What We're Digging Now: BlackRoll Foam Roller

From GRP Biathlete Jake Brown.

I hate to admit it, but I really neglected my rolling and self-massage routines since the ski-racing season ended. Now, the summer training hours of rollerskiing, biking, and especially running and strength training are catching up to me and no amount of stretching can relieve the banded, gummy fascia around all the muscle insertion points in my shoulder and hip girdles.

Lately I’ve really been digging the BlackRoll set of foam rollers and myofascial self-care tools deep into the muscles of my legs and back. BlackRoll is a German company that sponsors the U.S. Biathlon team, and I was lucky to get my hands and legs and back on a set of their products. It’s been a game changer to have my own set of rollers and myofascial self-care tools to use; in addition to rolling out after intensity workouts, which I usually do at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center gym, I’ve especially enjoyed using my own set at home before I get ready for bed. Releasing muscular tension has helped me to relax physically as well as mentally before sleeping.

BlackRoll Booster Set: Massage with Vibration

This is my favorite BlackRoll stretching tool, and hands down my favorite roller I’ve tried. Most foam rollers require rolling to agitate the muscle and produce blood flow. With this guy I can roll until I find a trigger point and then just chill on the roller and let the vibrations gently work out the tension. I find it helps relieve tension in areas around the hips where I’d usually use a tennis or lacrosse-size ball; for example, where the glute med inserts along the iliac crest, where the hip flexors and TFL sheer one another at the hip, or deep into the piriformis. It’s also very relaxing to use along the spine, but I find it’s still too big to get into the rhomboids or shoulder girdle as does a smaller ball.

There are even more perks of the Booster. It has six vibration settings to adjust the force of the massage, and I find myself adjusting often depending on if I feel I need to hit deeper tissues or just relax before bed. I appreciate the high-density foam; it’s not soft like many other rollers (if you like soft rollers, this one may not be for you), but at the same time doesn’t feel like PVC pipe pinching your skin against a hard surface. The vibrations, interestingly, make the roller feel softer. And at 12 inches; it’s easy to throw in a duffle bag if you’re traveling (as are all of BlackRoll’s products, frankly). It’s not cheap, so if you can try before you buy, that’s best. In my experience it’s quite effective.

And finally, a teammate of mine has discovered that the BlackRoll booster is the perfect remedy for a crying baby! Perfect for the whole family!

BlackRoll Myofascial Self-care Tools: BlackRoll Mini, BlackRoll Ball 08, and BlackRoll Duoball 08

For this set, I most enjoy using the Ball 08 against a wall to get my rhomboids and the other muscles around my scapula. The Duoball is perfect for rolling along the spine, and this one I can manage to use on the ground, but it is a little painful so sometimes I stick to rolling against the wall. The BlackRoll Mini is my favorite of the trio. I use this one before bed to roll out my arches and the bottoms of my feet. I never knew how much the muscles in my feet were craving massage until I started rolling them out! I can imagine that for anyone who spends their day working on their feet, rolling out your feet and arches would be a must. Frankly, I think a golf ball works quite well for this, but the BlackRoll Mini is one step better in my opinion.