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Since the early 1990’s and early 2000’s, foam rolling or self myofascial release has been recommended by massage therapists, physiotherapists and some advanced strength & conditioning coaches to improve or maintain tissue quality and as a means to promote recovery between training sessions or competitions.

For a history of foam rolling research, check out my “foam rolling research so-far” blog post HERE. This is in dire need of an update, so my apologies.

As self massage started to grow in popularity, so did the number of companies that produced self massage sticks, rollers and balls. A few months ago, I was approached by GoRoll, a company that designed a foam roller that also acts as a locker and bag. They sent me a free review model to test out, which was very kind of them.

Here are a few pictures of the product (sent to me via GoRoll and with their permission to use):

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Taken from their website:

“The GoRoll is the first and only product of its kind designed to help you balance your daily demands and achieve your training goals. The GoRoll is uniquely designed with a hollow center that is both waterproof and lockable, offering you a secure place to store your valuables while you’re on the go. The GoRoll is made portable by a carry strap that detaches and doubles as a stretch strap. The GoRoll is available in three unique product designs to best meet your needs, whether you’re CrossFit training, working out at the beach, taking a bootcamp class in the park, hiking mountains, traveling, or heading to the yoga studio.”

My Thoughts

When I first received my GoRoll, I was impressed with the construction but unfortunately a strong plastic smell came from the inside of the roller after I removed the lockable end. This smell wore off over time but did affect the contents (clothing mostly) that I put into the roller during workouts. Apart from the manufactured smell, the GoRoll was constructed well and was highly durable during my testing.

As you’re probably aware, there are several sized rollers on the market. I found the circumference of the GoRoll to be a tad on the larger side. I found the Grid Trigger Point Roller (a different company and smaller sized roller) more favourable because I was able to hit my muscles with a little more precision. My muscles couldn’t tell the difference between the markings and indentations on the surface of the GoRoll.

The GoRoll also acts as a bag or carrier, but I found the cylindrical shape to be slightly awkward to fit most of the things I normally take to the gym e.g. shoes, clothes, post-workout shaker cup and other miscellaneous things. I would rather use an over the shoulder duffel bag that was able to fit a roller compared to using the roller as a bag itself. So for the average gym-goer, this product might not be practical, however, for a track athlete or someone going to play basketball at a court, this roller/bag might be beneficial. Most gyms now have foam rollers for their members to use, so bringing the GoRoll to the gym wouldn’t be necessary. However, locking your GoRoll on the sidelines while you run around a track or shoot hoops makes more sense.

So overall, I found this product effective at foam rolling, but I thought the circumference was a bit too large. It can be an effective carrier if you don’t need to carry too much stuff and if you’re not going to the gym. Thanks to GoRoll and the GoRoll team for letting me test out their product.

For more information, check out https://goroll.com.

I saw an article in Men’s Journal that quoted Jon in about 2018 while traveling and was impressed that someone in St. John’s made that international magazine.  Jon spoke about an exercise called the Farmer’s Walk and I started working that into my routine at the YMCA. I tore that article out of the magazine and kept it, meaning to make contact, but got busy. Then I had lunch with an old friend Bruce Dyke. I hadn’t seen Bruce for a while and I remarked that he looked super healthy and fit. He told me about his, and his son Cas’, experience at JKC and then I remembered the Men’s Journal article! No coincidences!

The experience is unique on many levels – great people, camaraderie, passion, purpose, and dedication. Jon and Thomas are attentive, precise and understanding.  Their teaching has unlocked a new perspective for me with what our bodies are capable of. I still appreciate the YMCA, wonderful place, but I can’t imagine working out without Jon and Thomas now.

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I had tried JKC based on the recommendation of a parent of one of my students. I originally started by attending Saturday drop in classes. I was hooked. I decided to join full time when I I had taken a year off from teaching and it was the best thing I have done for myself.

First and foremost the trainers at JKC are extremely knowledgeable. I feel like they are as dedicated to my success as I am. The workouts are tailored to me, my skills and my goals. This is important. Jon and Thomas truly want the best for their clients no matter what level of fitness they are starting from. I also like being able to book a session at a time that suits my schedule. This also helps keep me accountable. Once the session is booked I am not likely to cancel!

I came to JKC through recommendations from my peers from lululemon. As a current ambassador, I’ve been introduced to legacy ambassadors, like Jon, and I knew a bunch of other people from the store were working out here so I wanted to give it a go. I often dread lower body workouts so I started coming here to do legs. I’ve had such great progress that I now come twice a week— and, I no longer hate leg day!

I’ve never experienced this sort of hybrid between group workouts and personalized service. Many group strength training services offer a sort of one-size-fits-all workout for the general population, which has never been of interest to me, because I want my workout tailored to my needs! I LOVE that you can be in a group setting while doing your own personal program; I love the camaraderie and community at JKC, and, I’ve seen incredible results thus far! Jon is always so attuned to what I need.

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin.  Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising.  So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life.  Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening.  Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me.  I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do.  I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task.  I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

I recently visited Newfoundland for one month, and was looking for a good place to train while I was there. Jon and the team at JK conditioning really took the time to assess what I already knew, and set achievable goals for the time that I had with them. The gym was such a great place to push yourself. It had everything you needed, but more importantly it had a well organized, very knowledgeable, and really motivating group of trainers to push you at each workout. Not to mention a really nice group of other members who also motivated me to go that little bit further. I would highly recommend the gym to anyone who has a goal and wants to find a place to help them achieve it.

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