(I received this product as a gift or at a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)
After my IT band injury, I started foam rolling. I had put that activity off for a long time because it’s super awkward. But, like anything, it does get easier as you do it, and I give it credit for helping me recover from the injury. (I’m running again, friends!)
If you didn’t know, I have a dog named Maximo. And when he’s really bored, he chews things. Like my foam roller. It’s still functional, but it’s not ideal.
So! I was very happy to try this muscle roller by Fitness Answered Training Products. (You might remember that company from the fitness equipment review I did on these resistance bands.) It’s solid (no foam in sight) and less chewable, but I hoped to be able to get the same results from using it.
The muscle roller was a little heavier than I thought it was going to be. It says it’s adjustable, so if you want to put the roller beads closer together or farther apart, you can do that by pushing or pulling the handles together or apart. I couldn’t get that to work, so mine is stuck as is with just a little space between the beads (which you can see in the picture there on the right–the beads slide up and down the stick), at least until I find a stronger friend. I don’t really feel any reason to adjust it, though. It worked and felt fine as is.
It’s simple to use: hold the handle, roll it up and down your muscles. It’s much less awkward than a foam roller (since you have to lie on the foam roller and rely on your body weight to get the pressure). I found I was able to apply enough pressure with my arms, even when rolling my calves and hamstrings which aren’t quite as easy to access, probably because the muscle roller is hard.
One think I like about the foam roller instead of this muscle roller is that you sink into a little bit and can find a gentler pressure through a greater area at one time. The muscle roller gets a point, though, because I don’t have to lie on the ground to use it. I also find it easier to use on my lower legs.
You can also use it on your arms–I just held it in one hand to roll the other arm. Again, because it’s hard, I was able to apply enough pressure so that it felt good. It wasn’t an especially deep pressure, but it felt nice. (If you don’t get regular massages, you wouldn’t believe how good it feels to have your arms massaged!)
So…Muscle Roller or Foam Roller?
Overall: I like it, but I don’t think the muscle roller will be a total replacement for my foam roller. (Though I might need to replace my foam roller with another foam roller at some point, if Max gets ahold of it again.) The muscle roller is a nice addition to my self-care routine. It’s going to allow me to roll muscles I normally wouldn’t with the foam roller, and spend a little extra time on my quads and, to a lesser extent, hamstrings without lying on the floor.
