How to Foam Roll Like a Pro

Sore, stiff, tight? We feel you. Take some time for self-massage. Used pre-workout, pre-stretching, or simply to start the day, foam rolling has serious benefits, including easing muscle soreness, correcting muscle imbalance, increasing range of motion, and preventing injury.

Some gyms have foam rollers, but it might be worth investing in your own. (They’re still way cheaper than a professional massage!) Rollers vary in size, firmness, and shape. Long rollers provide more area for stability and support, while shorter options are more versatile and convenient for travel. A soft foam provides a gentler massage than a high-density version. Some options include a grid-like design or a ridged surface, which helps target tough-to-relieve knots and trigger points.

When you get rolling, spend about 60 seconds on each tight area. Use as much or as little pressure as feels comfortable for you. If you find a knot or sensitive spot, linger on it for a little while, rolling back and forth until the tenderness eases. Ten to 15 minutes per day is all it takes the reap the benefits. Trust us, your body will thank you.

Ready to roll? Here’s how:

Foam Rolling
Originally posted July 2012. Updated May 2016.


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Avocados Finally Get the Slow Jam They Deserve

Avocados are nature's Klondike bar—we'd do just about anything to get our hands on one. While our love for avocados is nearly limitless, it’s nothing compared to musician Keanu Trees's affection. He really earns the title avocad-bro with this slow-jam ode to our favorite fruit (yes, it's a fruit).



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This Is the Type of Person You Should Be Dating (It's Science!)

Whether or not we like to admit it, most of us have a type. As this video from Bustle explains, our types are determined by lot more than physical characteristics. One theory is that our brain chemistry affects whom we're attracted to. Researchers organized our types into four categories based on what kind of chemical we express the most:

  • Dopamine: Explorers (risky and impulsive)
  • Serotonin: Builders (calm and community oriented)
  • Testosterone: Directors (analytical and tough minded)
  • Estrogen: Negotiators (positive and empathetic)

If you're an explorer, chances are you're attracted to other explorers. Same goes for builders. Directors tend to be attracted to negotiators since they balance each other out. But it's not exactly that simple. There are also other factors (hello, emotional needs!) at play.

Tired of your type? It's not all bad news. Think of your love life like a fairy tale—how did it begin, who were the characters, why didn't it end happily ever after?—so you can try to figure out the pattern that didn't work and avoid it next time.



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This Woman Was Kicked Out of a Gym for Wearing a Perfectly Normal Tank Top

No one should be shamed for what they wear while exercising. It's hard enough to muster the motivation to yank on workout clothes and actually head to the gym.

But that's exactly what happened to Jenna Vecchio. (Unfortunately, she wasn't the first person to be publicly shamed in a gym this week.) A supervisor at Movati Athletic in Ottawa, Canada, said her tank top made fellow gym goers and staff uncomfortable because it was too revealing. The crazy thing? Her black tank top looked like every other razorback tank you've seen. Check it out for yourself:

Body Image: Jenna Vecchio Facebook Photos Photos: Jenna Vecchio/Facebook

Vecchio was rightfully outraged and posted this message on Facebook:

I am a member of Movati Athletic Club in Orleans, ON. Today I was instructed by a supervisor at the club that my tank top was inappropriate dress and is offensive to both the staff and other members. That at Movati they have a dress code stating only appropriate gym attire and modest clothing is to be worn. I will start by saying my tank top was no different than many other women's tank tops at the club, except my chest size is much larger in appearance in comparison to my frame than many of the other women. After asking every woman at the club whom I could find on the way out if my attire offended them and they responded no, it became clear that the only ones offended were the two women supervisors working at the club today. I pointed out to them that my shirt was no different than any other woman's shirt. They informed me that it did not matter, that due to my chest size I could not wear a tank top. I felt humiliated and discriminated against due to my figure. I was singled out, and it is unfair to say I cannot wear a tank top and other women can! Different figures means different rules? I would like to bring this out to the public! If tank tops are not allowed at the gym for me because of my chest size then all women should not be allowed to wear tank tops regardless of size.

The athletic club stood by its decision in a statement to BuzzFeed Canada, saying Vecchio was "dressed inconsistently with [their] code of conduct" and claiming the photos she posted on social media were more modest than she appeared at the gym. They also said the shirt wasn't the issue; it was her "lack of coverage."

The irony here: The gym's tagline is "Feel welcome, feel healthy, feel comfortable." If only the gym could practice what it preached.



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See Why You Should Never Take Health Advice From Instagram Celebs

We have to laugh at this video by Buzzfeed—otherwise we'd cry. It hilariously cuts to the heart of a problem that's older than the Internet: There are a lot of snake oil salesmen and women out there, especially in the health industry. Now thanks to social media, they can peddle their crap to a larger audience than ever before. You'll be chuckling through the absurd one-liners and the LOL-worthy runs to the bathroom, but don't forget the important message: Seek out experts for your health advice, not just whoever has the most followers on Instagram.



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PornHub Is Making a Fitbit for Your Sex Life

Well damn. We’ve got to give credit where credit is due, and this ad for BangFit—basically a Fitbit for your sex life created by the great minds at PornHub—is hilarious. Can you imagine competing against your friends and their partners to see who gets the best workout during sex?

Guys have to strap the BangFit band (it looks like a cross between a fanny pack and a wrestling belt with a compartment for your smartphone) around their waist before they get hot and heavy. The app scores sexercizes based on how well you perform them, so you can brag about how healthy your sex life is on social media.

With a fully functioning website, BangFit could be the future of health-conscious sex. But since the band is sold out, we’re more inclined to believe that this is just an exceptionally smart marketing stunt. But that doesn't mean companies like Fitbit and Jawbone (an appropriate name) can't use it as inspiration for future products.



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Dads Dancing With Their Babies Is the Definition of Cuteness Overload

Dancing is already a great workout. Add a baby carrier (and a baby) to the mix and you’ve reached peak cuteness while breaking a sweat. That’s why we can’t stop smiling at this video from a Mommy Mingle, Daddy Dance class in San Diego. These fathers are showcasing some serious dad moves—in the best way possible—as they line dance to “Play That Funky Music.”



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