If you struggle dropping low or activating all the right muscles when you squat, your new secret weapon for crushing your next leg day is your foam roller.
Most of us are taught to simply roll back and forth on it, but with a few tweaks to your tactics and a shift in focus to the right areas of the body, you’ll be able to improve common limitations holding you back from that perfect form.
The three limitations likely keeping you from your optimal performance are:
- Poor ankle mobility
- Difficulty gliding the pelvis into flexion/extension
- Inability of the glutes to fire at full force
The key to restoring mobility and improving muscle activation lies in our fascia. Research shows that foam rolling (a form of self-myofascial release) can help improve range of motion in our joints without having any negative effects on strength. In fact, the increase in proprioception achieved with your foam roller enables our muscles to fire more effectively. The key is to address fascia in a specific way that creates fast and lasting change.
First off, what is fascia?
Fascia is a 3-D connective tissue system that holds everything in our body together. Think of fascia like plastic wrap that wraps around every single thing within us. It encases every muscle fiber, muscle group, ligament, tendon, bone, nerve, blood vessel and organ. This plastic wrap is layer upon layer, creating a “plastic wrap suit” that organizes our body into the shape, structure, and texture we see in the mirror. If that plastic wrap suit were to magically disappear out of our body, we’d go tumbling to the ground in a pile of bones and goo!
While this incredible system of connective tissue ensures the integrity of our structure and posture, it’s also what’s holding our potential to move freely (or not). When fascia becomes dehydrated or restricted, our muscles cannot activate properly and our joints begin to lose their range of motion.
How does fascia affect mobility and muscle performance?
Areas of our fascia can become dense, dehydrated and restricted like “crumpled up balls of plastic wrap” for a variety of reasons: an injury, overuse (any repetitive motion such as running or squatting multiple times a week), and underuse (thank you, Netflix). While we may or may not feel tension in the muscles themselves, there are some tell-tale signs that our fascia needs attention:
- Stiffness or poor range of motion in joints/muscles
- Any aches or pains (such as knee, hip, or back pain while squatting)
- Excess soreness after workouts
One of the roles of our fascial system is to protect us from impact or injury, so it doesn’t change easily once it’s in this restricted state. We need to use a combination of compression and active movement to signal to the brain that it’s safe to let go, rehydrate, and function like normal.
What does foam rolling this way look like?
Instead of rolling up and down on your roller, pick one area of your muscle, hold compression on that one spot, and slowly move nearby joints through a range of motion. This tactic can quickly restore hydration to our tissues through the production of hyaluronic acid, increase our range of motion, and ignite proprioceptors within our fascia to “wake up” muscles that may not be firing correctly.
Here’s how to release your calves (to improve ankle mobility), your quads (to improve pelvic glide), and your glutes (to get them firing more effectively) before your next squat workout.
1. Calves: In a sitting position, place your left calf muscle on your roller. I suggest somewhere in the mid to upper calf, off the Achilles tendon and at least 2 inches away from the back of the knee joint. Cross your right leg over top of the left to add more compression. Then, slowly begin pointing and flexing your toes from the ankle.
Take your time and move through the best range of motion possible. After 10 times of pointing and flexing, slowly circle your ankle one direction. I suggest rolling your leg bone along with your ankle. So when you roll your toes to the inside, you turn your whole leg to the inside as well (then as you roll your toes to the outside, roll your whole leg to the outside) so that we get ultimate cross-fibering on the calf.
Do 5 circles each direction. Then repeat on the other leg. Remember to breathe and move slowly.
2. Quads: Come down into a plank-like position (on your elbows) with one of your thigh muscles on your roller with the opposite knee resting on the floor. I suggest being somewhere in the middle to upper quad area, staying off the pelvis bone. Flex your toes, then slowly bend your knee back like you’re doing a hamstring curl.
Once you get to 90 degrees, slowly straighten your leg back out. Repeat 2 more times (A). Then, bend your knee back to 90 degrees one last time and begin rocking your heel side to side (this is where we get that great cross-fibering action in!).
Slowly move your heels side to side to side 10 times, remembering to breathe deeply (B and C). Avoid engaging your lower back. I suggest giving yourself about 15-30 seconds of rest and then repeat this technique on a slightly different spot of your quad one more time for maximum effect. Repeat on the other leg.
3. Glutes (for better glute activation): Sit on your roller with at least one arm behind you for balance. Cross your left ankle over your right knee, and lean your body towards the left (this will put you slightly on the outside of your glute muscle).
I often roll up and down a few inches just to see what feels like the most tight or tender spot, then stop on it and let my weight sink in. Slowly wave your knee up and down for 15-30 seconds (A and B). Repeat on the opposite side. Remember to lean towards the side you want to work on!
Once you get the hang of it, releasing these three areas will take less than ten minutes and can be a great addition to your warm up routine.
Julia is a fascia release practitioner, educator and creator of The Fascia Remedy. She’s been helping both professional athletes and everyday movers eliminate pain, recover faster, and feel younger through strategic fascia release since 2012. Get free tips by signing up for her newsletter at thefasciaremedy.com.
