They See Me Rollin'

Is our neglected fascia the secret to long, lean muscles? Emma Strenner swaps the treadmill for an unassuming foam roller.

- Emma Strenner

Let me just get it out there: I’m a fitness purist. I believe in the simple equation that your energy intake must be equal to your energy output. Hard work gets results. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve come to this conclusion after years of dabbling with faddy promises. Cleanses that claim to drop five kilos in five days? Been there. Wrapping myself up in cling film before a big event in the futile hope that it might shed the last few millimetres? Done that. Unfortunately, I’ve also spent most of my life hating my legs—their shape, their length (or lack thereof). In my former career as a magazine editor, I would gaze wistfully at colleagues (always in the fashion department) with long, lithe limbs, and, suddenly, that cleanse didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

But I’m wiser now, and to be honest, I’ve tried enough health trends (call it an occupational hazard) to know that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, my skepticism is high when I get a call to road-test the new book Taller, Slimmer, Younger: 21 Days To A Foam Roller Physique, penned by “fascia and alignment expert” and Goop’s go-to foam-rolling aficionado, Lauren Roxburgh. Her three-week programme involves just a few minutes per day of foam-rolling exercises. No dieting, no intense cardio. I’ve already cleared space for the book, right next to my cling film...

I start with a call to my dear friend and A-list trainer to Jennifer Lawrence, Dalton Wong. He doesn’t hesitate: “The benefits are endless—from reducing muscle soreness and improving posture, to increasing lean muscle and burning more fat, allowing your body to perform better.” Wong is my fitness guru, and if it’s good enough for JLaw and her impossibly toned, youthful form, it’ll just have to do for me too.