When I found out about the Original Worm, I was instantly intrigued. All too often, my clients complain that regular foam rolling is painful. This discourages them from rolling altogether. But the Original Worm turns out to be different.
What Makes the Original Worm Different
The primary goal for rolling is to release restricted fascial tissue, i.e. the connective tissue like cartilage and muscle sheaths that separate muscles. When that tissue restricts muscles, the result is poor range of motion, poor recruitment of additional fibers, and overall poor strength coupling.
The Original Worm is not as invasive as some other rollers, due to the “worm” design that helps to spread the pressure across the entire surface. This appeals to the crowd that experiences too much pressure from a regular roller.
Without giving all the trade secrets away, the worm appears to be four ultra-soft balls. Compared to a regular foam roller, the softness of the balls provides a slight amount of give. This separation between the balls creates a buffer area that helps to decrease compression of muscles. The outer shell is designed with neoprene, giving the Worm a soft feel.
Construction
The Original Worm comes in two sizes, 6.3 centimeters and seven centimeters. I recommend the larger seven-centimeter model. The larger surface allows you to target larger muscles, such as the hamstrings and quadriceps. The Original Worm can be used for smaller muscles as well.
The neoprene shell allows the skin to glide across the roller. This gliding promotes elongation of the muscles and connective tissue. This feature is great, because the idea of elongation plays a major role in releasing tight muscles. The outer shell’s design gives the Worm a soft feel that can be appealing to those opposed to hard foam rollers.
Drawbacks
The only issue that I had with the worm was when trying to roll my thigh muscles. If you roll manually with your hands, then you will have no problems. If you are trying to roll against the floor, then the neoprene shell becomes a problem. The shell can also get caught in shorts or loose clothing, so be sure to wear compression shorts or something tight that will facilitate a smoother process.
My Recommendation
The feel of the Original Worm is great, and it has the major benefit of pressure control. It is easily controllable, as the balls are pliable and forgiving. This allows the user to create varying levels of intensity. By varying intensity, you should be able to gradually introduce additional pressure that will elongate and loosen myofascial tissue.
While rolling should be an intricate part of any athlete’s training regimen, pain should be avoided. The Original Worm is a success when it comes to creating a level of intensity suitable for every individual. I recommend rolling with the Original Worm daily. Gradually, you will notice that muscles actively gain range of motion, which will assist in creating more powerful movement – something that is ideal for all athletes.
The Original Worm is available for $22.99 at OriginalWorm.com.