I picked up a foam roller last week & love it - I mean, it's agonizing to use, but the feeling afterward is amazing.

Just wondering, when & how often are you foam roller fans using yours?

i use a nalgene bottle

rolling pin

Every morning for about 15 minutes and after every ride...

Is there a truly noticeable difference?

Which roller do you use?

I use The Stick

I use the TP Quad ****** (and some of their other products) twice a week; much more painful than the foam roller.

I use the stick too but experience no noticeable difference at all.

It works wonders!

Are you basically rolling your calfs and hamstrings?

A few minutes everyday along with a bunch of stretching. I just use my travel trac rollers with a towel tossed over one of the drums.

I started using a foam roll in the fall due to seriously annoying IT band issues. After using it for quite some time, I found the density of the foam to not work as well as it did when I first started use...so I graduated to PVC that I got from Home Depot. It works wonders.

I tend to use it every evening and sometimes in the morning if I'm feeling extra tight. Also works really well on the calves and soleus.

Brilliant!

I usually use mine more when running than cycling, because that bothers my ITB more. My approach is basically PRN.

The normal closed cell foam ones are not really built for a ton of use.. so folks like you need to go with the harder blue or black version (depends on company) or get the white version with the pvc pipe inside

If you can work out the balance it does wonders on Piraformis too (i've never met anyone without tightness there)

+1 to that.

I just started using one recently as well due to an overly tight right hamstring, felt like a rubber band about to snap for a long time (couple months). Tried lots of stretching with some relief, but been using the red roller 1 to 2 times a day. It's now A LOT better. No longer feels like it's going to snap!

If one didn't know what you guys were talking about.. which I didn't at first.. this thread is disturbing.

agreed i had the same feeling at first

The wife has been know to use a red wine bottle wrapped in a towel!

Once every couple of days.

15min 2x a day

I use a Nalgene or my Stick.

I use it whenever I think about it, which is usually daily. Mostly for ITB problems, and also some hamstring issues.

I've not used anything yet...knock on wood...but overheard someone at a fit class discussing the use of a piece of the cardboard roll that's inside a carpet roll. Cut a piece off and then work down the side of your thigh..IT band I believe. He said it will hurt, but it will help.

I use the dark blue high-density one.

I had a white done but I wore some grooves in it.

I use it about every other day because I get sick of doing it, like stretching.

Ideally, foam roller plus stretching would be done everyday.

I think using a Nalgene bottle is smart but I expect the thing to eventually break under someone's body weight.