5 Best Foam Roller Exercises For Leg Day

5 of the best foam roller exercises to roll out your legs following leg day! These stretches are the perfect workout to get rid of soreness after a workout. Decrease pain, stress, tightness, and prevent injuries from happening with these 5 foam roller leg exercises.  

best-foam-roller-exercises-for-your-legs-tone-and-tighten

5 Best Foam Roller Exercises For Leg Day

  • Piriformis
  • IT Band
  • Hamstrings
  • Quads
  • Calves

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide of the exercises with pictures and descriptions. 

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Foam rollers – you totally need to get on board.

The foam roller is honestly one of the most valuable pieces of equipment in my physical therapy clinic. It’s so simple yet so versatile.

For any of you who have spent any time on one you know that there are few ways as tender but no ways as effective to work out those knots and help your body get ready to move again.

Today I’m sharing my top 5 best foam roller exercises for your legs.

Avoid injury, increase motion, and improve the mechanics of your lift/run/exercise in just a couple of minutes on a foam roller. Trust me – you need to add these to your rotation ASAP!

How Often Should I Use a Foam Roller?

It’s okay to use a foam roller daily, with about 5 to 20 minutes per session. You may choose to use one especially when you are sore after a good gym day, a few days per week. 

Sore after leg day? Try these foam roller stretches below. 

Can you Foam Roll Too Much?

You shouldn’t foam roll too much that you are excessively sore. It should mostly feel good during and after (with a little soreness). You should expect a little bit of pain, but not too much. It should be a good hurt and nothing too tender or unbearable. 

What is the Best Size Foam Roller?

First of all we’re going to need a foam roller. Most gyms have them, but they’re also a super inexpensive addition to any home gym.

Foam rollers are simple, affordable, and versatile pieces of workout equipment. You can buy them made from hard foam, plastic, and rubber. They come in many sizes, from about 4”-8” in circumferences and 12″-36″ long. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

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30″ long- This is my personal favorite and the one I often recommend to my clients because it’s big enough to be the most versatile option.  I prefer the longer length  – you can do a little bit more with them without the fear of falling off the roller. Find it here. 

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18″ – Sufficient for most needs

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5″ – This one is small and PERFECT for travel.  Only 5″ and gets the job done! Take it with you wherever you go.

 

Use your new foam roller with some of my favorite exercises:

How To Foam Roll Your IT Band; Foam Roll Exercises To Decrease Pain

10 of the Best Foam Roller Exercises

The Best Foam Roller Exercises For Your Legs

and these 5 great exercises below! 

 

Now on to the exercises. Grab your foam roller and start rolling with these 5 simple, yet effective exercises to target your legs. 

The Exercises

picture divider tone and tighten

1. Piriformis

This is probably the one I use the foam roller for the most. Anyone with any degree of low back pain can attest to how amazing this one feels.

piriformis foam roll

  • Sit on the foam roll.
  • Cross your right leg over your left and lean to your right side.
  • Use your legs and your arms to support yourself as you roll back and forth over this deep hip rotator.

2. IT Band

My second-most utilized exercise on the foam roll! It’s amazing how tight the IT band (a long tendon that runs the outside of your leg) can get.

it band foam roll

  • Sit on the foam roller on your right side.
  • Cross your left leg over in front.
  • Supporting yourself on your arms and left leg, roll the whole outside of your right leg up and down the foam roller.

3. Hamstrings

Because who’s hammies don’t hurt after a leg workout? Roll out both at the same time!

hamstring foam roll

  • Do both hamstrings at the same time by sitting on the foam roll with both legs extended and then using your arms to move you forward and back over the foam roller.

4. Quads

Nothing better after heavy squats and leg extensions! Also a killer plank workout!

foam roll quads

  • Laying in plank position with the foam roll under the front of your legs, use your arms/shoulder to roll the foam roller up and down the length of the quads.

5. Calves

Another one of my personal favorites after a heavy calf day.

foam roll calves

  • Sit with your legs out in front of you with the foam roller behind your knees.
  • Support yourself on your hands and roll up and down the length of your calf muscles (knees to Achilles tendon).

The effectiveness of foam rolling is increased with stretching. Check out the best stretches for your legs right here:

best-leg-stretches-after-workout-post-exercise-tone-and-tighten

 

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Make it happen,

Jared

By Jared Beckstrand

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