Work hard at the gym and we all suffer from the same issue – muscle fatigue. But, are you one of the many who simply gets up, rarely stretch and head straight home? Fine if you’re young, subtle and recover quickly, but for anyone over the age of 30, it’s wise to consider a post-workout stretch and a few minutes with a foam roller.
There’s a reason why you see people using a foam roller. There’s also a reason why it hurts when you use it. What it does is put pressure on your muscles, making them more elastic and less knotted, thus aiding recovery. When you workout, muscles form tight knots and it’s these knots which the foam roller aims to reduce.
A water bottle combined with a foam roller for a dual-purpose device
The problem is, gyms usually have a limited number of foam rollers (they also get taken home, all too easily) and the few that are available are either in use or, frankly, have seen better days. You could take your own roller to your gym – a ball will do the trick for certain areas of the body – but is it really practical?
Another option might be this ingenious idea from Bulldog Gear. Most people remember to take a water bottle to the gym, so why not combine a water bottle and mobility roller?
The Mobility Water Bottle is a solid metal unit, which means it’s sturdy and suitable for using underneath a body part. It’s a decent size, too, holding 750ml, which is more than enough water for any heavy session. On the outside, it’s wrapped in bumpy foam so you can use this to eliminate the knots in your muscles.
It’s worth noting that it’s a small bottle, so you’ll only want to use it as a roller for small body parts – the back of your arms or thighs, as an example. You wouldn’t want to use this for your back.
Still, we love ideas like this and we’re tempted here at Short Motivation. It might replace our regular water bottle, soon.
The Bulldog Gear Mobility Water Bottle is available now for £30 (approx €33).
