Self-myofascial release, also known as u201cfoam rolling,u201d hastransformed from a once mysterious technique used only byprofessional athletes, coaches, and therapists to a familiareveryday practice for people at all levels of fitness. Recentinformation, technology, and affordable products have introduced anincreasing array of training and recovery methods to the averageperson.

Self-myofascial release is a fancy term for self-massageto release muscle tightness or trigger points. Thismethod can be performed with a foam roller, lacrosse ball,Theracane, or your own hands. By applying pressure to specificpoints on your body you are able to aid in the recovery of musclesand assist in returning them to normal function. Normal functionmeans your muscles are elastic, healthy, and ready to perform at amomentu2019s notice.

Foam rollers are an inexpensive, super-versatile piece ofequipment that can help you with everything from working out theknots in your muscles to sculpting an incredible set of abs faster(more about that later). In other words, if you arenu2019t alreadyusing one, you're missing out on some serious benefits!