A couple months ago one of my friends said they were going to run a half-marathon. I listened to them talk about it over the phone and immediately thought about what a cool goal that is. “Count me in!” I told them.
The next day, I started my training. It hurt my legs and right knee just to run a mile and a half. Each day after a run, I noticed my legs were so sore (which is probably normal). It felt like the muscles would tighten up and almost start cramping.
I realized I needed something to help me roll out the muscles at the end of each workout so the lactic acid wouldn’t continue building up in my legs. That’s when I started using the Soft Roller by Melt. Now, after every jog, I spend about five to ten minutes cooling down any part of my legs that are still sore. I can’t express how much better this makes me feel.
Here’s another bonus: if you use this roller on your back (lay against it on the ground perpendicularly) it will realign your spine similarly to what a chiropractor does. I use the Melt on my back as a stress reliever but also to improve posture. If you look on YouTube, there are hundreds of exercises and stretches you can find that require a foam roller. It’s a great item to add to your home workout space — and it has so many benefits.
If you want to work on improving your shoulder posture, just lay over the roller so that it lines up entirely with your spine. If you have your arms open and stretch them out from your body, you’ll feel your shoulders stretch backwards towards the floor. This really helps stretch the front of your body to counteract the tendency of sitting hunched over.
Some foam rollers are pretty stiff, which is what I was expecting before I started using the Melt. But this one is a little softer than other ones I’ve used. (This is just something to keep in mind, especially if you really want a stiff one for whatever reason.) The Melt Soft Roller is specifically designed to be softer for your neck and back.
I plan to continue “melting” throughout my training for the half-marathon. I even talked both my parents into running the race with me. Hopefully they’ll be able to keep up. (Totally kidding.)
