, but now back to training.  Before the break I was having a great time on my weekend longer rides.  Even with getting a flat as few weeks back, I was able to get rid of the tire pump and speed my repair up faster with the use of using a Co2 cartridge.  Incredible speed, I can't believe I never upgraded until this past spring.  My hip still is bothering me from a spill on the trainer (rollers) in January. I can really feel the pain two days after a long ride and seems to be bothered by my running.  With the summer heat here, and forcing me indoors at times to ride the rollers, I have placed a industrial type blower to help cool me off.  Works pretty well.  I am looking forward to this weekends longer ride and will start to incorporate a short run (1 to 3 miles) in afterword.

A little over two weeks away from race day

The weather has really become nice here in Arizona, as well as my allergies have become really bothersome.  Still getting my workouts and not letting them get in the way, for now. Sunday I took a great nearly 25 mile training ride late in the day.  A perfect way to end the weekend. The feel on the road was nice. I am still really impressed on how using the rollers has improved my form.
Next weekends plans are to head out to some hills to work on some climbing.
So onto a quick tech tip,
The ProGold degreaser and bike wash works awesome.  Spray a little on and let it do its magic.  For those who dont have a set of cleaning brushes, here is a trick I have been using to clean hard to reach areas.  Get a rope! Yes a rope.  Slip the rope around the area you cant quite get a towel into and run it back and forth to loosen or wipe the dirt or heavy grime away.  Works great around your rear gear cassette. A clean bike is a bike that is easier to maintain and your parts will last you longer.

 

Tour de Mesa, next race on the schedule

So Saturday April 14, is my next race.  The El Tour de Mesa has a few distances, in which I will be doing the farthest distance of 70 miles. My training is coming along both on the rollers indoors and out on the road. 
I have really noticed a huge difference in when I wear a cotton t-shirt indoors on the rollers.  The heat is really kept in.  I am looking at placing a small fan out in front of the rollers to help cool me down a little. I've been getting some great workouts in with my Miowatch Quest, a GPS watch with heart rate monitor. I have the GPS turned off and just using the heart rate monitor function.  My workouts have moved from three weeks ago in Zone 3 to now Zone 2, 45 minute workouts.
The El Tour de Mesa is a new race for me and I look to have some fun.  Bib numbers have been issued online and I am #297, if your out there before the race or on the course say "hi".  

What does not kill you makes you stronger

What does not kill you makes you stronger. This is very true.  Over the past month and a half, I have been pretty much riding my rollers at home.  Inside the house or outside in the driveway while I watch my kids play outside. 
I went out on the road for a ride on Saturday afternoon, a quick out 7 miles and back 7 miles.  I can definitely say that working out on the rollers has helped me in many ways.
The rollers, like a treadmill, might be boring, but with them I have been able to improve my strength on form on the bike.
I have the bike set up on the rollers with my Miowatch Quest, a GPS enabled heart rate monitor, which while riding I have placed on the handlebars. I have the alarm set on the watch to help tell me when I am in my training zone I need to be in.

I could feel my form on the bike was more efficient, even though it was only a short 14 mile ride. 

New tunes to keep me moving

 So hear it is, pun intended.  Whether I am running, riding the rollers or swimming wearing my H2O Audio set up I will be listening to some great tunes. The playlist is almost 50 minutes long and consists of

• Headlines                      Drake  
• Brighter Than the Sun  Colbie Caillat   
• Ass Back Home      Gym Class Heroes  
• Blackout                   Breathe Carolina   
• I Like It Like That    Hot Chelle Rae   
• Ni**as in Paris          Kanye West & JAY Z   
• Turn Me On               David Guetta & Nicki Minaj   
• International Love      Pitbull   
• Right Above It           Lil Wayne & Drake  
• What's My Name?    Rihanna & Drake   
• Not Afraid                Eminem              
• Rhythm of Love       Plain White T's
• 4 Minutes                  Madonna               
• Crushcrushcrush       Paramore              

With the shuffle option on the iPod the order will never get old.
I tried looking at old CD's, yes I said CD's I purchased over the past 15 or so years but nothing seemed to keep my interest or sound good.

Rolling rolling rolling, winter training is rolling

The weather here in Arizona has been great this winter so one might ask why am I doing so much training indoors?  I did a great ride of 20.12 miles on New Years Day to start of the year, but really got my winter training off to a start about two weeks ago riding rollers, an indoor way of training on your bike. Riding the rollers allows me to stay close to home (how much closer can I get) and focus working on my heart rate training (Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) 70-80% HRM).  Riding the rollers is not easy and I have done a lot of research on them before getting them.  They have been compared to riding a bike on ice!  With the power being forced on the back wheel a belt drives the roller on the front so your front wheel rotates also. They help a rider overall perfect their form and balance. They also force to keep pedaling.  No coasting or you will fall.  The workouts I have done on them so far have been great.  Unlike riding outside, there is no stopping at "stop" signs or coasting to a stop.  They allow you to use your own bike, so the set up and feel of your position are exactly how my bike has been fit to me. They take a little getting used to, starting off holding onto a wall or object to get going.  Yes, I have fallen learning to ride and most likely will fall a few more times before I really get comfortable on them.  The first wreck I took with them was while riding along the couch while my wife and I watched TV.  Next thing you know I was flat on the ground with her laughing.  I am tall already on my bike and the rollers boost the rider about another five inches off the ground, making the distance to fall from a little farther.  I hope to soon post a video of myself on the rollers to show what it's all about.  There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing riders on them. 



Healthy Heart Zone -- 50-60% HRM
Fitness Zone (Fat Burning) 60-70% HRM
Aerobic Zone (Endurance Training) 70-80% HRM
Anaerobic Zone (Performance Training 80-90% HRM
Red Line (Max Effort) 90-100% HRM