Thinking of getting P90x2? Invest in a foam roller!

Hey everyone.  I just wanted to do a short post on foam rolling and P90x2.  If you go into the team Beachbody store, you will see there are various packages for X2.  The base package includes just the DVDs workout guide and nutrition plan.  Then there are two different packages that include foam rolls, extra workouts, a stability ball, and medicine balls.  While there are good modifications for the exercises where you do not need the stability ball and medicine balls, there is no substitute for foam rolling. 

Basically, a foam roller is just what it sounds like, a roll of Styrofoam (think a big solid paper towel roll-shaped thing) that you use to massage your muscles.  It looks like this:
 

The recovery and mobility workout has over 20min of foam rolling in it, but each "regular" workout has about 3 min of time in the warm-up devoted to it.  You use the roller to work the "hot spots" out.  For example, you put it under your leg on your hamstring and move around until you feel it hit a knot in your muscle.  Then you just sit there and let it work the knot out.  It does not feel good while you are doing it, but it feels soo good when you are done.  Some rollers have "spikes" or raised protrusions that allow them to provide more pressure on the muscle and work the knots deeper and get a better release. But, you have to work up to those as they hurt a lot when you first start using them. Those look something like this:

During my workout yesterday my hip flexor was extremely sore.  In just the 3 min sequence in the warm-up to the core DVD, I worked all the soreness out and had a great range of motion throughout the workout.  Even if you do not want to get the Deluxe or Ultimate packages for X2, I encourage you to invest in a foam roller.  You can buy them separately through the Beachbody store (and if you are a paid member of Team Beachbody you get a 10% discount, and if you are a coach you can get a 25% discount) or they can be found pretty easily online.  Make the investment in one and it will do you a world of good.  Thanks for reading.