Before I review the Grid Foam Roller, I want to let you know that I’m a big fan of foam rolling. In fact, I think the foam roller is probably one of the most underrated fitness tools available. I’ve seen clients increase range of motion and improve mobility in less than five minutes!
What is the foam roller?
For those who are not familiar with the concept of foam rolling, the foam roller is a tool for doing Self-Myofacial Release (SMR). In Self-Myofascial Release, myo refers to muscle and fascia refers to the connective tissue that surrounds it.
The way SMR works is that when you put pressure on a tight, tender area of the muscle, tiny sensing mechanisms located at the muscle-tendon junction are activated. When pressed, these sensors, called golgi tendon organs (GTO) stimulate the muscle spindles to relax the muscle in question, helping adhesions to release, blood flow to increase to the area, and the quality of the tissue to improve.
The Grid Foam Roller Review
While there are a variety of foam rollers available, the Grid Foam Roller, made by Trigger Point Performance, is a current favorite. One reason is that the Grid is made of dense EVA foam which surrounds a hollow plastic pipe. This design allows for repeated use without breaking down over time like the more traditional foam rollers. Also, at 13” in length and 5” in diameter, the Grid is so compact that it can easily fit into your luggage or gym bag, making it portable enough to take with you when you travel. Additionally, the Grid has “Distrodensity Zones,” a matrix of varying widths and densities that allow you to adjust the amount of pressure on different muscles, based on your individual needs, which greatly increases the effectiveness.
If I had to come up with one downside, it would be that the Grid Foam Roller may be too small for some people, especially when rolling the upper back and other parts of the body that require a larger surface area.
But all things considered, the Grid Foam Roller is a great product, one which I highly recommend.