Does It Work: The RumbleRoller

It looks like a foam roller on roids.

Here’s what their website says about how it’s supposed to work:

The surface of the RumbleRoller contains 200 specially designed "bumps". The bumps are firm, but flexible, much like the thumbs of a massage therapist.

As you roll over the top of the RumbleRoller, the bumps continuously knead the contours of your body, gently stretching soft tissue (muscle and fascia) in multiple directions. This action erodes trigger points, helps restore flexibility, and brings quick relief to common types of muscular pain. By design, the RumbleRoller's bumps are firmer than muscle tissue, but much softer than bone, so they deflect out of the way if they contact your spine or other bony protrusions.

Through simple techniques, you can control the amount of pressure the bumps apply to your body. The bumps are closely spaced to one another (< 2" apart), so several of them simultaneously contact your body during most exercises. However, with a slight shift of your body, you can reduce your area of contact with the RumbleRoller, which increases pressure and provides deeper, more penetrating relief.

Here’s a photo of my foam roller next to my RumbleRoller for comparison:

But does it work as they claim? And is it work the nearly $70 retail price? My answer: I think it works. The bumps have a little give to them, but they’re actually pretty hard. They work like a mini-massage to rub out sore, tight, pissed-off areas of your body. I was able to use the RumbleRoller on all the “usual spots” where I use a foam roller: IT band, calves, hammys, quads.

When I foam roll, I never feel like I can roll through my hamstrings enough - I don’t have enough body weight to put enough force on my hammys. But being the RumbleRoller is more “aggressive,” it works better through my hammys:

I DON’T always roll in my khakis, but I DO always roll with my cats

And on a hilarious / awkward note, I really enjoyed this image that came in the pamphlet that showed different ways to use the Rumble Roller. I can honestly say that I've never used a roller quite like THIS before:

I gotta try that. I think.

RumbleRoller for Beginners: Grade of C-. Yeah, it’s going to help work out those sore spots. But I don’t think you should START with a RumbleRoller. Start with a foam roller - either purchase one or get to be good friends with one at your gym. (Click here to go to my “Does it Work” post about Foam Rollers.) Here’s an analogy that I think fits in this situation: You need to own a pair of regular running shoes before you get a pair of racing flats. A foam roller is like the running shoes, and the RumbleRoller is like the racing flats.

RumbleRoller for Foam Roller Users: Grade of B+ / A-. If you’re used to a foam roller and you feel like you could use “more” (something more aggressive; something “deeper”), then the RumbleRoller is what you’re after. Click here to go to their website.

(Click on the “Does It Work” tag to see all posts in this mini-series. I did a number of posts like this back in February.)

Back with another “Does It Work” post soon. And they’ll be a giveaway coming this week too!