Foam rolling
Pressing body weight into a dense foam cylinder to work through tight muscle
A length of dense foam, sometimes a ball or a shorter cylinder for feet and shoulders, that you lean body weight into and roll slowly over calves, quads, glutes, lats and upper back. Five or ten minutes either side of a session is the usual dose, though some people build it into a long block of its own before bed. Research on whether it changes soreness or performance is mixed. What practitioners describe is simpler: tissue that feels less locked up, and a warm-up that gets them moving before they load anything heavy. A basic roller costs about what two gym visits do.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Zac EfronDoes it
Actor · the Baywatch body and what it cost him
Ten or so rollers in different sizes, per Men's Health, which calls him a fanatic about it. Half an hour before he trains, then a full hour before bed.
Source: Men's Health: Zac Efron Interview on His Career, His Health, and His Next Movie
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or stress.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
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Regular yoga practice for flexibility, strength and a calmer nervous system
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Running
Regular running, from a short daily loop up to ultramarathon distance
Backed by 5 of 54 stacks: 4 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Swimming
Lap swimming as low-impact cardio and a reset for the head
Backed by 5 of 54 stacks: 5 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Sports massage
Regular hands-on soft-tissue work from a trainer or therapist
Backed by 3 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Tennis
Singles or doubles on court, played as a lifelong sport rather than a workout
Backed by 3 of 54 stacks: 3 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Grappling practice used as training, stress relief and humility
Backed by 2 of 54 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
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