On a Roll @ Home, Home Exercises for Core Strength and Massage on the Foam Roller [Spiral-bound]

Donna Gambino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2006

Finally, A book that explains the mysterious uses of the foam roller for the average exercise enthusiast ! On a Roll @ Home will teach you how the foam roller works to improve your core strength, what your core muscles are and how they work. You will learn how to achieve good posture, how breathing can help improve your workout and the ABC's of fine tuning your exercise technique. Learn how the roller can help decrease neck and back pain, and lastly learn massage techinques to rid you of muscle tension after a long day at your desk. This easy-to-follow manual gives beginner to advanced exercises, with precautions, clear directions and pictures.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Finally- we are rolling ! In her user friendly book, Donna Gambino divulges the secrets of the magical foam roller. On a Roll @ Home guides you through over 50 exercises safely and with care. Whether you are in need of a hard-core abdominal workout, seeking that perfect stretch for tight neck, shoulder and leg muscles or yearning for a feel-good massage, the foam roller does it all. Forget all the pieces of useless fitness equipment that you bought on a whim and are vegetating in your basement: keep the roller in the living room, store one in your car and don't forget that it fits nicely in the airplane overhead bins. Join the Club of Healthy Rolling People." --Nicola Conraths-Lange, Founder of Logokinesis Publishing and author of "Survival Skills for Pilates Teachers" and "Pilates Space"

"I have used the foam roller as a warm-up in my studio for muscle release and alignment for several years now. I have other books on the subject but none have given me the information that Donna's book has provided. It is a complete and comprehensive book that I would not hesitate to recommend to my clients. Lovely exercises, wonderful information, all in a well thought out and easy to read layout." --Carolyne Anthony, Director of The Center for Women's Fitness, and author of "Using the Body Bolster During Pregnancy and Postpartum" and "Pilates Mat Applications for Pregnancy"

"This program makes a difference for everyone-including those at the highest levels of fitness." --Greg Isaacs, fitness expert and author of " The Ultimate Lean Routine, "10,000 Steps" and "360 Workout"

"This program makes a difference for everyone-including those at the highest levels of fitness." --Greg Isaacs, fitness expert and author of " The Ultimate Lean Routine, "10,000 Steps" and "360 Workout"

"I have used the foam roller as a warm-up in my studio for muscle release and alignment for several years now. I have other books on the subject but none have given me the information that Donna's book has provided. It is a complete and comprehensive book that I would not hesitate to recommend to my clients. Lovely exercises, wonderful information, all in a well thought out and easy to read layout." --Carolyne Anthony, Director of The Center for Women's Fitness, and author of "Using the Body Bolster During Pregnancy and Postpartum" and "Pilates Mat Applications for Pregnancy"

From the Publisher

This easy-to-use and easy-to-follow foam roller exercise guide will take anyone from the beginner exerciser to the advanced exerciser through a challenging and beneficial workout. Donna has used her expertise in the field of orthopedic physical therapy and Pilates to give simple instructions with fine-tuning and precautionary tips. The quick reference nature of a printed manual is a real advantage for those users who are on the go or are just in need of an exercise guide reference rather than the more complicated process of watching a DVD. Physical therapists in the clinic will love this book to offer to clients as a helpful and safe home program. A must-have for the person new to foam rolling !

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 89 pages
• Publisher: Infinity Health Publishing; 1st edition (July 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977977900
• ISBN-13: 978-0977977901
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely helpful & practical, March 17, 2010

By 

Rob S. (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: On a Roll @ Home, Home Exercises for Core Strength and Massage on the Foam Roller (Spiral-bound)

Extremely helpful & practical

This is an extremely useful and practical book. I can't think of a book that has had such a clearly beneficial effect on me. I bought it during an episode of lower back pain, and also bought the 6x36"jfit EVA foam roller at amazon. (you need 36" to support both bottom & neck!) Both are helping me get my core and back in much better shape than they've been in years.

The author describes how to do each of 50+ warm-ups, exercises & massages so clearly that I am confident I'm doing it right. In contrast, when I was paying a gym for a "small group trainer/ semi-personal trainer" I kept having to ask questions to figure out if I was really doing back exercises correctly, and since my back often was worse the next day- I couldn't make progress. With this book, I do a few exercises whenever I feel like it (almost every day) and definitely feel better afterwards. After about 6 weeks now, I know my core & back are in better shape: I am much more flexible than when I started, have little or no pain and have much better balance during the exercises than when I started. I am middle aged, and most would think I'm in pretty good shape. But my core was not in good shape before this book. The roller is also fantastic for massaging many muscles yourself. I love the spiral binding, as I often flip through the book and lay it open to a new exercise when I'm on the floor.

Cons? The only possible con for me is the organization of the book. There are 3 hardness levels (1, 2 & 3). I'm doing all the 1's and a few 2's now. I need to focus on strengthening my core to support my back. I have 6 post it flags steering me to batches of pages that I'm finding most helpful. Might be better if all the 1's were in the front, or all the core exercises were together? The index of excercises & massages of pages 27-88 is clear, but not divided into clear groups or focus areas. My advice: start at the front, and as you learn batches of 5 or so exercises feel free to jump around and do a variety to find what seems to fit you the best.

I would give this 5 starts for the great book. I had an excercise question & emailed the author and got a very clear answer right back. Wow- I wish I could give it 6 stars.

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Who knew?!, July 17, 2007

By 

Medhb (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On a Roll @ Home, Home Exercises for Core Strength and Massage on the Foam Roller (Spiral-bound)

Give up your balls and other contraptions! This thing is the best! There are so many ways to use this item. I highly reccomend that you buy the book On a Roll @ Home, Home Exercises for Core Strength and Massage on the Foam Roller which shows you great excercises AND massages and stretches. This is an integral part of my fitness routine now. I look forward to using this after my cooldown or anytime I need to unknot. A chiropractor could not get my back cracked better than this item. My spine just pops into alignment with this. I love it! PLUS, you know with the Yamuna balls how you can massage the front of your thighs? (Mine are tight as tree trunks) well with this item I can get a larger area and with much more ease. It takes less time to get the same effects with less effort.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On a Roll @ Home is fantastic!, January 29, 2007

By 

LOVES PILATES in NYC (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On a Roll @ Home, Home Exercises for Core Strength and Massage on the Foam Roller (Spiral-bound)

This is the most thorough "how to" relative to the foam roller that I have ever read or used. Donna Gambino, a successful physical therapist, is uniquely qualified to guide the reader safely and in great detail through the steps required to accurately perform the exercises and massage techniques described in On a Roll @ Home. I love this book. I have incorporated it into my workout regimen. I highly recommend it. Gayle Kendall, Vice President, Pilates Suit Corporation