8 Foam Roller Exercises

If you've never invested in a foam roller — commonly found at sporting goods stores for around 20 to 40 bucks - you're doing your muscles a major disservice. Regularly using a foam roller offers many of the same benefits as a sports massage, including reduced inflammation, scar tissue and joint stress, as well as improved circulation and improved flexibility.
These exercises can be performed separately, or combined into a 10-minute pre- or postworkout routine. Since it's best to perform roller exercises once your muscles are warm, you'll need to do a quick five-minute warm-up if you opt to do them right before a weight-training session.
For each exercise, slowly roll back and forth as described for 20 to 30 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. As you roll, take deep, slow breaths to help your muscles relax. Always avoid rolling onto your joints - the roller should stay positioned under your muscles at all times - and if you hit a particularly tight or tender spot, stop rolling and apply direct pressure for 30 seconds, or until the pain abates.
If you're new to foam rolling, only incorporate this series of moves into your routine every other day for two to three weeks. After that, you can try doing it once or twice daily - both before and immediately after your workouts.