Struggling with tightness, stiffness, or heaviness in your muscles after workouts? Try foam rolling to help with recovery and flexibility! The Rollga foam roller is a unique shaped roller that is a bit different than many other products on the market, and offers several benefits. I personally think it’s one of the best recovery tools for athletes.
Disclosure: This review contains affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
Disclaimer: This post was written and reviewed by Chrissy Carroll, MPH, RRCA Running Coach, ACSM cPT. This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a physician for any medical concerns.
Quick Review
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
The Rollga foam roller offers a unique contoured design that helps you foam roll more effectively. It’s a reasonably priced tool to have in your recovery plan!
Pros:
- Certain rolling techniques are easier because of contoured design (less holding yourself in the air at exactly the right pressure)
- Allows you to better target certain muscle groups
- May help with recovery and flexibility
- Supports wide range of body weights
Cons:
- More expensive than other foam rollers (but not prohibitively so)
- Could lead to injury if not used properly, just like any other foam roller (though seems less likely with Rollga due to the design)
That’s the quick overview – now let’s dive into all the deets!
What exactly is a Rollga foam roller?
The Rollga foam roller is a contoured foam roller, meaning it has grooves in the shape. These allow for the foam roller to adjust better to the shape of your body, reducing the likelihood of muscle injury or improper use. It allows you to get better targeting of specific muscle groups while avoiding bony areas or the spine.
Why bother getting a foam roller at all? Foam rolling offers a type of self-administered massage which can help with certain trigger points or myofascial release.
This offers many benefits for runners and other athletes. It can help to decrease muscle tension, increase flexibility and range of motion, and potentially enhance performance.
For example, a 2019 meta-analysis noted that foam rolling before an event had a small boost in sprint performance, and rolling after exercise has a significant reduction in muscle pain perception and a benefit for recovery of strength performance.
Types of Rollga foam rollers
There are a few different Rollga product options:
- Rollga Standard – This is a standard medium density roller; that’s what you see pictured in this post.
- Rollga Pro – This is a high density option that offers firmer pressure.
- Rollga Basic – This is a light density option that offers softer pressure.
- “The Neck & Knot Specialist” Compact Foam Roller – This offers a similar shape as the original versions, but one end is pointed for the ability to target muscle knots and do trigger point release.
- “The Maintenance” Peanut Roller – Offered in a large and small version, this is a compact option that’s nice for travel and can be used against a wall for less pressure.
In this review, I’ll be focusing on the Rollga Standard, since it’s the version I have and what I think is the best option for many athletes (especially those new to foam rolling).
Effectiveness
Because the roller has a unique shape (as opposed to the solid cylinder of traditional rollers), it allows for targeting of specific muscle groups while avoiding bony areas. This can facilitate a deeper and more effective massage for releasing tension and possibly reducing soreness.
I like that the roller comes with a little guide showing you exactly how to use it for different muscle groups, but you can also find tons of videos online demonstrating it.
I find Rollga to offer a better foam rolling experience for the:
- Upper back (probably my favorite use-case for it; it feels ah-mazing on your upper back)
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Calves
- Muscles near the shins (read more about foam rolling for shin splints)
You can also use the Rolla (or any foam roller) as an added tool in your workout regimen. For example, you could put your feet on the roller when doing glute bridges, adding some instability to the move and making it more challenging.
Quality & Portability
The Rollga standard is made with medium density professional grade foam that holds its shape regardless of body weight. I find it firm enough to effectively target muscles, yet it has just the right amount of give to prevent excessive discomfort. But you can go to the softer version or firmer version depending on personal preference.
Each roller comes with a carry strap, which makes it nice to toss over your shoulder when traveling. While you can fit it in a carry-on, I’ve found when traveling that most of the time I don’t get any pushback on carrying it on as-is to save space in my carry-on (it easily fits under the seat on a plane next to my backpack).
Price
While the Rollga Foam Roller is not the cheapest option on the market, it’s also not crazy expensive (and offers an innovative design not present in other rollers).
At the time of publish, a Rollga Standard currently runs $39.99 on their website and you can save 15% (on this or any Rollga product) with code CHRISSY. A Rollga basic runs $24.99, while a Rollga Pro runs $44.99
Pricing may vary on other sites, like Amazon.
Buy a Rollga Foam Roller
You can purchase a Rollga foam roller in two ways:
- Buy on the Rollga Website (and if you use code CHRISSY, you’ll get 15% off any product!)
- Buy on Amazon: Rollga Standard, Rollga Basic, or Rollga Pro
The Bottom Line
The Rollga standard foam roller is an amazing option for athletes! It’s priced reasonably and offers a contoured design that uniquely targets your muscles. I highly recommend it for runners, triathletes, and other athletes!
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