Roll with it

This is the Foam rollers are super affordable and one of the best gifts you can give yourself (although you may not think that the first few times you use it). Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial or self-massage. It will ease muscle soreness, tightness and release certain trigger points. You can also use a small ball, or manually with your hands.

Give these moves a go with your foam roller:

  1. Upper Back (Thoracic Spine)

Lay the roller length ways on the ground. Position your mid-back against the roller just underneath your shoulder blades. Your knees should be bent and feet flat on the floor with your bum lifted in a tabletop, hands should be off the ground rested across your chest. From here slowly roll forward and back to move the roller along the mid-length of your back and the top of your shoulder blades.

  1. Latissimus Dorsi

Lie on your right side as if you were going to do some Jane Fonda style leg raises. Place the foam roller length ways underneath your right arm along your bra line and extend your right arm along the floor. Lightly place your left hand on the floor for support. Now move along the roller so it rolls from your armpit to just above your waist. Repeat on the left side.

  1. Quadriceps

Laying face down, place the roller underneath both your thighs, near your hips. To support your bodyweight, position your elbows and forearms so they are flat on the floor in front of you, your feet should hover just above the floor.
From here, move the roller up and down the length of your thighs (pelvic bone to just above your knees by pushing through your arms.

  1. Iliotobial (IT) Band

 With the roller length ways on the ground, lay your right hip against the length the roller. Cross your left leg over the top of the right and place both hands out on the ground in front of you for support. Now, roll along the outside of the thigh (hip to above your knee) by moving your body back and forth over the roller. Repeat on the left side.

  1. Glutes

Lay the roller on the ground lengthways and with straight legs sit your butt on the foam roller, take your arms behind you and place your palms down, arms straight as if you were going to do a tricep dip. Now bend one leg and angle your body so one butt cheek is taking all of the weight, with smaller rolls than in the previous exercises move your glute back and forth across the roller. Repeat on the opposite side.