Latest favorites and a foam roller giveaway

ByAshley Hours
Comments 197 Comments

Hiya, friends! Happy Friday to you! So here we are into the spring season. My week was a good one, including changing up my group fitness teaching schedule a bit (I added my own BODYPUMP class back into the mix after a few weeks hiatus), working and the usual stuff. Today, I’m going to share some of my latest favorites and offer one lucky reader the chance to win a new RumbleRoller foam roller — my FAVORITE kind of foam roller.

This weekend doesn’t have a lot on the agenda, (just like the last one), which is rare for us, but fine with me. Dave will be working at a couple of Warriors basketball games, and I’ll be keeping busy doing my own thing. Now on to the good stuff …

My favorite gear and A RumbleRoller GIVEAWAY

A few years ago when I was a personal trainer at a brand new Equinox gym in the Marina neighborhood of San Francisco, I was introduced to the RumbleRoller foam roller. It is NOT your average foam roller. It is much more firm, has rivets for more self-myofascial release power and is majorly high quality. I was able to get my own for home a couple of years ago (and I even shared this foam rolling 101 tutorial, which I hope you’ll go back and read), and I literally cannot use another foam roller. Nothing compares to RumbleRoller.

RumbleRoller Gator foam roller giveaway by A Lady Goes West

Well, my friends at RumbleRoller reached out to me a few weeks ago to let me know that they launched a brand new product — the Gator. And the Gator is more than meets the eye. You see, this foam roller is firm, compact and has smaller rivets than the original RumbleRoller that I usually use, so it’s actually a more “entry-level” foam roller, in which people who aren’t able to take the pressure, can still use the Gator.

RumbleRoller Gator foam roller by A Lady Goes West

Yet, beyond the foam-rolling abilities, it has a proprietary cross-frictional massage ability. Preferably with bare skin or lightly clothed limbs, you lay on the foam roller, apply a bit of pressure, then slide your body part over just SLIGHTLY, so that the skin moves and the little rivets massage under the skin to loosen up tissue that’s too small to respond to rolling. If that makes any sense. It feels great, and I love it. It actually digs into the piriformis muscle (the butt) better than anything else out there!

Side view of the RumbleRoller Gator foam roller by A Lady Goes West

Moral of the story: You can use the RumbleRoller Gator as a regular foam roller before or after your workouts to get the blood flowing and loosen up tight fascia (the coating of the muscles), or you can use it for a total self-massage, even when you’re just watching TV. I believe in foam rolling wholeheartedly and do it before EVERY single resistance workout. In fact, I’m sure people at my gym call me “the girl who always bring her own foam roller and carries it around.” Do you want to be that girl or guy too for BYOFM? Your chance …

GIVEAWAY instructions: How to Enter to win

This giveaway is open to those who live in the U.S. and Canada only. I’ll choose a winner from the comments on this blog post below on Thursday, March 30. And special thank you to the folks at RumbleRoller for sending me a complimentary roller and offering to send one to the winner.

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post. In order to leave a comment, click on the post headline, then scroll to the bottom. You have to put in your name and email, but your email will NOT be made public. Then you can leave a separate comment for each of the following items. The more comments, the more entries you get. Good luck! Leave a comment if …

My favorite new photos

Last week, I woke up super early to meet my friend and fellow barre instructor, Tamalyn, to take some cool photos at the Lafayette Reservoir at sunrise. Tamalyn is a photographer, and you should totally check out her website. She does all sorts of shoots, and decided ours would be a mix of fitness and lifestyle.

Ashley at Lafayette Resevoir sitting on a bench by A Lady Goes West

Wearing this super-comfy Athleta top, which I just bought on sale last week. 

I love the pictures, and you’ll be seeing many more of them on the blog coming up (including a couple taken NOT in workout wear), so thank you to Tamalyn for capturing some good ones. And for all of those of you who commented on how long my hair is: You’re telling me! I wear it in a bun everyday and forget that it just keeps growing. Perhaps a trim is in order. But I swear it’s the collagen in my daily tea that’s doing it.

My favorite new tasty treat

Dark chocolate is so good, but so different too, because it’s not super sweet. Here’s the thing — you definitely need to eat dark chocolate alone. If you try to pair it with milk or other sweets, then it tends to taste bitter in comparison. But on its own? Amazing.

Divine dark chocolate by A Lady Goes West

I picked up this Divine dark chocolate bar before Dave and I went to see the cry-fest of the century, “Lion,” in the theatre last weekend. I was so moved the entire movie, I never opened the bar. But then, I had it the next day, and it was DELISH. Dark chocolate with at least 85 percent cacao also has beneficial antioxidants and is the purest form of chocolate — so basically it feels good to eat. I get it that it’s not for everyone, but I happen to love it.

My favorite reads from around the web 

See you soon, friends! If you know someone who would like to win this giveaway, be sure to pass this along. Have a great weekend and comment to win! And one more photo of a little guy who needs a haircut about as badly as me …

Rudy with the RumbleRoller Gator foam roller by A Lady Goes West

Here's your chance to win a @rumbleroller and read other faves by fitness pro and blogger @apstyle ... Click To Tweet

P.S. Thanks to RumbleRoller for the free roller, and there are affiliate links in this post.

Questions of the day

What are you up to this weekend?

What part of your body gets the most sore from your workouts?

Do you currently foam roll? If so, how often?

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197 Comments

  2. Love those photos of you! So beautiful! And I don’t foam roll nearly as often as I should. I always feel tight in my legs/hips. I’ve been saying for awhile I really need to invest in a quality foam roller. Have a great relaxing weekend!

    Reply

    1. That’s okay! As long as you try and know the benefits, maybe you just need a better roller to drag you into doing it more heheh!:) Happy Friday, Jillian!

      Reply

    1. YES YES YES, if you do OTF, you need to roll before and after — I bet your muscles are dying for a good release hehehe. Thanks, Becky!

      Reply

    1. This one is WAY better than your average roller. Once you try a RumbleRoller you won’t go back! Happy Friday, Julie! 🙂 (P.S. I’m glad you at least have a roller already that you use, so props to you for that!)

      Reply

  18. I seriously need to foam roll more often. I’d say I do it once every two weeks and since I lift weights, my muscles get especially tight- its real bad. Would love this roller! This weekend will include seeing beauty and the beast, some bars for March Madness and some tv binging- hah! Happy Friday, Ashley!

    Reply

    1. CARRIE! You should be rollllling!! But you don’t want to use the crappy ones at the gym, you need your own. heheh 🙂 And I want to see Beauty and the Beast, but Dave won’t go heheh! Happy Friday, lady!

      Reply

  19. My daughter has been wanting one of these. She plays basketball and softball which requires a lot of running and strength building. Her legs are so sore after every practice that the therapist at her school uses a foam roller on her which she says helps.

    Reply

    1. She TOTALLY needs to roll as an athlete — both before and after games and practice. It feels good and will help her to perform better. Thanks for saying hi, Kristin! 🙂

      Reply

  22. What an awesome foam roller!
    This wknd we are going to my oldest son’s rugby game and my daughters choir concert. Should be fun!

    Reply

  27. You are SO SO pretty Ashley; I love that Athleta top on you; it complements your skin tone and your hair and beautiful eyes so perfectly. 🙂

    Reply

  28. I already have the rumble roller, but this looks like a great alternative. Especially for really tight/painful areas.

    Reply

  29. I also use my foam roller at the gym, although I really need to get better about it. I also have a “rubz” ball that I use to roll out my feet hehe.

    Reply

    1. Hi Amanda! Good girl!! I love to massage my feet with a lacrosse ball, but the “rubz” sounds good too heheh! How’s your roller at the gym? Ours are crappy, so that’s why I bring my own ehhe! Happy Friday!

      Reply

    1. Hi Lisa! Once you find the right roller and start to feel the benefits, you won’t want to miss it! Thanks for saying hi! Happy Friday! 🙂

      Reply

  37. I follow you on Facebook. Love your posts, love your blogging. As I have said before, they always seem to pop into my newsfeed at exactly the right time 🙂 I foam roll all the time but have heard awesome things about this one in particular. Would really be handy winning one (hint hint) 🙂 Have an awesome weekend!

    Reply

    1. Hi Mark! I’m so happy you stumbled on my blog and my articles have resonated with you when you need them! This IS one of the best foam rollers, so you’d be smart to stock up on your own. Happy Friday!! Thanks again for reading!

      Reply

  58. I just started foam rolling a few weeks ago and am asking myself WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG!? It hurts in certain spots but feels so good after!

    Reply

    1. Yes, foam rolling the feet is a good idea, and this one would work for that. You can also use a lacrosse ball in the meantime to roll out your feet. 🙂

      Reply
  89. Pingback: Monday Announcements: 3.27.17

  91. We travel for work, so soreness isn’t just about post workout. It’s also long car rides & wonky beds. This looks like it would travel well.

    Reply

  92. My hubby swears by the foam roller after 13 years of rodeo. Would love to surprise him with this and give it a shot myself!

    Reply

  97. I’m training with my teenage son for his first half marathon. I have foamed rolled in the past but I’ve not been very good about it this time around. Whether or not I win, I really need to upgrade…the one I have is in pretty bad shape (you get what you pay for!). My problem areas tend to be around the hips and buttocks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Kristen! Yes, the backside can definitely benefit from rolling it out. And how cool you are training with your son! You guys both need a roller. Thanks for saying hi!

      Reply

      1. Totally. I love that my 13 year old isn’t too cool to run with me. Turns out that he’s a natural runner and a eager running partner, even at 5:30am!

        Reply

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