Last week I held a class teaching some lucky ladies how to do some self-massage techniques involving a foam roller and a lacrosse ball (or tennis ball). I’ve uploaded the free hand-out here as well as posted some quality YouTube videos for further demonstration.

5 Tips to follow:

1. Never roll on your low back (below the ribs to the top of your hip bones) as it could injure the area rather than help it.

2. Roll slow and steady.

3. When you find a very sore spot (also known as a knot or trigger point), stay on that spot for 30 seconds or until the pain starts to diminish.

4. Remember to breathe! Inhale through your nose (deeply) and exhale through your nose. When holding a spot on a sore area (trigger point), stay there for a few breathes till the pain starts to diminish.

5. Start with a low density foam if you are doing this for the first time or have not done self-massage in the past.

Foam Roller Handout