Breaking Muscle receives no compensation in exchange for reviews. We received this product for free and did not experience typical customer service. The opinions expressed belong solely to the writer.
Breaking Muscle receives no compensation in exchange for reviews. We received this product for free and did not experience typical customer service. The opinions expressed belong solely to the writer.
I’d like to blame BJJ for all of the aches and pains in my body, but lately, BJJ has been the least of my problems. This year, Nova Scotia has received an incredible amount of snow. There was so much that when I had to climb onto my roof to remove some of it, the snow bank in front of my house was high enough that I didn’t need a ladder.
All those hours of shoveling have been hard on my body. For the past couple of weeks, I haven’t been able to roll much at BJJ because I tweaked something in my lower back. I never thought this week’s article would be the key factor on my road to recovery.
Me on the roof battling the snow
I was sent all of RAD’s massage tools to review some time ago. I’ve reviewed the Roller, the Rod, and the Helix. All that was left were the Rounds and the Block. These can be purchased separately, or with a RAD Roller in a Point Release Kit, which is what I’m reviewing today.
What You’ll Find in the Kit
All RAD tools have been designed for self-myofascial release. Sizes and densities have been carefully selected to reach specific points on the body. Here are some of the features of each tool included in the Point Release Kit:
RAD Roller
- Fused balls in various densities designed to unlock muscle tension
RAD Rounds
- Sized to release tension in hard-to-reach body parts
RAD Block
- Raises the height of the RAD Roller and Rounds for better leverage in hard-to-reach places
- Stabilizes Roller and Rounds for point isolation
- Provides storage for Roller and Rounds
Rolling Out My Glutes
As I looked for techniques to alleviate lower back pain, I found a link on the RAD Facebook page to an article titled Massage Therapy for Low Back Pain. It explained:
The great majority of low back pain patients unnecessarily fear that their pain is related to structural problems and spinal fragility. But not only is the spine extremely sturdy and the bark of low back pain far worse than its bite, much of the pain is usually coming from lower down — from the nearly indestructible gluteus maximus.
After reading the article, I used the green RAD Round to roll out my glutes. What I liked about this Round is that I could easily switch directions to cover the whole site, whereas with the Roller, I have to move it to hit certain spots. Both tools are amazing, but each has its advantages on different body parts. Rolling out my glutes caused a noticeable reduction in pain and my chiropractor and physiotherapist have recommended that I continue that massage therapy as I recover.
The RAD Rounds
The Rest of the Body
As I write this, I’m sitting on the floor in my bedroom, testing all of the exercises on the pamphlets that came with the Rounds and the Block. I’ve already tried some of the suggestions, but a few others hadn’t occurred to me.
- Quad and Adductor – The pamphlet suggested rolling out the insertion point of the quad and adductors, right at the hip, using a Roller or large Round on the block. I did so and it felt amazing. An issue I’d been having with the Roller compared to a foam roller was the fact that it was so low to the ground, which made it hard to hit certain points without awkward contortions. The Block resolves that issue. It’s similar to a short foam roller, so I sometimes had to readjust so as not to roll off of the edge.
- Chest and Inner Shoulder – What makes the Block different than a regular yoga block is that it has grooves designed to store and hold a Roller and the Rounds. This is perfect for storage, but there’s an added bonus. If you stand the Block up vertically, the grooves at the top will hold a so you can use it to release tension points. I placed it under my arm, periodically moving the Roller under spots in my shoulder girdle and chest.
- Pecs and Shoulder – I found the green Round was great for my pecs and shoulder when I used it against the wall. It was difficult for me to hit this area with the Roller because it was a bit too heavy on the wall and too low to the ground for my chest, but the Round did the job perfectly.
- Tricep – The Block also solves the issue with rolling out my arms. With the Roller placed on top, it was easy to effectively roll out my triceps.
- Hand – Man, rolling out my hand on the small blue Round felt good. It felt like it was releasing a burst of tension around the heel of my palm and the base of my thumb. I also tried it with the larger green Round, but blue is the way to go. If you’ve never rolled out your hand, you’ve got to try it, especially if you do a lot of gripping in your sport.
- Jaw – I wasn’t a fan of this. It kind of hurt, but I guess it’s supposed to. I do clench my jaw a lot, though, and using the small blue Round on top of the Block while spreading my body out on the floor definitely released some of that built-up tension. If you look at the website and read about trigger points, you will see that the muscles along the base of your skull are recommended for massage. I tried that with the small blue Round on the Block, as well. It felt wonderful, but because I have long hair, it kept getting caught up on the Round.
- Feet – For the runners out there, these little Rounds could be a godsend. I tried the green Round at first, rolling it along my arch on the floor. It was tough, but because I have small feet, I got more release from the little blue Round. I can’t believe I’ve had these for so long and didn’t use them!
My Recommendation
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to review the entire RAD line, and I’m kicking myself for not using the RAD Block and Rounds sooner. The only issue I had with any of these is that when I took the Roller or Rounds with me to the gym, I had to find a place to put them down as I continued my training so they wouldn’t roll away.
If you like what you’re hearing, also see my reviews of the Muscle Flushing Kit and the RAD Roller. Follow RAD on Twitter, Facebookand Google+ for self-myofascial release techniques and product news!
The RAD Point Release Kit is available for $69.99 at RADroller.com.
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