*Quick blog update: since I have started blogging I have received many more hits that I would have imagined and I hope that means you enjoy what I have written so far and not that your lives are so boring that… well let’s just leave it at that.
Disclaimer: I don’t stand to gain ANYTHING by this or any future product reviews.
I started using the “runners stick” about a year ago in hopes that I could self-administer some of the many benefits of post exercise massage. If you have never received a proper deep tissue massage after a hard workout you don’t know what you’re missing. I know it’s not financially possible or time feasible for most of us to do so very often but there is a reason why most professional athletes receive daily massages while in season.
Basically after a hard workout blood and many other byproducts of running your muscles “engine” pool in your muscle tissue and sit stagnate for hours. The quicker you can push the blood and other junk back into the blood stream the quicker your body can process it out and get to work rebuilding and strengthening the muscle tissues you just tore up.
For those of us who don’t have a massage therapist on call for a rub down after every workout and race I would encourage you to give “the stick” a try and this is why… If used according to the detailed instructions on the web site you are able to progressively work the stick over your major muscles groups post exercise and force much of the pooled blood and garbage stuck in your muscles out, allowing your body to flush the “muscle engine” and freshen things up for your next race or training session.
I have also started using the stick on my legs pre-race to help warm things up a bit, I can’t say that I’ve noticed a marked improvement but anything that initiates blood flow to where you need it at least theoretically should be beneficial.
There are a couple different versions of this product out there but I would encourage you to get one of medium length and that’s semi flexible so that in the same amount of passes you will cover more surface area then say a rigid rolling pin from the kitchen (I’ve tried).
From personal experience this is NOT the most comfortable 5 min of your day but if the result is fresher legs and quicker recovery times as I have noticed, then it’s more than worth it.
The exact model I use is called the “Power Stick” it’s the most popular model and is most commonly the one carried in retail stores. Check out the other models and descriptions on the web site because there may be one that works better for your needs and body type.
Retail price for these varies greatly but I have recently found them between $27--$45 in stores.
If you have any questions or comments shoot me an e-mail or post below.
Kyle had recommended the Stick to me last year and it has been great. I notice a major difference immediately after using the Stick. My legs are fresher right after I put it down. I even use it on some mornings when I don't ride to make my legs feel better. Definitely give it a try.
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I've tried the rolling-pin method a number of times...especially on tight IT bands. A personal trainer friend suggested (forced me to use) a foam roller. Which also works very well and helps to stretch the outer IT band, which is often difficult to stretch. A foam roller is about 8 inches in diameter and comes in a variety of densities. The way it works is you put it on the ground and roll over the top of it. Can be painful on tight muscles, but really helps with flexibility.
ReplyDeleteBrad, since IT bands function very differently than muscles the foam rollers your referring two are perfect and do use your own body weight to accomplish the stretch and recover. I don't personally get the same aggressiveness or ease of use over the big three leg muscles. Since to really flush and work out a muscle it needs to be relaxed and that can sometimes be dificult to do while balancing your weight on a roller. I guess a good combination of both tendon work with a foam roller and then deeper muscle tissue work with a semi-flexible runners stick would be a combination worth trying. i hope that helps
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